Mercedes CLA-class (C118)

	Mercedes CLA-class (C118)
	Debut: 2019 Maker: Mercedes-Benz Predecessor: CLA-class (C117)

Published on 11 Mar 2020

A good-looking, value-packed car with a 3-pointed star badge is hard to resist...

7 years ago, Mercedes found a new way to break into the compact car market in the United States and Asia: CLA-class. While the A-class hatchback is hopeless to do so, a coupe-style 4-door saloon sounds far more graceful to American and Asian buyers. They don’t necessarily chase for rear-drive dynamics, but a good-looking, value-packed car with a 3-pointed star badge is hard to resist. Build this car on the MFA front-wheel-drive architecture of the A-class, B-class and GLA-class will spread costs and keep its prices affordable. Most important, from its rakish look no one would realize its cheap basis. In this way, the first generation CLA-class captured 750,000 sales in its 5 and a half-years lifespan, incredible for a niche model.

The second generation CLA, codenamed C118, follows the footprints of its predecessor to be a "4-door coupe". It is supposed to be more premium than the A-class, but it is still reasonably priced, costing a premium of £2000 only. It retains a swoopy roofline and slim frameless windows, but the details have been refined. The front end shows family resemblance to the larger CLS-class, thanks to slimmer headlights and a reshaped front grille. Actually, the whole car looks rather like a 70-percent scale CLS. The sides have been simplified, removing the swoopy crease line that made the old car so special. The taillights get slimmer, too, and the boot lid gets a wider opening. However, drag coefficient is unchanged. The sleekest model has a Cd of 0.23, still one of the lowest in production.

Dynamics are much improved from the old CLA, though still fail to be ranked among the class leaders.

The C118 has grown 58mm longer and a significant 53mm wider, while its wheelbase has been stretched to 2729mm to match the A-class with which it shares the MFA2 platform. Contrary to perception, its roof is only 10mm lower than that of the A-class hatchback, although its high curvature does hamper rear headroom more seriously. The car is also wider than its hatchback sibling, boosting front and rear track by 8mm and 27mm, respectively, in pursuit of better handling. Trunk space grows to 460 liters, more than even the A-class sedan (420 liters), thanks to the extra length of its rear overhang.

The interior is predictably more cramped. Driver comfort is almost unaltered, as headroom is virtually the same and he faces exactly the same controls. The rear seat suffers the most loss, as headroom is slashed by a massive 52mm compared with the A-class hatchback (that’s 2 inches), rendering its use to children, short adults or for very short trips. Slimmer windows hamper outward visibility as well as the sense of spaciousness. As in the A-class, twin-10.25-inch TFT screens span the dashboard, displaying crisped graphics and delivering a sophistication few others could match. The MBUX user interface is powerful and versatile, allowing you to access via a pair of touchpads on the steering wheel, the touchscreen, trackpad on the transmission tunnel, gesture and voice recognition. The infotainment technology and interior build quality are as good as you get in this class.

Same environment as the A-class up front, but the rear loses 2 inches of headroom.

While the A-class has multi-link rear axle reserved for models from A250 upward, the CLA has it fitted standard across the range. Its suspension tuning is sportier, no matter springs, dampers or anti-roll bars, so that the car corners flatter. On the downside, the ride gets busier. On rougher surfaces it feels quite harsh and may run out of suspension travel more easily. It is not quite as harsh as the old CLA, of course, but still rest at the hardcore side of the class. Opt for adaptive dampers and the car feels more at home on fast B-roads, but it still struggles on sharp bumps that you won't notice on a VW Golf R. Likewise, broken pavement in town can easily unsettle its refinement. The CLA also suffers from more road noise than its hatchback sibling. Its steering, roadholding and agility are decent, if not better than the A-class. CLA35 AMG has additional reinforcement around the engine bay and front suspension like its A35 sibling. Its handling is more competent and entertaining than lesser CLAs, of course, but fails to rise above the competition.

The base CLA180 and CLA200 run a 1.3-liter four-cylinder turbo with 136hp and 163hp, respectively. They are slow and noisy at rev thus better to be avoided. CLA250 is the mainstream choice. Its 2-liter engine produces 224hp and manages to do 0-60 in 6 seconds. However, this engine is not the sweetest out there, not very willing to rev and not very refined either. The 7-speed DCT remains a weak point. In auto mode its gearshift is inconsistent and sometimes hesitant. In manual mode it will automatically upshift before reaching the redline, discouraging a spirited mood. Comparatively, the newer 8-speed DCT on the CLA220d feels a lot more refined. The 190hp diesel engine is also refined yet gusty, providing a long-legged performance that suits the CLA very well. At the top, CLA35 sounds powerful with a rating of 306hp, but its power band is narrow and its sound is dull. Moreover, it doesn’t feel as quick as the 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds suggested.

What if we put the beautiful packaging of CLA on the underpinnings of BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe? That must be a perfect product.

All these flaws prevent the CLA from being praised as a driver’s car. Meanwhile, it also lacks the refinement and comfort to feel a truly premium product. Frankly, having known the A-class already, you wouldn’t be shocked to hear the same story. Dynamically, the new CLA is undeniably much improved from its direct predecessor, which admittedly drove quite badly. It just lacks the polish to elevate to the list of class leaders.

What we feel sorry about is the lost opportunity. The CLA has a gorgeous exterior and one of the most desirable interiors. It should have been made a more premium, more refined alternative to the A-class sedan rather than a sportier and less refined one. In other words, like what BMW has done to the 2-Series Gran Coupe. Somehow, BMW softened a car that needs to be sharpened, whereas Mercedes did the contrary. Think about this, what if we put the beautiful packaging of the CLA on the underpinnings of an M235i Gran Coupe? That must be a perfect product.

Shooting Brake is more attractive than sedan, aesthetically and practically.

Since we cannot stand the look of that BMW, right now the best choice among the compact premium 4-door coupe class – what a niche class! – is the Shooting Brake version of the CLA. Don’t call it an estate or wagon, because it looks even more attractive than the 4-door model. The banana-shape side glass combines with a curvy waist line to draw your attention away from the flat roof line. The effect is far more convincing than what Kia tried on the Proceed, and no less dramatic than the last generation CLA Shooting Brake. In terms of practicality, it is far superior than the 4-door. The boot measures 505 liters in standard form, expanding to 1370 liters with rear seats down. Most important, rear passengers enjoy 47 mm more headroom, so taller adults are no longer prohibited from the rear seats. It carries just 25 more kilograms and adds a bit drag, losing little performance. In short, it is more stylish and more practical than the sedan. Sometimes you can have your cake and eat it!

Verdict:

Published on 11 Mar 2020

AMG CLA45

Combines performance and handling with 4-seat accommodation and a desirable coupe look.

As we have seen recently, the new Mercedes-AMG A45 is a remarkable super hatchback, one that combines huge performance, expert control and a versatile personality. How about its sister car CLA45?

The conversion from lesser CLA-class models to CLA45 is more or less the same as the case of A45, since both cars share nearly the same modified parts. First of all is the M139 engine, the world’s most powerful production 4-cylinder. From just 2.0 liters of capacity, it manages to squeeze out 421 crazy horsepower on the S model, accompanied with 369 pound-foot of torque, thanks to a roller-bearing twin-scroll turbo, dual-mode injection, a stiff block and heavy duty cooling systems, among other technologies. Moreover, unlike conventional turbocharging, it has its torque curve shaped to peak at 5000-5250 rpm, resulting in a linear power delivery that encourages the driver to access its top end to get the best of it. It sounds good, too, at least for a four-cylinder engine.

While the A45 S gets from rest to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, the CLA45 S needs an extra tenth because it is 40 kg heavier, courtesy of its extra length. Both cars have their top speed limited to 168 mph, although I suspect the more slippery body of CLA could ultimately achieve a higher top speed if derestricted. Its AMG aero kits generate positive downforce, yet the drag coefficient is only 0.31.

Chassis is what separates the CLA45 from its hatchback sister. It has wider front and rear track, and the suspension setup is stiffer as well. In addition to those 10mm-wider rubbers, theoretically it should beat the A45 in handling. Nevertheless, in the real world the opposite is found. Owing to its extra weight and longer tail, hence a higher polar moment of inertia, the CLA45 steers not quite as responsively. The turn-in is less sharp. The tail is a tad more resistant to oversteer, but once it is pushed to go wide, the oversteer is more pronounced. In short, the A45 feels lighter, more compact and more agile, which is not surprising.

Driving dynamics are overshadowed by the lighter and more compact A45.

However, the difference is rather small. Since the clever 4WD system with twin-multiplate clutch works seamlessly to adjust power between the rear wheels, the CLA45 still able to keep its under- and oversteer in check. The result is a tidy control no matter how hard you attack corner. You can induce more oversteer in Sport+ and Drift mode, but the inability of pure rear-wheel drive means it will never power slide as massively and sustainably as an AMG GT 4-door.

The chassis reinforcement that it shares with the A45, such as an aluminum plate added underneath the engine, extra bracings around the front chassis, rigidly mounted subframes and steering rack, work well to deliver an iron-fisted body control. It corners with precious little roll, noticeably less than its hatchback sister, thanks to that stiffer suspension and wider tracks. Braking is powerful. The steering seems a little lighter than the A45’s, but still gifted with high precision, and it weighs up reassuringly if you leave it in Sport+ mode (or use Individual mode to set it to the maximum).

Less great is ride comfort. The A45 is already on the firm side of acceptable range. The CLA45 is stiffer still, so it could be quite harsh on poorer surfaces. The beefier rubbers also make more noise on cruising, so long-distance comfort is not its strength.

Starting at £52,000, the CLA45 S is marginally more expensive than the A45 S. Some might see it good value considering its more stylish look and a more premium image. Some see otherwise due to its slightly less agile handling, poorer ride and marginally lower performance. A BMW M2 Competition is just as fast and more fun to drive, and it makes you wondering why pay the same money for a four-cylinder engine. However, the CLA45 is unique in the class, as it combines performance and handling with 4-seat accommodation and a desirable coupe look.

Verdict: