mercedes CLA has quickly become a staple of affordable luxury and was one of mercedes’ most successful models after its introduction in 2013. The smallest mercedes sedan sold very well thanks to its sleek design, more affordable price and great overall performance.
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Now, the CLA enters its third generation (model code C174) and for the first time ever there are fully electric powertrain options. For now there are no AMG versions in either ICE or EV versions, but they are inevitably coming.
Today, we’re testing the 2026 mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4Matic, which is the most powerful version in the lineup right now. It outputs 354 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque and offers all wheel drive. Despite the impressive power figure, this CLA also promises excellent efficiency to work well as a daily driver.
mercedes is now done with the infamous EQ naming strategy and instead named the car more traditionally. There are no obvious badges on the outside to signal its electric powertrain, which may help draw traditional customers to buying an EV.
Now if we have to accurate the full name of the car is mercedes CLA 350 4Matic with EQ technology, but thankfully this is written only in the owner’s manual and nowhere on the vehicle itself. The big question now is: did mercedes retain the qualitites that made the CLA so successful after the EV transition.
mercedes CLA 350 4MATIC 2025 –
Dimensions: 185.9 inches x 73 inches x 57.8 inches, 109.8 inches wheelbase.
Drivetrain tested: 350 4Matic – AWD 260 kW (354 hp), 380 lb-ft, 85 kWh usable battery capacity
Other drivetrains: 250+ – RWD 200 kW (272 hp), 247 lb-ft, 85 kWh usable battery capacity
Charging: 320 kW CCS
Range: 479 miles WLTP
Weight: 4,707 lb unladen, 5,677 lb gross
Other features: First mercedes with frunk, Passenger display, Console games, OTA updates.
Exterior
The electric mercedes models were often criticized for not looking as stately as the brand name suggests. The new design language is polarizing and many people argue that the cars look “melted” and nowhere near as luxurious and outstanding as the brand’s traditional cars.
The new CLA is also part of that trend, but as mercedes gets more time it polishes it significantly. The CLA has more pronounced details and the “melting” silhouette is offset by some edges and added accents. The ICE and EV variants of the CLA look identical for better or worse.
From the front, a huge lightbar spans the width of the car. The strip of light in the middle connects the two headlights and makes it look as a single huge unit. The bar widens on each where it meets the headlights, so it more distinctive than most similar bars that just use a flat LED line and call it a day.
The front has more details now.
The headlights themselves are very impressive, filled with tech and a featuring a prominent mercedes logo in the center.
The entire front grille is also covered with small mercedes logos, which individually light up to create a more recognizable road presence. We do find the look rather tacky and in our eyes it cheapens the overall character, as it’s making the CLA less serious.
The entire front end is designed to maximize aerodynamic efficiency. The edges are smoothed out and the accents are kept to a minimum. This may lose some character, but it results in a Cd of just 0.21 and while looks will always be subjective, this value is objectively great engineering feat.
The side profile of the CLA is the usual combination of sedan and coupe features, resulting in a unique and appealing look. The doors are frameless and give off a prestigious vibe.
Frameless doors always account for a beautiful shape.
To further reduce drag, the side mirrors are smaller than in most vehicles and the door handles are flush with the body of the car as it starts moving.
Small details account for big aero improvements.
Our test vehicle is equipped with the 19-inch wheels, coupled with Bridgestone Turanza 6 tyres, which look great and perform excellently, but are actually the least efficient option. 17 and 18-inch wheels are also available for those willing to trade looks for extra range.
The rear end is very similar to the previous generation and keeps the sloping trunk with a slight ducktail spoiler.
There is another LED bar here and once again the lighting signature is vastly different from all rivals that use such LED bars. When you enter and exit the lights make a little “dance” to greet you. The edges once again feature a mercedes logo that lights up.
The lower part of the rear bumper is black no matter the exterior color of the vehicle. It makes the CLA appear taller, which is a rather puzzling choice given the overall aesthetics of the car.
The rear end of the CLA.
The fake exhaust tips are much better than in the EQ models of yesteryear and are now only working as an accent, instead of a focal point.
Overall, the CLA looks better than any of the previous mercedes electric models, even if it lacks some of the character of the outgoing model. The current generation CLA tries to blend classy design with slightly childing light elements and the end result looks slightly unbalanced.
Interior
The interiors of the CLA and its twin – the A-class have notably always served as a preview of what to expect in the company’s future larger and more expensive models. The first gen CLA showed introduced the then-new cabin design language and the second version was the first to use the already widely spred MBUX infotainment.
The current C174 CLA generation also tries a bunch of new ideas and will be used as a testing ground as mercedes evaluates the customers’ feedback before it expands and adapts it to the rest of the lineup.
It is close to what the EQ models have with the Hyperscreen, yet here it is significantly modernized and refined, introducing multiple new features, as well. It is now called Superscreen to underline the step forward.
Once you open the doors, you’re greeted by the good old steering wheel mercedes’ been using for a few years now. It has touch sensitive buttons for the audio and cruise control that offer great haptic feedback.
Unlike the more luxurious models, you cannot change what the driver screen shows – you get a fixed layout without customization options. That’s rather disappointing as it fails to capitalize on the use of display instead of gauges.
The steering wheel and driver’s screen.
There is an abundance of red leather accents all over the interior. An objective downside is that when you choose this trim is you cannot have rear passenger side airbags. This is an absurd safety oversight and unexpected by a prominent manufacturer like mercedes-Benz.
The red door inlets feature some of the cheapest plastics possible, which is another disappointment by manufacturer known for quality products. On the upside, you get nice and deep storage pockets that fit even a big bottle of water, adding convenience.
There are no dedicated controls for the rear windows. You have to select which windows you’d like to control and then use the same switches for both sets. We find that to be an unnecessary complication of a simple process and even if it save a couple of dollars per car we really don’t think it’s worth it.
The door sills look good but feel cheap.
Back to the positives, the Superscreen starts from the left door and ends on the right one, essentially covering the entire dashboard. It begins and ends with very nice and elegant air vents that glow in the ambient lighting colors and create a wonderful atmosphere.
The stalks behind the steering wheel feel amazing to use and are made up of high quality materials. mercedes has been using the right stalk as a gear lever for a good while now and the CLA continues that trend.
You can now also press it front and back, not only up and down. This controls the recuperation levels instead of using paddles. The button at the end of the stalk acts as a start/stop button, but you can drive without using it at all.
The stalks offer premium quality.
The 10.3″ driver’s display is directly next to the center display unit, which is a 14″ touchscreen. It comes with the newest iteration of MBUX and offers works great – we’ll cover it in more detail later on. A small gripe is the size of the bezels is not up to modern standards and looks outdated.
Glued to it in a not-so-subtle manner is the passenger display, or in our test unit’s case, the passenger logos. mercedes didn’t bother making a different dashboard for customers who don’t opt for the Superscreen and instead you get the same size plastic unit, covered in little mercedes logos all over.
It looks unfinished and feels like mercedes is punishign you for not choosing the more expensive display option. Also, you can’t prevent the logos from glowing in the dark, which is somewhat distracting.
The center console is massive and incorporates a lot of functional elements. Closest to the main screen, there is a row of buttons for the most important features like drive modes, camera system and the audio. We really appreciate the latter getting its own segment.
Right below them is a wireless charging pad that works well, delivering reasonable charging speeds without heating up your phone too much.
In the middle you get two nice modular cupholders.
Right underneath them is a huge storage area, enabled by the lack of a transmission tunnel.
The center console of the CLA.
Underneath the armrest you’ll find even more storage space.
Only the glovebox is smaller than usual but all the abundance of pockets around the interior mean you’ll always have enough room for your items.
Storage is dispersed throughout the interior.
The seats are comfortable despite our test car having the sporty variant. They have been present in various mercedes models for a while now and offer great comfort and side support.
The giant panoramic roof window provides a roomy sensation inside. Especially in the gloomy autumn weather we had while testing, such a big window is a major bonus. Sadly, it doesn’t open.
The rear seats are where it becomes obvious that the CLA is mercedes‘ smallest sedan. Despite the frameless doors, entry is hard for the passengers. The sloping roofline and protruding C-pillar require precise movement in order to enter and exit without hitting your head somewhere.
Once you’re seated, though, you have both legroom and headroom to spare. Our reviewer is 1.95 m (6’4”) tall and fits nicely with some space left behind his own driving position. the knees raise a bit, but that is to be expected given the overall height of the car.
As for features, around the back you get two USB-C charge ports, air vents and an armrest with cupholders. The door pockets aren’t as deep as the ones in front so you cannot store big bottles inside them.
The rear of the CLA is very basic.
Even the windows’ roll is rather limited.
Storage & practicalities
The trunk of the new CLA is alright, if not quite impressive. It offers 14.3 ft³ of storage space, which is less than most competitors. There are no side pockets either, only a small netted niche on one side containing the med kit.
Underneath the trunk floor you get a very narrow pocket for storing smaller items, yet once you get the mandatory safety equipment for Europe you have basically filled this part.
With the rear seats folded down, you get loads of space, but the tight trunk limits accessibility.
Cargo is sufficient but not impressive.
The real party trick of the mercedes CLA C174 is its frunk (front trunk), which is by far the biggest in the segment and larger than many bigger vehicles. It offers 3.57 ft³ of space, which is enough for a suitcase and a backpack to fit in.
The frunk is the biggest in the segment.
Driving experience
When you first get behind the steering wheel of the CLA you likely won’t be prepared for how nice of an experience it is. It might be the best driving car we’ve ever tested outside of niche performance models. There is a fine line between comfort and sportiness that mercedes nailed perfectly.
The steering is tight and responsive. You point the car in the direction you want and have to put in just enough power to feel some kind of feedback but it never get too tiring.
The suspension absorbs potholes and bumps but informs you of their presence or severity. Even when road conditions are sub-par the CLA rides tight so you never feel like getting out the driver’s seat.
The CLA looks great in motion.
On tighter backroads the CLA does alright. You cannot dive into the corners at super high speeds as the tires quickly start giving up. The Bridgestone Turanza 6 is a wonderful tire and perform well under stress, but the weight of the CLA just seems too much for them to handle.
Still, the chassis feels planted and stable in just about every other scenario and the lack of interior creaking makes the feeling inside even nicer.
The different recuperation levels are well adjusted and provide vastly different experiences. With recuperation completely off the CLA coasts for longer than any other vehicle we’ve tested. On the other hand, if you use its full capabilities there is almost no need to ever touch the brake pedal.
Blue contrasts well with the autumn leaves.
One thing all new mercedes models have are easy switches for the annoying speed limit and lane keeping assistants. The former you can switch off by just pressing a small button in the top right corner that appears as soon as you turn on the CLA and instantly mutes the system.
Easy and convenient
Lane keep assistant’s input is actually so unintrusive that you never really need to turn it off. However, you can do it with 2 clicks – first press the car settings icon that always stays on the bottom row in the infotainment. Then press the “Lane keep function” to turn it on or off. Of course, there is a more complicated ADAS menu, from which you can adjust all of the safety assistants and how they operate.
The different drive modes don’t seem to make that much of a difference. Suspension always remains the same, the change in steering responsiveness is minimal and only the punch when accelerating notably increases.
Ride comfort
The mercedes CLA C174 doesn’t come with air suspension but still offers great ride comfort. It strikes a great balance between responsiveness and comfort, resulting in a firm yet peaceful sensation. Small bumps are almost unnoticed even at high speeds, and even big ones don’t result in prolonged bouncing. A true suspension tuning masterclass by mercedes – and a welcome one too as the previous generations had severe problems here.
Tech features
The CLA pioneers mercedes‘ technological advancements and the new C174 is no different. Even though we didn’t get to test the new Superscreen, the regular infotainment still impresses with great responsiveness, clever features and neat integrations.
The CLA is focused on serving your busy office life. The presence of an integrated camera allows for attending meetings on the go and making videos while travelling. Microsoft Teams is integrated into the infotainment and you can also record voice memos and add your calendar to stay up to date with work tasks.
Personal time remains a thing of the past with the ability to work from everywhere.
Entertainment is another major part of the CLA, which allows the driver and passengers to relax after a busy day and enjoy themselves in the comfort of their vehicle. Starting off from podcasts, music and audiobook apps and going all the way to integrated multiplayer games, you can have it all in the CLA.
Entertainment and information are readily available.
YUou can even play some games on the touchscreen, while others require a controller. Of course none of that works while driving besides the audio features. You might be able to play them on the passenger display even while moving but we’ll have to wait and test a car equipped with it to find out.
Abundance of games.
A big leap forward is the integration of Apple CarPlay into the driver’s screen. We’re not talking about CarPlay Ultra with its full customization options, but a more simplistic version where the map from your cellphone is not only displayed on the main screen but also displayed in front of you. This makes it easier and much more convenient to always have the map there and use the center screen for different purposes.
The climate controls are buried deep into the settings menu, which is arguably the most annoying part of the UI. The most frequently used settings like temperature and fan setting are always present on the lower part of the screen, which is nice, but for the more advanced stuff there are no shortcuts.
A/C controls are difficult and confusing.
In an odd twist the CLA brings massaging seats, while not offering electric adjustment. The massaging is controlled from the A/C menu but works well and relaxes your body.
The gauge cluster display we mentioned has only two possible layouts. Either you get the standard red gauges with information in the middle or a minimalist tesla-like setup. There it can either display the road situation upfront by drawing the traffic or a map. It is not a display up to the usual mercedes standard and we are hoping we get a fix that even if it’s a paid option.
Cabin noise
The cabin of the CLA is well insulated and lets in minimal amounts of ambient sounds into the interior. However, there are some wind noises coming in through the frameless doors at higher speeds and a weird buzzing noise coming from the air conditioning area. We thought our test car had a problem at first but forums show that many owners have experienced the same issue.
Sound level tests are carried out with a specialized sound level meter placed in the car‘s cupholders. The test is conducted with air conditioning and radio off and while maintaining a steady speed.
Acceleration and braking
Even though there is no AMG version out yet, the 350 4Matic we tested outputs almost the same amount of power as the first generation CLA 45 AMG. The acceleration from 0 to 62 mph happens in just 4.53 seconds, based on our testing, which is identical to what that AMG achieved and half a second quicker than what mercedes advertises. Power feels sufficient even at highway speeds and quick overtakes are easily achievable.
Stopping is very quick, too. Going at 62 mph you only need 34 m (111′ 5″) to come to a stop, which is a great result.
Acceleration and deceleration are measured with a RaceBox device inside the car. Testing is done with a single person inside the car, with air conditioning and traction control off.
Consumption
When designing the C174 CLA, mercedes really prioritized efficiency. Even though we tested the more powerful 350 4Matic model with two motors, AWD and more power than the standard 250+ model, the results we got are outstanding. For more of our thoughts on range and efficiency of the new CLA check out our detailed range test article.
We measure consumption by driving at constant speeds on an identical test route during the day. Testing is conducted with air conditioning, all safety systems and radio on. The data comes from the vehicle’s board computer. Specific testing parameters such as ambient temperature are mentioned in the text on a case by case basis.
We now suggest you use the widget below to find out the mercedes CLA 350 4Matic’s range in every combination of speed and temperature you might need. We’ve used our real world tests and a complex model to provide an estimate that should be as close to the actual performance as possible.
Charging speed
Charging is a major point of concern when purchasing the new mercedes CLA. It stands out with its support for up to 320 kW charging speeds and go from 10 to 80% in just 22 minutes. During our testing we achieved somewhat slower results despite favorable conditions, but the more concerning part is that mercedes doesn’t warn about a major charging flaw.
Most models will only charge at DC stations that support 800V. This means that if you run out of battery and the nearby ones are 400V, you will be left stranded. In certain regions mercedes will add 400V charging with an optional upgrade, but ours isn’t one of them.
You can use the mercedes CLA as a power source to power a house (V2H) or a grid (V2G). However, it doesn’t appear to support the more commonly used V2L (vehicle to load), which is a bizarre omission.
Competition
There aren’t that many similar vehicles on the market as the segment of compact luxury sedans is hardly too hot lately. The CLA is a wonderful proposition that has been refined throughout its generations and is benefitting from that development in its first electric iteration.
The main and closest competitor is the tesla Model 3. Both models are nearly identical in terms of size, performance and target audience. The tesla is cheaper and also offers more trunk space and rear entertainment features. The mercedes shines with more customization options and more distinct styling. Both are identical in terms of efficiency but the bigger battery makes the CLA more compelling for long trips.
The next competitor of the CLA is the bmw i4, which is based on a larger model but is only slightly bigger in size. The technology on-board the i4 is lacking and the mercedes comes with a bigger battery and better efficiency, resulting in much longer range. Built quality and driving experience go unequivocally to the bmw, though.
tesla Model 3 Standard 2025 – • bmw i4 eDrive40 2021 –
Verdict
mercedes has been developing the CLA model for over a decade and it shows. The new C174 generation seems more mature and refined than its predecessors. The balanced ride quality and the ideal driving characteristics can on their own be a reason to choose the car over the competition. Add in the exceptional efficiency and big battery and you end up with an unrivaled product for both long journeys and short daily trips.
Technology on-board is great and can even offer too much. The amount of customization and entertainment options can be overwhelming for some but it’s better to have something and not use it than to miss not having it. It is crucial that the important features that concern the driving experience are easy to understand and straightforward, whereas the more nerdy features can be complicated and we wouldn’t mind.
If you come from a previous generation CLA or similar compact sedan you’ll find nothing familiar and will have a completely new and modern experience. Even compared to its rivals, the CLA is a wonderful choice and stands its ground. If you’re in the market for such a vehicle we recommend checking it out and deciding for yourself if it’s the one for you.
Pros
Extraordinary efficiency.
Fabulous driving experience.
Modern and useful infotainment.
Ability to have driver aids easily disabled.
User-friendly multimedia interface.
Giant frunk.
Quick acceleration at all speeds.
Safe braking even with subpar tires.
CarPlay integration in the driver’s screen.
Traditional styling without EV and ICE differentiation.
Cons
No 400V charging.
No rear passenger side airbags in trim of the test vehicle.
Annoying noises coming from the air conditioning.
Cheap plastics all around the interior.
Huge black bezels around the screens.
Pop-out door handles.
Overstyled with excessive mercedes logos.
