Mercedes CLA information: everything you need to know if you own it, are thinking of buying one or just want to find out more about Merc’s swooping four-door saloon and estate. Click on the links below for all of CAR magazine’s news, reviews, videos, scoops and spy photos of the CLA car range. We list the top 10 stories for each model – and where appropriate you can click on ‘More’ to browse even more of our archive.
Background
The Mercedes-Benz CLA is available as a four-door coupe/saloon and a Shooting Brake. Underneath the swooping bodywork lie the innards of the A-class, and the same Mercedes Front-wheel drive Architecture (MFA). For more information on the Mercedes CLA, click on our further stories on the links below.
60sec road test
Daimler has always planned for the A-class family to become a wide range of compact cars - all the better for taking on the likes of the class benchmark VW Golf. So the CLA is essentially an A in swoopier, four-door drag. A bit like a junior CLS, in fact, with that banana-curved side profile aesthetic. Choose from the four-door saloon or the distinctive CLA Shooting Brake junior estate. And if you’re feeling brave, pick the CLA45 AMG, with the rabid 355bhp turbocharged four-cylinder engine and four-wheel drive for a leftfield hot hatch alternative. We’ve not driven the wagon version yet, but admire its gauche style. All CLAs share the A-class driving vibe, with a neat enough driving dynamic, lots of goodies to keep you safe and entertained and a rather annoying twin-clutch automatic transmission which just doesn’t change gear when you expect it to. Just watch out for compromised packaging from that low roofline; anyone over 5ft 10in sitting in the rear will be in for a shock and over-your-shoulder visibility is poor.
The one we’d buy
CLA 180
The one we’d avoid like the plague
tbc
Rivals to consider
Audi A3 Sportback, Volvo V40, VW CC
For
Unique styling, comfortable, wide choice of models and engines
Against
Unique styling, poor rear headroom