First Drive Review
When Mercedes-Benz decided to introduce a new car beneath the C-class, the German automaker didn’t just slice its smallest sausage a few inches shorter. Instead, it co-opted the sloping roof and general look of its trend-setting iconoclast, the CLS-class “four-door coupe.” The resulting 2014 CLA250 packs upscale panache for only $30,825, but building a Mercedes that retails some $42,000 less than its inspiration doesn’t come without compromises, which we’ll get to.
But back to styling. Along with its parasol roofline, the A-class–based CLA shares its distinctive sagging character line with the CLS, but sharper creases make the new Mercedes less subtle and more outwardly extroverted. Meticulous attention to details like underbody paneling, mirror shape, and the muffler profile lead to extremely efficient aerodynamics, claimed to be the best of any car currently in production. (A not-for-America version of the CLA actually is more aerodynamic than the one we’ll see.) A teardrop-shaped profile helps as well, but it makes the car a bit front heavy aesthetically. It’s not just a function of styling, though: The CLA will be the first front-wheel-drive Mercedes ever sold in the United States. (Competition will include the Acura ILX, the forthcoming Audi A3 sedan, and BMW’s front-drive 1-series replacement.)
Front-Drive or (Eventually) 4MATIC
An all-wheel-drive CLA250 4MATIC will arrive a few months after the CLA’s September 2013 launch, but we found no issues with torque steer or traction in the front-driver, despite the new four-cylinder’s robust torque. The turbocharged 2.0-liter, with 208 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque from 1200 rpm, is most notable for its understated power delivery under full throttle. Although it doesn’t feel especially energetic at the top end, the small turbo running at up to 14 psi of boost provides plenty of on-demand thrust. The all-wheel-drive model, then, should be reserved for those who truly need winter traction. Using a Haldex electronically controlled rear differential, the all-wheel-drive system can route up to 50 percent of the engine torque to the rear wheels.
The engine is paired to an equally new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission developed in-house in Stuttgart. Compared with the chops shown by Audi, BMW, and Volkswagen, Mercedes’ relative inexperience with this newer transmission technology shows in the shift quality and strategy. The Efficiency mode loves seventh gear, but Sport mode reviles it. We yearned for a middle setting that might be called “Normal,” but there isn’t one. Just as aggravating are shift schedules that on several occasions had us taking our hands off the wheel and throwing them in the air. Extracting the gearchanges we expected often required exploring the extremes of accelerator-pedal travel. Upshifts demanded lifting off entirely, and getting even a single-gear downshift sometimes meant pushing the pedal all the way to the kickdown switch. We’re not sure if the programming has changed since our positive experience with the transmission in the latest A-class, but for more predictable behavior, gears can be chosen manually via paddle shifters.
Not Quite as Small as You Think
Despite occupying the lowest rung of the Mercedes product ladder, the CLA is longer, wider, and taller than the C-class sedan. That will be corrected in 2015 when the C-class is due for an overhaul, but the CLA250 is already about 200 pounds lighter than the C250 simply because it isn’t designed to carry six- and eight-cylinder powertrains.
The wheelbase is one measure, though, where the CLA comes up short of the C-class, making for a crowded rear cabin. Spend any amount of time in the rear seat, and you might think you’re in a bona fide coupe rather than in a four-door. The leg- and headroom evoke occupying the back of a Ford Mustang or Porsche 911 more than a CLS or Volkswagen CC. So unless your friends are Snooki-sized with the tolerance of a Buddhist, we recommend reserving the rear for kids. Up front is far better, with generous space and excellent comfort.
