All New Entry Level Mercedes
The entry-level Mercedes-Benz CLA has always offered a lot of prestige and style for the price, but in terms of technology, efficiency, and performance, it hasn’t really been on the cutting edge. That’s about to change with the next-generation CLA, which we should start seeing in the U.S. late this year or early next year.
Mercedes says that the new CLA offers more to potential customers in every dimension: more space than before, more refinement, more comfort, more tech, and more efficiency than the model it replaces. The company says it’s the most intelligent Mercedes to date, and the first in an all-new family of vehicles, which will be available in both fully-electric and hybrid forms for optimal choice.
Mercedes CLA: Remarkable Range and Efficiency
The all-new CLA, the first vehicle built on a new flexible platform, offers both electric and hybrid variants. The electric versions are particularly impressive, with class-leading range and efficiency.
At market launch in Europe, the CLA250+ with EQ Technology (to give it its full name) will offer two-wheel drive and a range of up to 492 miles on the European NEDC testing cycle; we’d expect that number to drop to about 450 on the more realistic EPA test, but that’s still a huge number. There will also be a CA350 4Matic with EQ Technology, which offers all-wheel drive and an upgrade from 268 to 349 hp – making it most powerful variant in the CLA range.
Those big range numbers come not as a result of a massive battery, as in some other EVs – indeed, 85 kWh isn’t huge by modern standards – but instead from exceptional efficiency. Aerodynamics are superb, with Mercedes claiming a 0.21 coefficient of drag, one of the best in the industry.
The use of a two-speed transmission also increases the efficiency of the rear drive motor; First gear gives great acceleration and responsiveness in the city, while second gear allows for efficient highway cruising and increased comfort.
800-volt Electric Architecture
The new CLA uses a high-end 800-volt electric architecture, something which is typically found on very expensive high-performance electric cars such as the Porsche Taycan. 800-volt architectures are lighter, which reduces weight and therefore improves efficiency, and also allows faster charging. Indeed, Level 3 fast charging at up to 320 kW is nearly class-leading, and on par with cars like the Taycan, Audi e-tron GT, and other six-figure vehicles. Looked at from another angle, up to 200 miles of range can be added on a compatible fast charger in as little as 10 minutes.
Mercedes says its latest battery has very high energy density, and a smaller carbon footprint to produce. The cells use silicon oxide and graphite anodes, instead of the conventional graphite anodes of prior batteries, increasing energy density by up to 20 percent. The new battery also has less cobalt content – reducing its carbon footprint by about 30 percent.
The new CLA also has a multi-source air-to-air heat pump as standard equipment – the first Mercedes to feature one. It scavenges waste heat from the electric drivetrain, the battery, and the ambient air, using only a third of the energy that a conventional heater would need to deliver the same output.
CLA Hybrid with Two Outputs
The all-new CLA will also be available as a hybrid, with 48-volt tech and an EV motor integrated into its transmission. Like the electric CLA, the hybrids will be available with two-wheel drive or 4Matic all-wheel drive.
In the CLA hybrids, the electric motor, inverter, and transmission are integrated into a single unit, and the electric motor can drive the vehicle at any speed. In the city, CLA hybrid models can drive in all-electric mode, and electric coasting is possible at speeds of up to 60 mph. The hybrid CLA models will be a great choice for drivers without the ability to charge at home, or who frequently take long-distance road trips.
Mercedes-Benz CLA Design
The all-new CLA is a sleek and stylish design with a long wheelbase and a flowing, powerful rear end. The long hood has “power domes” even on electric models, and the roofline is aerodynamic. Striking character lines down the side of the vehicle create an interplay of light and shade.
Up front, Mercedes’ traditional sporty A-shape grille has been redesigned for the electric age, with a large and lit star logo surrounded by 142 chrome-effect stars which create a distinctive visual signature. On electric models, the stars are lit up, while on hybrid models, the stars form the basis of the front radiator grille. Taking things even further, the headlights and rear lights feature distorted star shapes, making this unmistakably a Mercedes.
All CLA models come standard with an huge panoramic glass roof, which extends from the windshield frame to the rear of the vehicle. Underneath it, the CLA’s interior offers a “Superscreen” which integrates a 10.25-inch driver display, a 14-inch center display and 14-inch front passenger display behind a single glass surface. There’s also a floating center console, wireless smartphone charger, and 3D leather-clad, floating door panels. The overall effect is futuristic and stylish.
An all-new operating system, called MB.OS, has been developed in house, and uses AI to offer a highly customized and responsive user experience. Over the air updates are standard.
All-New CLA Pricing and Availability
We don’t yet know the final pricing for the all-new CLA models, though it’s safe to expect that it will cost more than the outgoing model. The current CLA, which is only available with gasoline power, has a starting MSRP of $45,550. Expect a slightly higher price for the new hybrid CLA, and a bit more still for the EV model when they arrive in a few months’ time.
