2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 and 45 AMG: Spicy or extra-spicy

It’s always a memorable event when a new Mercedes-Benz arrives in Canada, mainly because new Mercedes models are very rare (I’m not talking about new versions of existing models – that’s a lot less rare!) and because, in general, they are phenomenal.

That’s true of the CLA, anyway, the smallest car offered in North America by the German brand. Built on the platform of the almost-as-new B-Class (the wheelbase is identical), the CLA is, in my opinion, more of a small CLS-Class than a dressed-up B-Class. Although it’s very small, this CLA has rather balanced lines – more balanced than those of the BMW 1 Series, in any case.

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• Also: 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250: Temper Your Expectations

Mercedes through and through

The passenger compartment is classic Mercedes-Benz and the dashboard design is inspired by the B-Class – both its good points and its bad points. The quality of the materials and their assembly is, as you’d suspect, top-notch, and the ergonomics are sound overall. Your humble and very talented servant is a mere 5 feet 6 inches tall, and while driving, I could tell that the headroom was rather limited. I can only imagine how my 5’10” co-pilot felt!
There are two versions of the CLA: the 250 and the 45 AMG. The main differences are under the body, but we noticed the occasional disparity. The most obvious example is the AMG’s more aggressive front end. Then there’s the front seats, which are more comfortable and provide better support than those of the 250. Still, the 250’s seats should satisfy most people, although some my colleagues, particularly the taller ones, seem to have appreciated them less. Predictably, the backseats are very tight.

Painful options

On all versions, you find yourself pressing the icons on the centre screen – to no avail! With the whole world going digital, Mercedes-Benz inexplicably arrives without a touch screen. It’s also strange to have to pay $2,800 for heated seats (included in the Premium Package), but that’s nothing new coming from the Germans, who don’t define the word “equipment” the same way we do. Again regardless of the version, rear visibility is terrible. The optional (of course) rear camera (with the Premium Package), is a necessity. The trunk is reasonably large, as is the opening, but as the opening is somewhat oddly shaped, transporting large objects won’t be easy.

4.6 or 6.7

A Mercedes is defined not by its passenger compartment and nice lines, but by its engine. The CLA 250, which goes for $33,900 (without options) is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo. Sure, with 208 horsepower and 258 lbs-ft of torque between 1,200 and 4,000 rpm, it won’t break any land speed records, but with all that torque at low speed, it’s nothing to sneeze at. On the other hand, once you test drive the $49,800-CLA 45 AMG, the 250 suffers by comparison. With 355 horses and 332 lbs-ft of torque under the hood, the AMG is jaw-droppingly good. It, too, has a 2.0-litre turbo, but it’s capable of reaching 0-100 km/hr in 4.6 seconds according to Mercedes-Benz. As for the CLA 250, it needs 6.7 seconds for the same exercise. We couldn’t do our own tests, but we have no reason to doubt Mercedes.

In both cases, the transmission is a seven-speed automatic but its handling differs depending on the engine with which it’s associated. This gearbox is hyper-lively and abrupt even in the AMG, and it’s slower in the 250 version. There’s a significant difference when it comes to the drive train. While the less powerful CLA is a front-wheel drive (all-wheel drive is offered on option), the AMG arrives only in the all-wheel drive version. Clearly, 355 horsepower sent directly to the front wheels would have made the car hard to control in acceleration.

With a basic 250, the handling is already solid, the electric steering is precise and the suspension is very harsh. So superior is the handling in the AMG that it’s frustrating to drive it on public roads when all it wants is to push it to the limits on a track. The steering is even more direct and the suspension is very harsh. I wouldn’t call the suspension unpleasant, but prepare to be bounced around quite a bit, especially on our roads. You can opt for the Driver’s Package that, in addition to increasing the maximum speed to 270 km/hr (how wonderfully useless in Québec), hardens the suspension by 20%.

ECO and Edition 1

Like most of other Mercedes-Benz products, the new CLA is equipped with the ECO function that shuts the engine down when the car is immobilized, at a red light for example, which means substantial fuel savings. When you release the brake, the engine starts again, but always with a jolt that is much more noticeable in the AMG. Fortunately, this function can be deactivated, mainly in city traffic.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention the CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC Edition 1, a limited series of 65 cars for Canada equipped with such features as carbon aerodynamic additions, AMG “performance” seats.

Let’s talk money

At $33,900, Mercedes-Benz isn’t giving the CLA 250 away, especially if you consider the price for the size. But once you take the wheel, you’ll discover a surprisingly balanced car that’s very stable on the road and is characterized by that signature Mercedes solidity, even the front-wheel drive version. Image it with all-wheel drive!

On the other hand, I have more reservations about the CLA 45 AMG, where the price for the size is totally out of whack. On the other hand, the performance for the price saves the day. It’s up to the person who signs the cheque to decide between reason and emotion.