2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet: Open-Top C-Class and E-Class Rolled Into One

With a bright sun overlooking the slick roads of Tenerife, part of the Canary Islands, the all-new Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet feels right at home. Even at 60 km/h, you can open the multilayered soft top and watch it gracefully disappear under the rear tonneau cover in no more than 20 seconds.

A so-called Aircap wind deflector at the top of the windshield frame channels the airflow up and over the cabin to ensure superior comfort for passengers during open-top motoring. This isn’t anything new—Mercedes-Benz has been using it on convertibles for a number of years—but we must say we find it quite effective. Too bad that the CLE Cabriolet’s elegant looks are compromised in the process.

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Two Become One

Much like coupes, convertibles are a sexy but dying breed in this era of SUV obsession. The German automaker used to offer not one, not two, but three cabriolets with seating for four, representing the C-Class, E-Class and S-Class—and that wasn’t such a long time ago.

Now, the CLE Cabriolet arrives as a replacement for both the C-Class Cabriolet and E-Class Cabriolet, hence the name. The Car Guide was part of a group of auto journalists who were recently invited by Mercedes-Benz to test drive the car for the first time on the gorgeous island of Tenerife.

Familiar Engine

Standing 4.85 metres long, the new CLE Cabriolet is closer in size to the E-Class than the C-Class, and yet rear-seat space is fairly tight. As for cargo, the trunk can fit up to 385 litres with the top up, or 295 litres when you want to enjoy the sun. The 60/40-split rear seats fold down to increase cargo room.

Under the hood, the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine is naturally shared with the CLE Coupe. It features mild hybrid technology including an integrated starter generator and 48-volt electrical system.

Officially called CLE 300 4MATIC Cabriolet, the model comes standard with all-wheel drive in Canada, which only makes sense. Output is rated at 255 horsepower, while peak torque amounts to 295 lb-ft. Let’s be perfectly clear about one thing: with 0-100 km/h acceleration in 6.3 seconds, this is no sports car. Performance enthusiasts will need to wait for an AMG variant blessed with a turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine that produces 443 horsepower. Keep in mind that Mercedes-Benz has yet to confirm such a model.

Comfort First

On the road, the four-banger shows nice flexibility and delivers fairly linear sprints, but it lacks explosiveness and character. What’s more, it doesn’t sound very pleasant at higher revs. The best thing to do is to play it smooth and not put too much pressure on the engine.

There are several drive modes to choose from, with Sport making steering a little firmer and the nine-speed automatic transmission more responsive. ESC intervention is also adjusted. Even then, the driving experience doesn’t change that much. The CLE Cabriolet is more about stable, relaxed cruising than sporty handling. Truth be told, that’s exactly what most of the luxury brand’s customers look for.

Advanced Tech With a Few Issues

In keeping with the times, the interior of the CLE Cabriolet is dominated by screens including a free-standing 12.3-inch fully digital driver display and an 11.9-inch central display. The latter is slightly angled toward the driver and powered by the third generation of MBUX. Similar to the one in the Mercedes-Benz SL, it can be tilted from 12-32 degrees to reduce glare while driving with the top down. The graphics are superb and the menus are conveniently arranged, but if you don’t like them, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is also included.

The touchscreen has shown dependability issues in the past, mind you—not during our time with the CLE Cabriolet, but in other Mercedes-Benz vehicles we tested back home. On various occasions, we found ourselves deprived of critical driving information or unable to interact with some of the systems. That’s definitely not what you’d expect from a luxury car sporting the three-pointed star. Hopefully the company will find a way to fix these issues.

The list of standard content is quite extensive, we must add. The only options are a multi-function steering wheel in Nappa leather, head-up display and 710-watt Burmester 3D Surround Sound system.

How Much?

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet will arrive in Canadian dealerships by early summer. Pricing details are not available at this time—they will be announced closer to launch. It goes without saying that this model will be more expensive than the CLE Coupe, which is projected to start at around $70,000.

Watch: The Car Guide Drives the 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet