Once again, Mercedes-Benz has gone outside of the box when developing the four-door version of its new family of small cars based on a front-wheel-drive platform.
But the chaps in Stuttgart aren’t calling the CLA a saloon because they say the sleek, low roofline and frameless doors render it a coupe. It appears they were clearly inspired by the success of the bigger CLS, which is a similar saloon/coupe crossover spun off from E-class rear-wheel-drive floorplan.
If you want to play along with Mercedes, the CLA is probably a very desirable car because there isn’t a rival for it in the luxury car camp at the moment.
If you scan the Thai premium car market for a proper saloon the size of the CLA, you will find that there isn’t one. The Audi A3 Saloon isn’t officially sold here, nor is the Lexus HS. BMW, Merc’s arch-rival, still hasn’t made any car of the sort from the 1-series, either. Hence, in Thailand, the CLA is in a class of its own.
Whether the CLA is going to look just as sporty as the A-class hatchback depends on the beholder. But there’s certainly a classier touch to the CLA which only shares its front exterior design theme (the bonnet’s different, though) with the A-class.
You could easily bill the CLA as the junior CLS, looking just as rule-breaking but costing less than half — the CLS goes for 4.99 million baht, while the CLA asks for 2.64 million baht.
Just don’t expect the CLA to have the accommodation of a traditional saloon. That raked roofline impedes into headroom for rear passengers, hampers their entry and exit and obstructs — along with the fattish C-pillars and fixed rear-head restraints — the driver’s rear vision.
Despite Mercedes wishing to call the CLA a coupe, the rear bench can take three people. What the CLA certainly has of a saloon is cargo-carrying practicality, enhanced by a decent boot size, under-floor compartment and foldable rear backrests.
The rest of the cabin is very much A-class fare. The seats are meticulously upholstered with leather, suede and red stitching. Similarly, the fascia and door panels have a robust-build quality seemingly made to last.
There isn’t much separating the CLA from its A-class sibling on the move, as both share the same engine and transmission, which in the case of the CLA250 is the 211hp 2.0-litre petrol-turbo and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
For a car of its size, the CLA250 has lots of pace. Power delivery isn’t that instantaneous, but the thrust it has once garnered is impressive at all kinds of speeds in the real world.
Prod the throttle enthusiastically from standstill and the front wheels fight for traction before chassis electronics kick in to prevent things from getting out of hand. That shows how much ample power is in the CLA250.
A point worth mentioning is how exceptionally quiet the cabin remains while travelling at high speeds, perhaps owing to the car’s slippery design.
As with the A-class’s sporty policy, the CLA has a very beefy chassis set-up that yields plenty of grip in both a straight line and corners. The steering is also well-weighted for city and highway driving, while the brakes work well, too.
For all these convincing driving characteristics, there's a compromise — and maybe a critical one for many. It’s the inevitably stiff ride that’s mostly quite uncomfortable on Thai roads.
Some people at Mercedes say the CLA250’s ride is slightly softer than in the A250. This might be true to a certain extent, but it’s still unforgiving in the CLA, especially the overly-firm rear suspension.
For those needing comfort and practicality, the bigger and similarly-priced C-class might be a better proposition. The price distortion is the result of the CLA being an import, while the C-class is assembled in Thailand.
But on the other hand, the C-class and CLA shouldn’t really be compared because one’s a rational saloon and the other a rebel fighting for a different cause. Simply put, they’re just two different cars in character.
Even so, it would still be great if the Thai Merc office ponders a less powerful, cheaper (and maybe softer-riding) CLA because the CLA250 can be overdone for some Thais who’d perhaps rather just relish the car’s stylish looks in a nice compact package.
Chances are punters of the CLA are more likely to care less about the sporty driving experience than buyers of the A-class.
The CLA has an exceptionally quiet cabin at high speeds
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