Editor's Overview
At under $33,000, the 2016 CLA-Class is the least expensive Mercedes-Benz sedan, but it packs plenty of features and serious badge appeal.
Pricing
Cars For Sale
KBB.com Expert Review
You'll Like This Car If...
If you want a small-luxury sedan that is stylish, efficient, and – most of all – a Mercedes-Benz, the CLA-Class can be yours at a price not much higher than that of a mainstream car. Buyers with deeper pockets seeking a sleeper will have a blast in the high-performance AMG CLA45.
You May Not Like This Car If...
The CLA's rear seats are tiny, so if you frequently carry rear passengers or plan to in the future, you may want to make the stretch to a larger model like the C-Class or GLC SUV, or check out the Audi A3 instead.
What's New for 2016
The Mercedes CLA receives Dynamic Select (selectable drive modes) as standard for 2016, while adaptive suspension is now an option. A limited "Edition: Orange" model is available for CLA250 trims, and the potent AMG CLA45 becomes more so with a horsepower increase to 375.
Consumer Reviews
Based on 35 ratings for the 2014 - 2018 models.
George
March 09, 2017
Best Car in my lifetime of ownership of cars
I purchased my 2014 Polar Silver CLA 250 4-Matic on March 31, 2014. Except for routine scheduled maintenance and three trips for tire...
dav
November 07, 2016
first Mercedes ever
so i was very skeptic of getting this car because they were so many reviews with different opinions. i am 21 and have no kids and i...
Doug
August 29, 2016
Best Car I Have Ever Owned
My 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG is my favorite car that I have ever owned! I have always been happy with the value of Mercedes-Benz...
Mark
May 27, 2016
Great entry model for new Mercedes Benz clients
1. Great mileage - 38.5 mpg 2. Room for my golf clubs in the trunk w/o folding down seats 3. All Wheel Drive handles snow perfectly 4...
Fernando
January 02, 2016
Great Car
Great car, this is my 3rd Mercedes Benz and so far so good. Driver and front passenger seats very comfortable, back seats not as...
anauditor
October 04, 2015
I'd buy another one tomorrow
Entry level Benz with same luxury features as many of its C and GLK class siblings. The DCT enhances the performance of the 2.0T engine....
tekfoc
August 17, 2015
very fast and great car to finally grow up to
fantastic very fast,great traction in adverse winter weather (4matic). gorgeous exterior and interior. I have a fully loaded 45 AMG with...
BrwnJewel
July 30, 2015
love it ; best vehicle I had ever purchased
excellent on gas; fast; love my color-chocolate brown; love the interior design
Free88
July 29, 2015
Best Premium Car in its Class
A lot of what you read out there is this car versus another car that is not in its class. You cannot fairly compare this car to, say, a...
Raquel
February 24, 2015
Excellent car w/ a beautiful design
Every body look at this car because is a beautiful model and it feels very reliable too, is a powerful turbo accelerator sometimes I got...
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Specs
Fuel Economy
Performance
Seating Capacity
Cargo/Interior Space
Basic Warranty
Safety Ratings
Similar Vehicles
KBB Editor's Overview
The 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is the least expensive car in the German automaker's lineup but packs plenty of features that make it desirable beyond mere badge appeal. Billed as a coupe but in reality a 4-door sedan, the CLA is also among the newest Mercedes models. Like the also-fresh Audi A3, Acura ILX and forthcoming Infiniti Q30, the CLA-Class is positioned to lure young up-and-comers to the luxury brand with its small size and sub-$33,000 starting price. The front- or all-wheel-drive CLA250 is the base model, while the AMG CLA45 is a $50,000, 375-horsepower all-wheel-drive rocket. The CLA has a cramped rear seat and a price that easily ascends, but for aspirational buyers seeking entry into the Mercedes-Benz brand, this is their ticket in.
You'll Like This Car If...
If you want a small-luxury sedan that is stylish, efficient, and – most of all – a Mercedes-Benz, the CLA-Class can be yours at a price not much higher than that of a mainstream car. Buyers with deeper pockets seeking a sleeper will have a blast in the high-performance AMG CLA45.
You May Not Like This Car If...
The CLA's rear seats are tiny, so if you frequently carry rear passengers or plan to in the future, you may want to make the stretch to a larger model like the C-Class or GLC SUV, or check out the Audi A3 instead.
What's New for 2016
The Mercedes CLA receives Dynamic Select (selectable drive modes) as standard for 2016, while adaptive suspension is now an option. A limited "Edition: Orange" model is available for CLA250 trims, and the potent AMG CLA45 becomes more so with a horsepower increase to 375.
Driving It
Driving Impressions
Much has been made about the CLA250 being Mercedes-Benz's first front-wheel-drive (FWD) car. But the reality is that you'd be hard-pressed to tell what wheels were doing the hard work in this compact-luxury sedan. In Sport mode it's spry off the line, thanks to the excellent 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and only at the most extreme cornering limits do you notice front-end "plowing" in a way that belies its FWD origins. And if you're truly concerned – or live in an area where foul weather can create slick roads – the 4Matic option adds all-wheel drive (AWD) for enhanced traction. The standard 208-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder will be adequate for most, though it suffers from some turbo lag in Standard mode. For speed freaks, the much pricier AMG CLA packs 375 horsepower that enables 0-60-mph blasts in just over four seconds, along with stiffer suspension, better brakes and other performance upgrades.
Favorite Features
PANORAMA ROOF
The snug CLA cabin benefits from the extra glass of the panoramic sunroof option. Open it up, and you're treated to near- convertible levels of sunshine. Alternatively, you can just leave the glass exposed, creating the illusion of additional headroom.
AMG CLA45 4MATIC
It's anything but cheap, but it's hard not to marvel at the performance numbers of this top-line CLA-Class. With 2016 arrive 20 more horsepower and an additional 18 lb-ft of torque, making a total of 375 horsepower/350 lb-ft – all from a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine.
Vehicle Details
Interior
As we've mentioned, the CLA-Class has a cramped rear seat and isn't the best choice if you regularly carrry more than yourself and a passenger. But we wager this isn't a factor for most shoppers considering the CLA. And they'll find much to like in the front, where a standard 7-inch display, sturdy-looking air vents and a thick steering wheel give an air of elegance. A split-folding rear seat adds versatility to Mercedes' smallest sedan, while the two front seats now offer more comfort with their adjustable cushion length. The standard MB-Tex faux leather seats do a good job mimicking genuine hide.
Exterior
While it may look like Mercedes-Benz simply took its prettiest sedan – the CLS that Mercedes also calls a coupe – and left it in the dryer too long to create the CLA-Class, there's more to it. Still, the swooping architecture translates well to the smaller car, making it look longer and wider than it really is, at least in isolation. However, the illusion breaks in traffic, when you notice how little of its lane it occupies. The low stance, narrow tires and clean shape give the CLA250 a slip-through-the-air drag coefficient of only 0.23. The new Night Package adds black 18-inch wheels.
Notable Standard Equipment
Even the least expensive Mercedes-Benz sedan offers many standard features. Among them are dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, 12-way-power driver's seat with memory and a brake-hold feature that applies the brake for you at stoplights. The CLA's infotainment system includes AM/FM/HD Radio with CD player, USB port and Bluetooth streaming, all seen and controlled by the 7-inch display and command dial. The CLA250 boasts impressive safety features including systems that detect driver drowsiness (Attention Assist) and Collision Prevention Assist, which uses radar to warn the driver of a potential collision and, if necessary, even applies the brakes for you.
Notable Optional Equipment
As we've mentioned, the CLA-Class has a cramped rear seat and isn't the best choice if you regularly carry more than yourself and a passenger. But we wager this isn't a factor for most shoppers considering the CLA. And they'll find much to like in the front, where a standard 7-inch display, sturdy-looking air vents and a thick steering wheel give an air of elegance. A split-folding rear seat adds versatility to Mercedes' smallest sedan, while the two front seats now offer more comfort with their adjustable cushion length. The standard MB-Tex faux leather seats do a good job mimicking genuine hide.
Under the Hood
You have your choice of engines in Mercedes-Benz's entry-level sedan. The CLA250 gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 producing 208 horsepower, available in either FWD or AWD. The CLA45 AMG version of that engine puts out an astonishing 375 horsepower to all four wheels. The AMG engine is the first 4-cylinder engine from Mercedes-Benz's in-house tuning branch. Both are mated to 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions. At up to 38 mpg, the CLA-Class can be remarkably fuel-efficient, but keep in mind this Mercedes requires premium gasoline.
2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (CLA250)
208 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 1,250-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 26/38 mpg (FWD), 24/33 mpg (AWD)
2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (CLA45 AMG 4Matic)
375 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
350 lb-ft of torque @ 2,250-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/31 mpg
Pricing Notes
The 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 carries a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) just under $33,000. Add AWD and you're looking at $2,000 more, and when you start adding option packages, this "inexpensive" Mercedes-Benz can easily swell toward $40,000. However, at $35,000, you're looking at a lot of car with plenty of options. The CLA45 AMG starts considerably higher, at over $50,000. However, even that is a bargain of sorts, since it's the least expensive AMG-badged model you can get. The Audi A3, a subcompact-luxury rival, starts slightly less than the Mercedes CLA-Class, while the Acura ILX is several thousand below. Be sure to check KBB.com's Fair Purchase Price to see what others are paying in your area. The Mercedes CLA's residual value is expected to hold up very well in the long-run.
