Brand New Mercedes-Benz CLA CLA 200 165kW Sport Executive 58kWh 5dr Auto

The Mercedes CLA electric can reset your expectations for compact Evs. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

Mercedes re-imagines what a compact electric car can be with this EV version of the aspirational third generation CLA. This CLA 250+ electric model sets a new standard for EV range in this segment that embarrasses the opposition.

Background

It seems like it's taken the motor industry an age to deliver a compact electric car with a similar driving range to a combustion-powered one, but at last it seems to be happening. That at least is what seems to be suggested by the subject of this review, the Mercedes CLA electric. This car was originally saddled with a clumsy 'EQ Technology' naming convention but the engineering behind it is anything but. With the result that Mercedes is claiming to have topped the magic 5.0mpkWh efficiency figure with this car. Let's translate that into real world terms for you; a predicted range of up to 492 miles between charges. That's just one of the things that marks out this very different third generation CLA, a model line that never previously offered an EV option. It never previously offered a self charging Hybrid either; that's the alternative to this EV. But Mercedes hopes you will want a full-electric CLA - and here's why.

Driving Experience

This EV model is offered with a choice of three powertrains. The base CLA 200 electric has a 221hp front motor energised by a 58kWh battery which offers up to 331 miles of range. The single motor alternative is the mid-level CLA 250+ electric, which has a 268hp motor energised by a larger 85kWh battery which offers a range of up to 483 miles. Lots of clever engineering lies behind these attention-grabbing stats, the front-mounted motor working with a Porsche Taycan-like two-speed gearbox, rather than the usual single-speed EV transmission. The idea is that this provides a short first ratio for quick launches and extra efficiency at town speeds; and a much longer second ratio to improve consumption at a cruise. 0-62mph in the 250+ takes 6.7s on the way to 130mph. As you'd expect, the brand also offers a twin motor EV model, the CLA 350 4MATIC electric. This gets an extra 107bhp motor with a single-speed gearbox on its front axle, giving a combined output of 349hp, which cuts the 0-62mph sprint time to just 4.9s. It also uses the larger 85kWh battery and range remains impressive at up to 447 miles. For the future, expect a flagship Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ EV with a pair of Yasa-developed axial flux motors developing over 500bhp.

Design and Build

Prior to this MK3 CLA model's introduction, Mercedes had always created entirely bespoke EV designs to sit alongside their combustion counterparts. But that policy changed with this third generation CLA, which apart from front grille and badging differences, looks near-identical in either EV or Hybrid forms. Previous generation CLAs championed futuristic styling over generally mundane mechanicals. Here, if anything, it's the other way round. The sleek design is smart but unremarkable and, as previously, can be had either as a four-door coupe (read 'small saloon') or in 'Shooting Brake' form (reads 'small estate'). Previous models were cramped and claustrophobic in the back, so Mercedes has made this MK3 35mm longer, 25mm wider and 29mm taller than its predecessor; and added a standard-fit panoramic glass roof. There are some nice detail touches - like the three-pointed stars in the headlights and tail lamps. And this EV version's front grille is illuminated with a 142 individual LEDs. The silhouette is super-slippery, its drag coefficient an impressive 0.21Cd. Inside at the wheel, you're faced with a huge full-width panel that incorporates a 10.25-inch driver instrument cluster and a 14-inch central infotainment display. In this panel's full (optional) 'Superscreen' form, there's a further 14-inch passenger-side display on which your fellow traveller can watch films, go online or set navigation destinations. With the standard set-up, this passenger screen is replaced by a glass panel with LED back-lit star logos which match the ambient lighting. Media connectivity is of course cutting-edge; there's the brand's very latest MB.OS software, with Virtual Assistant voice control using generative AI and Google Maps built-in. What else? Quality has taken a step up and the style of the seats and steering wheel champion a sporty vibe, particularly if you select one of the more exuberant cabin colour choices. That bigger body (with its 2,790mm-long wheelbase) will noticeably improve rear seat space. But disappointingly, boot capacity has fallen substantially - from 462 to 405-litres. Though in this EV version, that won't matter so much because you'll also have a 101-litre under-bonnet 'frunk', the first Mercedes has ever offered.

Market and Model

CLA electric pricing starts at about £39,000 for the entry-level 200 electric model - about the same as you'll pay for the equivalent CLA 180 Hybrid. The bigger-battery CLA 250+ electric model you're more likely to want starts from around £43,000. There are five trim levels - 'Sport', 'Sport Executive', 'AMG Line Executive', 'AMG Line Premium' and 'AMG Line Premium Plus'. If you don't want the four-door coupe body shape, there's the alternative of a 'Shooting Brake' estate - at a premium of £2,150. There's an awful lot of new technology included here. Take MBUX Surround Navigation for instance, which the brand describes as a feature that 'seamlessly integrates the driver assistance view with a 3D representation of the surroundings and route guidance in real time on the driver display'. Then there's the Virtual Assistant with its generative AI system, which uses ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing for internet searches for the questions you might ask it. Drive assist tech has also taken a step forward. All CLAs come with the brand's DISTRONIC Distance Assist and there's the option of the company's latest 'MB.DRIVE ASSIST' system. This complements Distance Assist DISTRONIC with Steering Assist, making it a state-of-the-art Level 2 driving assistance system. New in the CLA is Lane Change Assist, which facilitates lane changes with a simple click of the indicator lever. Standard safety features include active brake assist, lane keeping assist, speed limit warning, attention assist and a reversing camera.

Cost of Ownership

Proof that this CLA in EV form takes frugality onto the next level is delivered by a claimed efficiency figure for the CLA 250+ electric model that manages to better 5.0mpkWh. Mercedes says that three keys to achieving that impressive stat include the slippery drag coefficient (0.21Cd), the advanced two-speed gearbox and a clever rear-mounted permanent magnet motor. The latter uses a new silicon carbide inverter that develops greater output from a smaller package, reducing weight. And the engineers claim its torque density's boosted by the magnets being inserted in an innovative double-V formation, concentrating their field. There's also a powerful regen braking system that can provide up to 200kW of stopping power off-throttle, helping to keep the battery topped up. And the 4MATIC EV model retains impressive range because its additional front motor is decoupled from the front axle when it isn't needed, reducing energy losses to friction by 90%. The carbon footprint of the new all-electric CLA is reduced by 40 percent over the entire value chain compared to its non-electrified predecessor. At the right public charging station, this third generation CLA's 85kWh battery can be DC rapid-charged at up to 320kW thanks to its adoption of an 800V electrical architecture. This enables a 201 mile top-up of the CLA 250+ in just 10 minutes and a 10-80% charge in 22 minutes. A full AC charge from a 7.4kWh home wallbox takes 13.45 hours. The 58kWh CLA 200 electric has a 200kW DC charging speed and can be DC-charged from 10-80% in 20 minutes. A full AC charge from a 7.4kWh home wallbox takes 9.25 hours.

Summary

Were we right to be so underwhelmed by Mercedes initial compact EV models, the EQA and the EQB? It seems so because this electric CLA is a far better proposition. It comes with a predictably plump asking price, but you could justify that on the basis of extended range alone. And fortunately for the Three-Pointed Star, there are lots of other reasons why you might want one; like the sophisticated premium-feeling cabin and the cutting-edge media tech. Plus sitting in the back of a CLA is no longer such a claustrophobic experience. The anonymous aero-optimised looks are a bit of a disappointment though. As is the relatively meagre size of the boot. But if you can live with these two caveats and can afford the aspirational asking price, there's simply no other compact electric car right now in this model's class with technology to match this one. That will change soon of course, but until it does, Mercedes has re-set the segment standard.