A Car that Suits your Needs
Every once in a while I come across a car that just seems to fit my needs and driving style. The CLA 250 4MATIC Coupe is just that car – it feels light while driving, has all the room I need, has reasonable fuel consumption, and just enough room for passengers and cargo.
The C-Class is one of the smaller sized vehicles in the Mercedes lineup, which suits me just fine as today’s parking areas seem much smaller than they once were. The swoopy lines of the CLA are consistent with the larger cars in the Mercedes lineup. Personally I like the lines, as it is a break from the angled lines many other companies are presently using. My test car was also equipped with the optional 18-inch AMG twin 5-spoke wheels in silver which added a nice contrast to the Jupiter Red car I tested.
Inside, you find sensibly-sized interior with all the controls in easy to find locations. My car also had the optional dark Ash Wood dash fascia which broke up a little of the smooth surfaces and looked good. Like most new vehicles, the centre dash area had a LED screen that housed most of the non-vital controls like sound system, Bluetooth and navigation controls.
Front and rear leather seating was very comfortable but head room in the rear was a tad lower due to the sloping roof. My car also had the optional panoramic sunroof which I really like as it is large and really lets the light in on nice days. If sunny, a screen covers the glass and works well at keeping out the bright sun. As for trunk space, the CLA is about average for its class, not big but adequate. You lose a little room due to the lower profile of the trunk. It is enough for light travellers.
Moving the CLA along is a 2L inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with direct injection giving the car 208 horsepower at 5,500 and 258 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. Now, this might not seem like a lot but considering this is an all-wheel-drive car, it accelerates to 100 kph in just 6.5 seconds which is pretty amazing. Helping that power get to the wheels is a 7-speed automatic, which as you might expect is very smooth with seemingly no bumping of the gears. Overall, I have to say I was very satisfied with performance and overall handling of the car on city streets as well as on the highway. In rain the car was sure footed and never slipped or slid around corners.
If you are like me and like quick and nimble handling cars and really don’t like them too big, the CLA 4MATIC is well worth considering. Quality is always a top priority and this car was no exception. All things considered, the $45,500 price of my test car I felt was very reasonable considering the equipment level of the car.
Highlights (As Tested)
Price: $45,000
Motor: 2 litre inline four cylinder turbo
Horsepower: 208 @ 5,500 rpm
Torque (lb-ft): 285 @ 4,000 rpm
Layout: All-wheel drive
Fuel economy: 9.9L/100 km city 7.3L/100 km highway