Yahoo Autos 'Affordable' 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA first drive
Starting at a tempting $29,900, the new-for-2014 CLA250 has something that’s quite foreign to American-market Benzes: front-wheel drive. And at first glance, it is more affordable than Mercedes’ cars in recent memory. The CLA sedan joins a small but growing niche of premium compacts that include the Acura ILX, Buick Verano, and the upcoming redesigned Audi A3.
In buying one for our test program, we quickly found that adding a few options sends the price tag soaring. Our CLA has a fair number of extras, including the panoramic sunroof ($1,480), bi-xenon headlights ($850), and the Premium Package (with satellite radio, heated front seats, premium sound system, and dual-zone climate system for $2,300). We did not opt for all-wheel drive. Final cost: $36,500—about the same as the starting price for the rear-drive C250.
The CLA is certainly a stylish sedan, or "four-door coupe" as the company likes to call it. The steeply raked windshield and prominent three-pointed star displayed in the front grill help the CLA strike an impressive pose. And the 208-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, driving through a seven-speed automated manual, practically shouts fuel efficiency.
First impressions: We’ve sampled many smooth-riding Mercedes-Benz products, but the CLA250 isn’t one of them. The ride is stiff and the car feels brittle on some impacts. Another Mercedes sacred luxury cow that the CLA sacrifices is cabin quietness. Road noise is quite pronounced, especially for a car priced in the mid-$30,000s. Day-to-day handling is decent and mostly tied down, but the CLA falls short of real agility. Steering feel was merely adequate, with many drivers going away wanting more lively feedback.
The engine’s power delivery starts out fairly flat and doesn’t provide a seamless rush. The transmission fell to harsher criticism, with most barbs thus far aimed at its reluctance to downshift with any sense of urgency. Some dual-clutch automated manuals can suffer from low-speed stumbles and vibrations, but the Baby Benz masks these partly because it shuts off the engine at idle. So far we’re seeing about 31 to 33 mpg according to the car’s trip computer. (The EPA rates it at 26 mpg city/38 mpg highway and 30 mpg overall.)
