2020 Mercedes Benz CLA250 4Matic

Price as tested: $57,665 (!)

Specs: 2.0 Liter Turbo 4

211 HP : 258 ft/lbs

MPG as observed: 23

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Guy who did stuff: Yousef Alvi

Pictures/Videos: Manufacturer/Me

It’s weird.  I didn’t want to like this car.  I wasn’t a fan of the previous CLA at all.  It looked like it had a disease, the interior was cheap and it was tiny.  It seemed like MB did whatever they could to cost cut the crap out of it and it was plainly obvious.  I hate vehicles like that because instead of showing a passion for engineering…it shows a passion for accounting and profits.  

This new CLA is different.  Its so different that this model is the automotive antithesis of that generation.  I’ll say it right now and I’ll say it again at the end for good measure.  This is the best small luxury car on the market today.  

That segment is the gateway drug to a brand.  If a model is good then it hooks young affluent(ish) buyers to a luxury brand for life.  So there are no shortage of options out there.  From the Audi A3, BMW 1 series/2 series, and to a much lesser extent the Acura ILX (it sucks).  So a model in this category needs to be competitive to the above but also needs to show it’s owners that rewards, perks and feeling of owning a luxury car.  

Let’s go ahead and break down this CLA250:

The Great:

Everything.  Yay.  And done.  

….crap.  fine I’ll write more.  Seriously, most everything is great.  From the exterior, interior to the driving dynamics to the damn gas mileage.  It’s just so good.  The exterior looks like a baby CLS.  It’s taut, beautiful and modern.  Its strays away from any weird styling elements and just looks good!  The interior is just as good if not better.  The ambient lighting is the best I have ever seen!  It’s futurisitc and lovely to look at it.  It, hand to heart, makes me feel instantly better when I see it.  The materials are superb and the fit and finish is that of a Mercedes.  

The Good:

The revised Mercedes MBUX infotainment system is just lovely to look at and use. It does require a bit of a learning curve but nothing too insane.

The Bad: 

The brake feel is a bit mushy and squishy.

The Ugly:

As tested…this sucker is $57,000!  For a CLA.  I know 90% of these will be leased but bloody hell that is a lot of money for a compact luxury car.  Hell for poops and giggles I tried to build a C300 as close to spec as this particular model and it came out to only $1,000 more.  Or for $55,000 you can get a (base) C43 AMG! 

The Overall:

Buy this.  Seriously.  Just make sure you haggle with the salesperson on the absurd price first.  The engine is punchy, torquey and sounds damn good.  The transmission is smooth and quick.  It rides great, looks even better and the interior is just jaw dropping.  The rear headroom is tight but every car in this category suffers from that exact same issue.  Regardless, this is the best small luxury car on the market today.  Just a pure and utter joy.