CLA (C117) [First drives] Mercedes-Benz CLA-CLASS - TESTS

[Human]

Looks can be deceiving 1st rule.

And I hope and pray the motoring press NAIL Premium OEM's going forward!
That goes for Audi, BMW and M-B alike.

*ALERT! NOTICE! ACHTUNG!
Herr Stadler, Reithofer & Zetsche.

*If you want your entry level cars to wear the same badge as your big brass, get the entry level cars in order and inline with their larger breathren! And stop ripping of the buying public and actually doing the KIA's of the world a free add of what value for money actually means!

With all due respect it's f-en hard to justify the value factor between sample A and B

 

[Mr Robert]

So, a few further points. I absolutely love the interior. It's snug, edgy and feels really nice. I had a sit in an (yes) SLS Roadster prior to jumping into the CLA and the interior of the latter is actually not that far from the former, in terms of appearance. It's sporty and modern, and I like it! The engine in the 200 is, well, crap, you get nothing below 4,5k rpms and thereafter, the autobox goes bananas, trying to move a couple of cogs up right away, so this model should be steered clear of - the autobox clearly works best paired to a turbo diesel engine.

Other than that, and the intrusive road noice with the 18" wheels, I think I'd enjoy this little bugger... if it was just me in the car.

 

[klier]

So, a few further points. I absolutely love the interior. It's snug, edgy and feels really nice. I had a sit in an (yes) SLS Roadster prior to jumping into the CLA and the interior of the latter is actually not that far from the former, in terms of appearance.

Hmmm.....what have you been drinking this friday night?

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

All these complaints about the CLA being tight for headroom etc. are simply ridiculous! This car is a NOT a family load lugger and I bet my bottom dollar will rarely have its rear seats used. To write an article bitching incessantly about the lack of space is pointless.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

The engine in the 200 is, well, crap, you get nothing below 4,5k rpms and thereafter, the autobox goes bananas, trying to move a couple of cogs up right away, so this model should be steered clear of - the autobox clearly works best paired to a turbo engine.

But the 200 IS a turbo engine.

 

[Sunny]

This car is a NOT a family load lugger and I bet my bottom dollar will rarely have its rear seats used.

Then why is it so big?

 

[Merc1]

Then why is it so big?

Crash regulations, and everything needed to make a FWD pass them would be my guess. Everything is big today. Look at the new Nissan Sentra, it is nearly the size of a Maxima from the 80's.

M

 

[Sunny]

^Yea probably, but Sentra probably comfortably seats 3 people in the rear.

 

[Merc1]

True, but the mission is different.

M

 

[Mr Robert]

But the 200 IS a turbo engine.

Oh, my bad, I was aiming for a "turbo diesel". I think something like the 220 would have been great.

 

[Wolfgang]

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2014 Mercedes CLA-Class, 2013 Audi A4, 2013 Kia Optima: Top Sedan Videos Of The Week
http://www.thecarconnection.com/new...-2013-kia-optima-top-sedan-videos-of-the-week

 

[Merc1]

When Mercedes-Benz sends a model to AMG for high-performance finishing school, it’s hardly news. But until the CLA, nearly every car to make the trip to Affalterbach was packing an engine with a “V” cylinder layout. (The C30 five-cylinder diesel was the lone exemption, and it never made it stateside.) So when the power brokers at AMG began dropping not-so-subtle hints that they’d already had their way with the CLA’s inline four-cylinder powerplant, our curiosity was piqued. Would the result be a roguish, hair-triggered toy or a true CL63 AMG mini me, blending breathtaking power with Mercedes style and luxury?

Sound and Fury

If you’re expecting the deep-throated burble of its bigger AMG brethren on startup, you’ll be disappointed, as the CLA45’s exhaust note at idle is more akin to an air compressor kicking on in the neighbor’s garage than it is to a menacing V-8. But it would be a mistake to write it off on tone alone. AMG has managed to coax 355 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque from the 2.0-liter engine, much of it on the shoulders of a twin-scroll turbocharger capable of force-feeding the engine with up to a whopping 26.1-psi of boost. To make sure all the internals stay contained under all that duress, AMG uses a special crankshaft, pistons, and a sand-cast aluminum block, which is stronger than the die-cast unit found in the pedestrian CLA250. A dual-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission with three driving modes funnels the prodigious output through a standard all-wheel-drive system.

Full Test: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2014-mercedes-benz-cla45-amg-4matic-test-review

M

 

[tennmb]

I've had a good while to drive and get familiar with the CLA. The CLA is one I'm still trying to figure out. There are parts of it I really love. The engine (250) and dual clutch tranny are nice. In sport mode this car will scoot. Yes, the back seat is way too upright. Seems like they could have reclined just slightly and it would have made a world of difference. Also, I cannot get in a comfortable driving position in this car. There is something off about the pedal placement. Overall, interior asthetics are nice. Materials are very good.

The price is nice, as even the VW CC has a higher base price now. However, the VW is much simpler to order, and that is CRITICAL in an eco priced car. The CLA is packaged much like the higher priced Mercedes. Buyers in this segment are used to walking in and simply having to chose color from 30-40 in stock models. Not so in the CLA, and this is where I think MB doesn't get "it." They should have kept production simple and had three trim levels and made things so much simpler for both the consumer and for dealers, which would have further reduced costs. Don't give the buyer too much to think about. Making things like sunroof optional, while memory seats are standard also examples how they didn't really identify the market. Further, keyless go is not even an option. Something this buyer is used to having on a Prius. Mercedes has just invested a lot in teaching us how to work with Gen X and Gen Y buyers, but I don't think this has been heard at the merchandising level. If you look at Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, VW you will find a somewhat consistent model for packaging. Entry, mid-level, and loaded. It's simple and has already proven to work. With the CLA you have a myriad of potential package combinations. You might have a car with P1 and multimedia, but no pano roof. One with a pano roof but not P1 package and so on. It is inevitible that the customer asks, "but can I get ______ with this package?" The answer for the other makes is, "No." The executive package is the only configuration to get "____." End of discussion.

 

[Merc1]

How is the CLA doing so far at your store? The S-Class?

M

 

[tennmb]

We only have our factory demo in the S and we are sold out till February on pre-ordered cars.

Lot's of interest on the CLA, but all the dealers in our region are light on inventory. At the moment, I have zero on the lot for immediate delivery. And most of what is coming in for the remainder of the year is spoken for.

 

[Merc1]

Good deal then. I suspect the GLA will do even better next year.

One last question has the C-Class dropped off at your store?

M

 

[tennmb]

Good deal then. I suspect the GLA will do even better next year.

One last question has the C-Class dropped off at your store?

M

C sales are a little different because dealers use so many for loaner car service. This skews the stats because this can show up as a new car sale and a used car sale.
Brand new C sales have been off for a little while. I don't think it has much to do with the CLA though. The C is getting a little long in the tooth. Most of what we sell in the C class is from retired loaner vehicles. Mercedes compensates the dealer for fleet usage, and this allows us to later retire these vehicles and sell them at a significant right down. Plus we can add the CPO warranty for very little costs, and MB Financial usually provides insentivized finance rates.

 

[Sovereign]

Consumer Reports has not so positive review on the CLA. Read the review at:

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/affordable-2014-mercedes-benz-cla-first-drive-160000776.html

 

[DexterMorgan]

Edmunds.com finally reviews the CLA45 AMG. I say 'finally' because they've had a base CLA250 in their long term fleet for quite a few months now.

http://www.edmunds.com/mercedes-benz/cla-class/2014/road-test3.html

 

[Wolfgang]

Green Car Reports tested the CLA 250. Found the Eco mode tolerable, the fuel economy reasonable, and noticed some roar with the 18" Edition 1 tires?

"Our conclusion: The new 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 is a largely comfortable small sedan that delivers on its fuel-mileage rating, at least for two people.

If you need to seat four regularly, however, you may be better off with the Mercedes E 250 BlueTEC mid-size sedan--which can run over $60,000 fully optioned.

Hey, no one said driving a German luxury car would be cheap."

http://www.greencarreports.com/news...50-gas-mileage-review-of-compact-luxury-sedan