Base Price: $30,825
Competitors: Audi A3, Buick Verano, Acura ILX, BMW 1 Series
Powertrains: Turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4, 208 hp, 258 lb-ft; seven-speed dual-clutch automatic; FWD or AWD
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy, est.): 25/36
What's New: Based on the A-Class hatchback sold in other markets, the CLA250 is the first front-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz in North America (not counting the rare, lease-only B-Class fuel-cell car. The only engine we'll see is a turbocharged 2.0-liter, which pumps out 208 hp and is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Outside, the CLA is slightly longer than the C-Class but rides on a shorter 106.3-inch wheelbase. Interior dimensions are also similar for now, though the next-generation C-Class is expected to grow in size. The big difference is that the CLA costs almost $8000 less than a C250.
How'd they get the price down? The single-engine-and-transmission combo is one reason. Plus, the CLA shares its guts with four other platform siblings, which helps with economies of scale. Final assembly is in Hungary, where average wages are lower than in the U.S. or Germany, and that also contributes to savings.
All of this is not to say the gentrified CLA feels like a cheap car. Inside it has a proper Mercedes-Benz feel, with an interior that looks thousands of dollars more expensive than other $30,000 vehicles. Cheap sun visors are the only telltale sign of corporate penny-pinching here. A 5.8-inch infotainment screen is standard and uses the same multifunction knob found on pricier Benzes. Mercedes says a well-equipped CLA should come in at around $36,000. Early next year, a 4Matic all-wheel-drive version will become available.
Tech Tidbit: The CLA claims to be the slipperiest production car on the planet, but all the aerodynamic tricks are smoothly integrated into the styling. There are no bumps or bulges that are obvious nods to aerodynamic efficiency.
Driving Character: Does this feel like a Mercedes-Benz? Yes. It also feels like a front-wheel-drive car, but we have a feeling that people looking to put the CLA in their driveway won't care. From the column shift lever to the accurate steering, the CLA is familiar to anybody who has driven its larger siblings.
Motoring around southern France on our preview program, the CLA impressed us with its suspension tuning, which is firm but allows for enough body roll and bump compliance to stay comfortable. And the wind-cheating design has the secondary benefit of keeping things quiet. We could hardly hear any wind noise, even at highway speeds.
Push the CLA hard into a corner and it responds willingly, but steering with the drive wheels eventually reaches a limit that results in mild understeer. We also sampled the 4Matic all-wheel-drive CLA, which sends power to the rear wheels as needed, and found it more eager to jump out of hairpins and more stable though high-speed corners. The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic defaults to an efficiency mode when the car is turned on, and it has a preference for high gears and is reluctant to downshift. It's not a problem during normal driving, but on adrenaline-inducing roads it's necessary to switch to sport mode or shift using the steering wheel paddles.
Favorite Detail: In keeping with the "It's a real Mercedes-Benz" theme, you'll find electronic systems normally seen in more expensive cars, such as all-speed adaptive cruise control, which can keep a safe distance from the car in front of you down to a full stop.
Driver's Grievance: It's more of a passenger's grievance: The rear seat is no good for adults. Those of average height will brush up against the CLA's low roofline,and the vertical angle of the seat back makes it hard to get comfortable. And there's no rear center armrest.
Bottom Line: We're pretty certain Mercedes has a hit on its hands. The CLA moves the company into a lower financial rung, but doesn't feel like a cheap, low-content car made simply to boost sales figures. And attractive styling helps separate the CLA from the rest of the entry-level luxury pack.
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