Mercedes-Benz is going all out this year with a massive lineup of car launches in India. True to form, the brand is once again listening to its customers and adding a few surprises along the way. And kicking things off with one such surprise is the Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+. It's a car everyone has been talking about, and it's clear the CLA has arrived ready to make a big impression.
Y'all might think "Oh, it's just another EV",, honestly, I thought the same at first. But let me tell you, oh boy, I was wrong! The CLA electric is a package which makes no compromise on technology, luxury and yes,s the performance too. My first impression when the covers came off the CLA was, "Wow, this one has got some sporty look,s" but that's not all. The CLA packs so much technology inside, and Mercedes-Benz is even calling it the most intelligent car in their lineup. Now those are some big words. This is Mercedes-Benz saying the future is already here!
Mercedes-Benz knows how to make an appearance, and the CLA electric does that. The four-door coupe-like styling continues its tradition, but it has sharper and more futuristic elements. Now you will find stars all around the car; let's focus on the most evident ones. The ICE front radiator grille is replaced by the Illuminated grille with 142 animated stars. The front and rear come with 3-pointed star multibeam LED headlamps and tail lamps, respectively, with connected tail lights giving it a very distinct yet sporty look. The AMG line comes as standard in the CLA 250+, thus you will find the AMG line front and rear apron. The 18" AMG alloy wheels are sleek in design and come with a spare wheel too.
The CLA electric does have a very aerodynamic design,n and yes,s it has a purpose for that. It has a drag coefficient starting at 0.21! That is attention to detail and performance, too. To make it aerodynamic,c the car comes with flush door handles as standard, has a sloping roofline, meaning there is s compromise on the rear seat passenger experience too, but it definitely makes the car have a flowy silhouette. You can also find numerous cameras and sensors around the car to help with extensive safety and driving around the Indian roads.
There will be 5 shades to choose from, whichincludes two Manufaktur paint options. Personally, I'm totally obsessed with the Clear Blu,e but Patagonia red gives old money vibes with a sleek and sporty design, of course.
A logo projector comes standard with the AMG line when you open the door, which always gives a feeling of luxury, even if it is a small feature in the car. The windows are frameless to give it a sporty touch. Entering the cabin, you will see that there is a good amount of room considering it has a longer wheelbase of 2,790mm, and it is also wider with a width of 1,855mm. The cabin screams AMG line in everything. The AMG steering wheel feels premium and sporty. A 10.25" cluster and a 14" central display add to the sleek design. I'm definitely not missing the buttons here. The central display has so much to offer, and the clarity and graphics are impressive, with no lag, keeping up with the technology I see. There's more to it; it might not be visible to normal eyes, but the screens have a 6-degree inclination for glare-free viewing. Now, when the stars on the exteriors were not enough, there are more illuminated star patterns right next to the display on the passenger side. I absolutely love turbine-looking air vents. The attention to detail is real in the CLA electric. Even a simple function like the electric control buttons is designed to look classy. The centre console is in light brushed aluminium trims, and it does feel sturdy. There isan ample amount of storage too, with a wireless charging station. It also has 64 ambient lighting options to choose from.
The Panoramic glass roof is huge and makes the cabin appear more roomy. After driving the car around for a few hours in the morning, it ddidn'thave too much sunlight or heat projecting inside,e but I would like to try out the heat protection coating on the glass roof in peak Indian heat. The Sport seats, though,h are quite comfortable. The AMG two-toned upholstery comes in two colour options of white or black, with red highlights. And the people who believe in going sustainable, the seats are made out of recycled material,s and they have a massage function too. Although the front seats are comfortable, the leg room at the rear does feel slightly less, and the headroom for someone tall is definitely a miss. The rear seats have the 40:20:40 folding function, which means you can have direct access to the boot.
Talking about boot and storage, the boot space is 405L, and it's enough to carry two large suitcases, but that's about it. But here's another surprise, Mercedes-Benz is making a comeback after 90 years with a 101L front frunk storage, and I feel that can compensate for some lack of storage in the boot.
The CLA is called the most intelligent Mercedes-Benz ever, let me tell you why! It is the first-ever Mercedes-Benz to debut with the MB.OS software, and they have partnered with NVIDIA to deliver faster and smoother operations for the users. The 4th generation of MBUX is built on this software. Now, if that wasn't enough, the MBUX virtual assistant is also upgraded; it comes with voice and emotion recognition, and it uses ChatGPT and MicrosoftBingg to understand the user better for a more immersive and empathetic experience. Mercedes-Benz has put in a lot of work behind this to make the Virtual Assistant sound more natural, answer our questions and give suggestions based on our conversations. The AI world is taking over. It also has much improved intelligent navigation, and it tailors routes according to our preferences and requirements of charging stations or facilities we would like. With data from Google Maps and supporting it with the Mercedes-Benz interface to give a personalised navigation. Not just that, but it also gives you live updates on the pricing and available slots at charging stations on your journey.
The CLA 250+ is full of high-end tech, but it doesn't compromise on performance, driving experience and definitely not on efficiency. It is the first-ever car based on the MMA platform, making it electric first, but it also supports ICE drivetrains. It rides on the 800 Volt architecture for faster charging, and in just 20 minutes, it can charge 400km of range. It is paired up with an 85.5 kWh battery and a New 2-Speed transmission. The car has a claimed range of 792km on the WLTP cycle. The Rear Wheel Drive CLA 250+ does not lack in performance, but I won't say it's powerful either. The Single motor delivers 268bhp and 335 N · m of torque. And it does 0-100 in 6.7secs. The 2-Speed transmission makes sure that there is no lag in acceleration. With a tap on the accelerator, the car pulls off effortlessly and continues to maintain speed and power at high speeds, too. In Sports mode, the accelerations feel more aggressive, and I enjoyed it. ItIt's a perfect balance between the high technology and performance ratio. It launches really well. In terms of the noise, I could hardly hear anything from the outside. Yes, if people are constantly honking, that is audible, but otherwise, the insulation and NVH levels have been contained nicely.
In terms of handling, the steering is sharp and yet precise, exactly how I like it, the suspension is smooth and fine-tuned specially for the indian market. The body roll is not so much making it easy to drive around on sharper turns. The car feels planted even at higher speeds. The overall driving experience is much better and improved. It might not be a powerful beast, but it excels in the range department. With the new brake-by-wire system, the brakes feel sharper and give you more confidence while driving. It doesn't feel inconsistent and has good pressure to it.
The Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ is a techier, sportier design, has a luxury vibe, doesn't compromise on power and has a really good efficiency. If this is the direction Mercedes-Benz is heading into, I think itit'soing to be interesting. It is like a bold way of saying this is the future, and it is electric! The car does have a few rough edges, but overall, it is a car I would want to drive around if I had approximately Rs 60 Lakhs to spend.
