From the July/August 2026 issue of Car and Driver.
Automakers rarely admit they messed up. But a complete strategy reversal screams error. This all-new CLA is Mercedes-Benz’s first second-gen EV. The execution is radically different.
Forget the separate architecture for EVs. Like BMW now, Mercedes puts gas and electric powertrains in the same chassis. The “EQ” prefix is gone. The blobby styling? Gone too. Remember how previous EQ manuals begged owners never to open the hood? No more frunk shame. Here. Just pick your fuel. Gas. Or juice.
Tech That Actually Matters
Mercedes already had decent EV tech. The EQS and EQE posted competitive range in our testing. Still. The CLA doubles down. First 800-volt architecture from M-B. Revised battery chemistry shrinks charging times. They designed permanent-magnet motors in-house. Hairpin windings. Even a two-speed rear axle gearbox—copying Porsche Taycan—boosts low-end snap and high-speed efficiency.
The base CLA250+ has 268 hp. Rear drive only. Starts at $49,30 0. Add a front motor for the CLA350. That’s another 81 horses. We tested the 250+. Unfortunately. Mercedes sent us the tech-focused variant. Not the aero wizard. That 0.2 Cd drag-coefficient beast on 17-inch wheels gets a 37 4-mile EPA estimate. Go to 1 8s. Down to 3 1 7. Our test car rode on 19s with Bridgestone Turanza summer rubber. A low-volume option. So it shares the 1 8-inch range number. But even this worst-case scenario? 3 40 miles. On a 7 5-mph highway test. Top 1 0 range. And the smallest battery in that group. 85 kWh. On 1 7s. Maybe 40 0 miles.
The battery tweaks—adding silicon oxide to graphite anodes in nickel-manganese-cobalt packs—speed things up.
Efficiency meets speed. That’s the duality. And the CLA nails it.
To prove it. Mercedes beat the Porsche Taycan’s 24-hour range record. Short stops. 4 0 charges. Each 10 minutes long. Boost battery from 10% to 55%. Drivers held 1 3 1 mph between stops. Total? 2 , 3 0 9 miles. That’s 181 miles more than Porsche. Average speed: 96 mph. The car knows where it charges fastest. Nav suggests short bursts. Usually under 20 minutes.
The Drive: Smooth but Slow
It charges like a beast. Drives like… well. Casual. 0-to-6 0 in 5. 8 seconds. For an EV. That’s slow. A base Tesla Model 3 costs almost $ 1 0K less. Beating the CLA to 6 0 by 0 . 4 seconds. Quarter mile? Tesla 13. 7 seconds. CLA 1 4. 5. You feel the one-two shift if you floor it. Second gear hits around 65 mph. Otherwise. Silence. Sport mode yanks power before the shift. Then ramps it back in. Comfort mode is smooth. Too smooth maybe.
Regen? Paddle shifters or column stalk. One-pedal drive works. Stops you completely. But we preferred the no-regen option. The car feels slippery. Sails. Most efficient way to slow down anyway. Brakes blend well. No weird pedal feel. Noise level? 6 9 dB at 7 0 mph. Not quiet. Nissan Leaf is quieter. Smaller tires would help reduce thump.
Steering is light. Car is heavy—4550 pounds—but feels agile. 0 .8 5 g cornering. Modest on summer rubber. Some tail-out fun. Body roll can be excessive. Suspension stays supple though. Adults clearly tuned this. For adults.
Design Overload and Interior Issues
But did the design team stay? 14 2 illuminated stars flanking the big one in the grille? Really? Running lights repeat the pattern. Puddle lamps scatter dozens more on the pavement. Subtlety isn’t a Mercedes word anymore. Unless Gorden Wagener leaving brings change.
Space is tighter than you’d think. Wheelbase grew 2.4 inches. Overall length up 1 .3. Front seat room better. But narrow for me at six-five. Knees hit hard spots on console. High beltline hurts visibility. Rear? Tighter. Sloping roof. Standard glass roof eats headroom. Limited footwell.
Tesla influence shows. Start? Just step on brake and drive. No buttons. Ten cameras. Five radars. Twelve ultrasonics. Hands-free assist coming.
Then the NACS port. The beauty? Handles AC and DC in one small plug. Mercedes? Two ports under one lid. NACS for DC. J 17 72 for AC. Clunky. The old SAE port would have been simpler. Honest mistake? Or lazy execution.
One win: A real frunk. 3 cubic feet. Swallows a carry-on. But dividers bolt it in. To stop kids getting trapped. Rule-breaking buyers will unbolt them day one. Likely.
Interior? The Pinnacle Line adds screen walls. Driver: 1 0 .3 inches. Center: 14. Passer: another 14 .0. Finally. Physical knobs return for volume and cruise. Thank God. A few touch buttons linger though.
MBUX uses AI from Microsoft and Google. Android based. Maps look great. Responsive. But screen brightness? Hidden in “System”. Not “Light”. Confusing. Voice assistant? Claims it reads tone. Fails. Found a dinner spot. Follow-up question? Nonsense. Games? Yes. Selfie camera for Zoom? Oh. Joy.
Small sedans don’t sell. Not luxury EVs. CLA’s legacy isn’t sales. It’s the tech spread to future cars.
Charging Breakdown
80 0-volt system helps. 3 20-kW claimed peak. We hit 329 kW (1 0-to-9 0 test). Above 6 0%? Slows down. Matches old EQS SUV speed. Below? Blazing. 12 minutes for 1 0-to- 6 0%. Adds 160 miles of highway. Average 166 kW. Fast. Porsche Taycan still leads with 21 3 kW average. But CLA is close.
What The Critics Think
Andrew Krok : “Definitely the best as an EV. Powertrain is smoother than the hybrid. Pedal response can be too touchy. Efficiency? Through the roof. Comfortable. Quiet. Like a Merc should be. Interior? Hard plastics. Too much screen. Feels low-rent for $ 63 K.”
Andrew Wendler : “Sensible. Organic. Skips the branding flex. ‘Hey I’m a stylish sedan with a battery.’ No fear. Skip the AWD CLA3 5 0 unless you need it. The RWD 2 50+ captures that W 1 24 vibe. Modern. Special.”
Becca Hackett : “Feels like gas car with instant torque. Zero driving complaints. Range > 3 00 miles. Fast charges < 3 0 mins. One-pedal driving works well. Price? Fair at $5 0K+. Seats uncomfortable for me. Just my back getting older. Oh. Youth."
