Mercedes CLA Coupe - Should you buy one?

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In second generation form, the four-door CLA Coupe continues to inject an extra dose of style into Mercedes' compact model line-up. Jonathan Crouch reports

Ten Second Review
The CLA Coupe - a rather different kind of Mercedes. This second generation version, like the model that inspired it, is compact and coupe-like, yet has four doors and a decent boot. And it'll set the neighbours talking far more than if you simply bought yet another mid-sized German-badged executive saloon. It's a model to challenge your preconceptions, that's for sure.

Background
Never underestimate the power of emotional appeal. It's brought us cars like this one, this second generation Mercedes CLA Coupe. We first saw the original version of this four-door coupe in 2013, that design followed by an equally trendy 'Shooting Brake' estate version a couple of years later. This replacement continues in much the same vein: so it's A-Class-based, which means that it's front-driven - unlike the kind of Mercedes C-Class saloon you could buy for very similar money.

Driving Experience
Mercedes markets this car as a 'sporty' alternative to its more conventional C-Class saloon. The CLA Coupe's sporty styling leads you to expect that. Though this car shares its chassis, steering and braking architecture with A and B-Class models, it does get its own suspension set-up, with various changes made to improve comfort and make it a bit less crashy over poorer surfaces. There's torque vectoring to help with the handling and 'Direct Steering' to sharpen things up at the helm.

Design and Build
By any measure, this is a handsome car. Purposeful, with sporting proportions and a potent long stretched bonnet. Hi-tech too, with jewel-like LED daytime running lamps fashioned to create a flare effect around the diamond-shaped grille. It's not just about aesthetics either. The combination of the long, stretched entry line above the windows and frameless doors give the CLA Coupe a sporty and elegant character. And the super-sleek drag factor makes this one of the most aerodynamic production cars you can buy.

Market and Model
CLA Coupe prices start at around £30,500 and rise to around £37,000, which leave this car right in Mercedes C-Class saloon territory. Think in terms of a premium of around £1,000 to get yourself the Shooting Brake estate version you can ask your dealer about. There's a choice of three trim levels - 'AMG Line', 'AMG Line Premium' and 'AMG Line Premium Plus'. Even base 'AMG Line' models come decently equipped, standard kit including the MBUX multimedia system that includes 'Hey Mercedes' voice recognition and is accessed through a 10.25-inch centre-dash touchscreen. This incorporates navigation, a DAB radio and smartphone integration, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Cost of Ownership
You'd expect such an aerodynamic production car to deliver an ultra-competitive set of running costs, so let's get to the figures. The CLA 180 and CLA 200 Coupe variants can deliver up to 47.9mpg on the combined cycle. The CLA 180 emits 123g/km of CO2 and the CLA 200 emits 124g/km. The CLA 220 4MATIC delivers 40.4mpg and emits 149g/km. And the CLA 250 can deliver up to 41.5mpg and emit 139g/km of CO2.

What else? Well it's worth knowing that your maintenance outlay can be kept a little in check by going for the optional 'Service Care' package that takes care of routine maintenance, spreading the cost of regular servicing, guaranteeing the price of parts and labour for up to four services and covering the cost of all recommended service items such as brake fluid, spark plugs, air filters, fuel filters and screen wash.

Summary
If you're in the market for a compact, prestigiously-badged stylised saloon and like the look of this one, then nothing I'm going to say here is likely to dissuade you away from CLA Coupe motoring. Unlike Mercedes, I think this car does have some direct rivals, but I'd agree that there is quite a lot that's unique about the way it looks. This design really is a breath of fresh air in what can otherwise be rather a staid market sector.

Which is why it's very likely to sell as intended - to people who never intended to drive a Mercedes. Younger folk who don't care about the abandonment of the rear wheel drive layout that was once considered conditional for a car of this type. They'll probably care just as little about the rear seat packaging compromises and the rather firm ride. They might not even mind the premium pricing. It's all about emotional appeal you see, as I said at the beginning.


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