Mercedes CLA 35
Four-door coupé set the template for the class, and this performance model delivers fantastic pace
MODEL TESTED: Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4MATIC
PRICE: £40,310 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 302bhp
THE CLA 35 isn’t the top model in the range, unlike the M235i; there’s a CLA 45 that’s even more powerful and expensive. But at £40,310, the 35 is more affordable yet still offers plenty of grunt, and is the BMW ’s natural rival.
Design & engineering
THE CLA uses Mercedes’ MFA2 platform, so it shares parts with the
A-Class, just as the M235i is based on the 1 Series.
The CLA 35 uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, and with 302bhp, it matches the M235i’s power output. It drives all four wheels through a seven-speed automatic gearbox, but it’s a dual-clutch transmission, not a conventional auto as found in the BMW.
There are MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link set-up at the rear, allowing for 4MATIC four-wheel drive. Adaptive dampers are standard on models with the Premium Plus pack (£6,000), with a choice between Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes that increases stiffness in each setting. All cars have these drive modes, which affect steering and powertrain response only in base models. Our car had this pack fitted, so it also featured 19-inch alloys, adaptive LED lights, a panoramic roof and a Burmester stereo.
Standard kit on the CLA 35 includes a DAB radio, a reversing camera, cruise control, LED lights, lane-keep assist and AEB. There’s also the MBUX infotainment set-up, which features navigation, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and more connected features.
The rest of the interior is just as good as the BMW ’s, because while there are a few cheap-looking materials, like the indicator and gear selector stalks, most are of high quality and look slicker than the BMW’s. The seats, steering wheel and other touchpoints are as upmarket as you would expect from a premium car maker.
Driving
ON adaptive dampers in Comfort mode, the CLA 35 isn’t noticeably stiffer or softer than its rival here on fixed-rate dampers. But if you swap into Sport or Sport+ mode, it does firm up. There’s decent body control even in the Comfort setting, though, so it’s good that Individual mode lets you use sportier engine and gearbox settings, but keep the dampers soft.
The CLA rides well, and even on big wheels offers a little more compliance and sophistication to how it deals with bumps compared with the BMW. Only big inputs and potholes thud into the cabin, and the car is smooth enough at motorway speeds.
The steering is nice and quick, with enough precision to place the car on the road easily. Importantly, as well as having a more adjustable balance between ride comfort and body control, the feel is also much sweeter than the BMW ’s. The M235i’s steering feels squidgy, mute and a bit resistive; while the CLA’s isn’t brimming with feedback, it has better weight and more consistency.
There’s lots of grip, too, so turn-in is sharp – the CLA 35 is quite a bit more fun to drive than a normal CLA or A-Class. The BMW doesn’t have this big step up with the M235i model, but that’s because the normal versions feel sporty anyway.
The CLA isn’t quite as willing as the M235i to bring its rear axle into play when cornering
aggressively, but there’s enough agility to get the car moving when you want it to. As with its rival, such is the security of the level of grip and traction on offer that you have to be pushing hard to do this. At least that means both cars will be good in winter. The CLA 35’s over-riding balance feels planted, with strong performance to power out of corners cleanly.
In our tests, the Mercedes took 5.1 seconds to go from 0-60mph, which was 0.1 seconds slower than its rival, but felt indistinguishable from behind the wheel. Acceleration like this is impressive, but is expected of modern performance cars. The linear power delivery can sometimes leave them feeling a little flat, even if they are impressively consistent.
In-gear acceleration was just as strong as the 0-60mph sprint, and the CLA 35 took just two seconds to go from 30-50mph in third, and 4.1 seconds from 50-70mph in fifth. The BMW took 2.3 seconds to do the former and 3.6 seconds to do the latter. The reason it was faster from 50-70mph was because of its eight-speed gearbox; in the higher gears the M235i runs slightly shorter ratios to improve performance.
The gearbox in the CLA performs well in the same situations as the BMW ’s auto box. It’s smooth when driving normally and picks ratios well in auto mode, and while the changes are sharp and quick when they happen, there’s just a little delay between pulling the paddle and the new gear engaging.
Practicality
THE CLA has a 460-litre boot, which is 30 litres bigger than the M235i’s. It’s slightly harder to load items because there’s a bigger loading lip, but the extra space more than makes up for this.
There’s enough legroom in the rear for adults, yet they might feel cramped after spending more than a short time because there’s limited headroom – but the same is true in the BMW, due to these cars’ bodies. It will be fine for kids, though, and storage is pretty good, thanks to a bin in the centre console.
Ownership
MERCEDES performed poorly in our
2020 Driver Power satisfaction survey, taking 28th place. Neither German brand impressed its customers, though.
Euro NCAP gave the CLA a five-star safety rating, and the kit list backs this up. AEB is standard, just as in its rival, but you also get lane assist and nine airbags.
Running costs
OUR experts predict that the Mercedes and BMW will hold their value well after three years or 36,000 miles, with residual values of 45.5 per cent and 51. 2 per cent respectively.
The BMW will lose the least, at £18,339, while the Mercedes will drop by £21,981.