WHEELS
Extraordinary Rides Mercedes-Benz CLA250 is an excellent driving experience By C.A. Haire
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any years ago, German luxury car makers only wanted to sell expensive cars. They were not too happy entering the lower-price market, and the cars’ poor performance in that segment showed. This situation has changed. Today, if a customer’s first-time experience with a brand is not pleasant, they will shop somewhere else. With competition being fierce, manufacturer can’t afford that. This brings us to the Mercedes CLA250, a small “Baby Benz” that offers the quality and per-
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formance buyers want—at the low starting price of $36,000. Naturally, there are the usual options adding to the profit margin. How can we live without those larger 18-inch wheels, blindspot assist, SiriusXM radio, heated seats, interior lighting, wireless charging, navigation and larger info screen? The fact the total tab to be a Mercedes owner here is only $42,000 will probably be the main selling point. So, do we get a “real” Mercedes for this money? The answer is yes. The little, 2.0-liter turbo engine is only rated at 221 horsepow-
The Mercedes-Benz CLA250 Sedan has a 2.0-liter turbo engine that is only rated at 221 horsepower but is powerful enough once underway. (Photo by C.A. Haire)
er but is powerful enough once underway, helped by a slick seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Fuel economy is claimed to be 24/35 mpg. At 75 mph cruising, this car obtained 34, which is close enough. The computer offers four drive modes: comfort, eco, sport and individual. The gauge cluster also has four settings: classic, sport, progressive and understated. We took this CLA on many back-country areas with tight twisty roads. The performance did not disappoint. Th is engine is strong, smooth and quiet. The cornering ability is excellent, as is its stability at high speed. The brakes have great feel and stop this vehicle in a hurry. The body structure is very solid, with no rattles, even on the roughest pavement. This steering doesn’t have the best feel, but turn ratio is quick enough. This car likes to be driven hard, if that is your goal. Our only complaint is the infotainment and computer controls, which, being typical Mercedes, are not easy to figure out. Reading the owner’s book is pointless, as it is even more confusing. The best way to handle this is to sit in the cabin for a few hours, then press every switch and button about a hundred times! After a few days of practice, everything was up and running. Then we had a German car that offers the excellent Mercedes driving experience at a reasonable price.
