Mercedes-Benz's challenge with its new electric CLA: up to 792 km of range and packed with technology!

Almost 800 km of range, ultra-fast charging that lets you recover up to 325 km in ten minutes, outstanding efficiency with WLTP consumption from 12.2 kW/100 km, and the fourth generation of the MBUX multimedia system that practically turns the dashboard into a screen. These are just some of the cards with which the new Mercedes-Benz CLA, initially presented with fully electric versions but which will also have hybrid variants, throws down the gauntlet to its main rivals… and to all those who still bet on combustion engines.

Up to 792 km without recharging and charging as fast as refuelling

For now, the CLA debuts with the CLA 250+ and CLA 350 4MATIC versions, both with 100% electric EQ technology. The CLA 250+, with a motor on the rear axle, announces a maximum power of 200 kW (272 CV) and maximum torque of 335 Nm, allowing acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds. The figures for the CLA 350 4MATIC, which adds a second motor on the front axle, are 260 kW (354 CV) and 515 Nm, stopping the clock at 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds. Both have their top speed limited to 210 km/h.

But if power and acceleration figures in electric cars no longer surprise anyone, the efficiency and range the CLA announces should make its rivals get their act together, and that’s no exaggeration. With an 85 kWh lithium-ion battery whose silicon oxide anodes replace graphite, a WLTP range of up to 792 km for the CLA 250+ is announced, and up to 771 km for the CLA 350 4MATIC. The homologated average consumption is surprisingly low: from 12.2 kWh/100 km. At the end of the year a lower-capacity battery with 58 kWh will also be available, in this case with lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry.

With 800-volt technology, charging is, although it may sound like a cliché, almost as fast as refuelling a combustion car: with a DC fast-charging power of up to 320 kW, it is possible to recover up to 325 km of range in 10 minutes under ideal conditions… which are then never actually met. But well, there it is. The maximum AC charging power is 11 kW.

Other highlights include the two-speed transmission, a new multi-source heat pump that uses residual heat from the drivetrain, the battery and the ambient air, an intelligent energy recovery system capable of recovering up to 200 kW during braking, and bidirectional charging, which will be available shortly after market launch as a wireless update.

Later, the range will also add mild hybrid versions with 48-volt electrification, with an electric motor integrated into a new electrified dual-clutch transmission, which will allow driving in electric-only mode during manoeuvres and at low speed, in the style of the MHEV plus of Audi. The combustion engine is also new: a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder with Miller cycle.

More space, more comfort and packed with technology

Externally the CLA continues to flaunt its characteristic four-door coupé silhouette with frameless doors. Its length grows by 3.5 cm to reach 4.72 metres, while its width increases by 2.5 cm and its height by 3 cm. Proportionally, the biggest change is the wheelbase, which increases by 6 cm to reach 2.79 metres. This improves interior habitability. The boot offers 405 litres of capacity, to which the electric versions add another 101 litres under the front bonnet. Mercedes has paid special attention to aerodynamics, with a Cx of 0.21 in the most favourable versions, which contributes to efficiency. All versions are equipped with a glass panoramic roof with thermal insulation.

For the first time, the star brand uses the new Mercedes-Benz operating system, with artificial intelligence and wireless updates for some of the most important functions, including the driver assistance systems. At the same time, the CLA also debuts the fourth generation of the MBUX system, the first in a car to integrate Microsoft’s and Google’s AI. It features two screens, one of 10.25 inches for the instrumentation and another of 14 inches for the multimedia system. Later, the option of a third 14-inch screen for the passenger will also be offered, so that the entire dashboard would be occupied by screens, flanked by the circular outlets of the ventilation system.

The voice assistant is based on the search of ChatGPT4o, Microsoft Bing and Google Gemini, and accepts any type of question in natural language and can even “converse” with the avatar appearing on the screen, which takes the shape of the brand’s star. Navigation is based on Google Maps, and the system combines the driver assistance view with a three-dimensional representation of the surroundings and route guidance on the screen, showing other users such as cars, bicycles, motorcycles or even pedestrians. A notable novelty among the driver assistance systems is the lane change assistant, which performs manoeuvres automatically just by activating the indicator.

Mercedes-Benz CLA – Image gallery