Seven months on from its Malaysian preview, the C174 Mercedes-Benz CLA has been launched at The Exchange TRX today. The third-generation compact four-door coupé has been redeveloped as a fully electric model, debuting here ahead of the C178 hybrid model.
Just a single variant will be available at launch, the CLA250+ AMG Line, priced at RM274,888 on-the-road without insurance. You’ll have to pay an extra RM6,000 for the two Manufaktur paint options – Alpine Grey Solid and Patagonia Red Metallic.
Included in the list price is the usual four-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and an eight-year/160,000 km battery warranty, with the first 100 buyers also getting access to the Mercedes-AMG F1 Party (not the race itself) in Kuala Lumpur.
Built on the brand new Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) for compact models, the CLA250+ is powered by a single electric motor making 272 PS (200 kW) and 335 Nm of torque, paired with a two-speed transmission à la Porsche Taycan. This enables the car to hit a high top speed without sacrificing efficiency.
So equipped, the CLA250+ is able to sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 210 km/h. More impressive is the range – despite the relatively modest 85 kWh NMC battery, its energy consumption of as low as 12.2 kWh per 100 km means the car claimed to be able to travel up to 792 km on a single charge (748 km with the specified equipment). That’s almost as far as the also recently-launched BMW iX3 (805 km) despite having a much smaller battery.
Helping the CLA250+ achieve such an impressive range figure is a more powerful regenerative braking system that recuperates up to 200 kW, providing up to 3 m/s2 in deceleration. This enables it to cover almost every braking need; it will even do regen braking up to a complete stop. Users can select from three levels of regen braking (including off) or enable an adaptive mode using the steering wheel paddles.
The CLA is the first Mercedes EV to come with an 800-volt electrical architecture, enabling DC fast charging speeds of up to 320 kW; this tops the battery from 10 to 80% in 22 minutes. Unfortunately, as high tech as this car is, AC charging still only goes up to 11 kW, so a full charge takes nine hours. The car also won’t be offered with the optional 400-volt DC converter, so it won’t be able to charge at 400-volt DC stations such as Tesla’s Superchargers.
Previewed by the Concept CLA Class in 2023, the production model retains the nameplate’s fluid shape and sweeping low-slung roofline. The latter has been stretched further rearward – presumably in the service of rear headroom, which has increased by 28 mm – leading to a six-window glasshouse (still frameless, obviously) and a slightly shorter rear deck.
At the front, you’ll now find full-width headlights, narrowing in the middle to frame the trapezoidal grille – this shape is mirrored in the taillights. The said grille is fully illuminated, including the dinner-plate three-pointed star and 142 smaller stars.
The starry motif is continued in the headlights with the massive tristar, illuminated on the Multibeam LED units with adaptive high beam that come standard in Malaysia, as well as the taillights. Along the side, the CLA’s curved shoulder line has been broken up, now only appearing over the front and rear wheel arches to emphasise the car’s haunches.
The AMG Line package adds more aggressive front and rear bumpers, with Malaysian-spec models also coming with handsome 19-inch AMG five-twin-spoke alloy wheels. Flush pop-out door handles, wing mirrors mounted on stalks, partially sealed front shutlines, wheel spoilers and an almost completely shrouded underbody enable a drag coefficient as low as 0.21.
It doesn’t look it, but the CLA is quite a bit larger than before. Measuring 4,723 mm long, 1,855 mm wide and 1,468 mm tall, the new model is 35 mm longer, 25 mm wider and 29 mm taller than the old C118, while its 2,790 mm wheelbase is 61 mm longer. One casualty of electrification is the boot, which is now 55 litres smaller at just 405 litres. Helpfully, there’s finally a front boot for the first time on a Mercedes EV, and it’s pretty big too at 101 litres.
Inside, the CLA has a literal vertical wall for a dashboard, serving as the backdrop for the MBUX Superscreen. Coming as standard in Malaysia (although the display units did not have it fitted), it houses a 10.25-inch digital instrument display and twin 14-inch touchscreens, including one for the passenger.
This entire setup runs on a new MB.OS operating system, which jumps on the generative AI bandwagon by offering not one, but two models. The MBUX Virtual Assistant uses ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing searches for general enquiries, switching to Google’s Gemini for navigation-related questions. The system can retain context even when jumping between the two, so conversations can continue uninterrupted.
Meanwhile, the navigation system uses Google Maps and will calculate the fastest, most convenient route based on factors such as road and traffic conditions, fast charger availability, temperature, speed, the car’s heating and cooling and even wind conditions taking into account the car’s height.
The built-in navigation is important because it’s the only way to show compatible 800-volt chargers, although wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto continues to be offered. Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) is launching the MB.Charge Public service alongside the CLA, allowing users to pay for and start charging directly through either the car or the Mercedes-Benz app, with over 3,000 chargers at over 1,000 locations supported.
With the AMG Line pack, you get a flat-bottomed, double-spoke Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel with new physical rocker and roller switches to join the usual capacitive touch buttons. Also fitted are power-adjustable sports seats (with memory) upholstered in black Artico faux leather and Dinamica microfibre, AMG floor mats and alloy pedals.
Other bits of standard kit include passive comfort suspension, dual-zone auto air-con, rear air vents (finally), augmented reality navigation, a panoramic glass roof with a heat rejection coating (but no sunshade), 64-colour ambient lighting, smartphone digital key pre-installation, a Qi wireless charger, an interior selfie and video camera, eight speakers, park assist, a 360-degree camera system and a hands-free powered boot lid.
Safety-wise, the CLA250+ comes with eight airbags (including a driver’s knee bag and a centre airbag) and the MB.Drive Standard suite of driver assists. The latter includes autonomous emergency braking, evasive steering assist, Distronic adaptive cruise control with stop and go, curve speed reduction, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring with collision avoidance, traffic sign recognition, emergency stop assist and parking AEB.
However, the car stops short of offering Level 2 semi-autonomous driving functionality as standard, as it lacks lane centring assist as well as autonomous lane changes. These are part of MB.Drive Assist, which requires an exceedingly pricey subscription of RM169 per month (first month free), RM1,690 per year or RM4,059 every three years.
