Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4MATIC review: The EV that won me over

The electric Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4MATIC is considerably more appealing in person than it is in photographs. Before spending a week with it, I was unconvinced by the busy illuminated front end and unsure whether another sleek four-door was what buyers wanted. Then I saw it properly, drove it, lived with its cabin, and became rather fond of the thing.

It is low, compact and neatly proportioned, with the sort of sporty silhouette that makes more sense beside the car than on a screen. Better still, it is comfortable, agile and impressively composed on the road. There are frustrations, particularly with the sports seats and a few controls, but they did not outweigh how much I enjoyed the CLA in ordinary use.

This is quite possibly one of the nicest EVs I have driven. The CLA 350 4MATIC has enough performance to make daily driving entertaining, enough comfort to make it relaxing, and an appearance that grew on me far more than expected. My main concern is that, having warmed to the saloon, I suspect I might like the wagon even more.

A design that works better away from the camera

The CLA offers an early look at Mercedes-Benz’s next design direction, and it is a rather star-studded affair. Three-pointed stars appear throughout the exterior, most visibly in the illuminated front panel, which Mercedes says contains 142 individual star elements. Calling it a grille is slightly generous on an electric car, but I like the effect. It is decorative, certainly, though it gives the front end a distinct identity.

That was not my expectation from the photographs. Online, the whole arrangement appeared a little excessive, but the lighting and proportions make a more convincing case in person. The relationship with the Concept CLA Class revealed in 2023 is clear, and Mercedes has retained a surprising amount of the concept’s visual identity for production. There are moments where I wonder whether concept-car fidelity became too important, but the overall result won me over.

I also questioned the body style less once I had seen it properly. I like a sedan, but even I had wondered about the appeal of another low four-door when so many buyers are heading towards taller vehicles. Standing beside the CLA, the reasoning becomes clearer. Its low roofline and tidy proportions give it an elegance that would be difficult to retain in an SUV.

The frameless windows contribute a great deal. I have an unreasonable affection for them, because opening a door and seeing the exposed edge of the glass makes a car feel more special. There is something slightly provocative about it, which is a ridiculous thing to say about a window, but I stand by it. I also enjoyed the satisfying thud as the door shuts and the glass seals into place. More of the industry should do this.

I am less enthusiastic about the boot release being built into the Mercedes emblem. It is a neat visual solution when the car is spotless, but using it means putting your fingers into a badge that may be covered in dust or road grime. It can leave a fingerprint, or a clean patch in the dirt, which is hardly a crisis but remains an unnecessary irritation.

The wheels are another area where I would be more adventurous. To my eye, they look a little small for the body and their designs are too cautious. I would want a more substantial-looking 20-inch wheel, although I appreciate that could affect both efficiency and ride comfort. This is a visual preference rather than a universal verdict, and my preferred solution could compromise qualities I otherwise loved.

On the road, there is much less I would change. The CLA 350 4MATIC produces 260kW and has an 85kWh usable battery, with Mercedes quoting up to 663km of WLTP range and maximum DC charging of 320kW. Those are impressive figures, and while I did not conduct a formal range test, the generous range felt consistent with my experience. I would come home after a day’s driving and find I had comfortably enough left for the following day, without feeling the need to plug it in. That flexibility made the CLA particularly easy to live with.

The ride was the first major surprise. Smaller road imperfections were absorbed without much fuss, while larger bumps were handled smoothly and the body settled cleanly afterwards. The CLA feels substantial and composed without becoming excessively soft. At times, I wondered whether it was getting close to S-Class territory for comfort, which Mercedes would probably prefer you spent considerably more money before considering.

That comfort does not blunt its responses. Around town, I found the CLA easy to place and responsive, with little body roll in my driving and enough steering feedback to keep me involved. Its weight is noticeable, but it rarely makes the car feel cumbersome. I did not take it to a circuit, so I cannot offer a judgement on its ultimate limits, but on ordinary roads the balance between comfort and control was excellent.

I also had no complaints about performance. An AMG version is an appealing thought, obviously, but the CLA 350 never felt like it needed more pace. It gets on with things briskly enough. Ground clearance requires more attention than outright acceleration, because the CLA sits low and speed bumps need a careful approach, particularly if you are coming from something taller.

Lovely cabin materials, but some awkward ergonomics

Inside, the CLA makes another strong first impression. The broad sweep of glass across the dashboard looks clean and contemporary, while the soft suede-like material on the seats and parts of the door trim gives the cabin welcome texture. It feels pleasant to touch and helped make the interior somewhere I enjoyed spending time, even where I disagreed with its ergonomic decisions.

The steering wheel captures that mixture particularly well. Mercedes knows how to make a wheel that feels good in your hands, and this one is thick, substantial and satisfying to hold. It looks sporty without trying too hard. I have reservations about the controls, but none about the physical wheel itself. It is one of the parts of a car you interact with constantly, and getting that right matters.

During my week with the CLA, however, I could not find an obvious way to skip music tracks directly from the steering wheel. There may be a setting or another route that I missed, but changing a song should be easy to work out. The tactile volume and cruise-control speed adjustments are good. I simply think track selection deserves similarly straightforward treatment, particularly when the current song does not fit my driving vibe right then and there.

The dashboard presents a different issue. I liked the slight incline of the earlier Hyperscreen arrangement in cars like the EQS and EQE, because interacting with it felt more natural to me. The CLA’s more upright display looks smart, but I became more conscious of lifting my arm and reaching towards it. Some functions sit further across the screen than I would like, including certain Android Auto controls.

Looking at the dashboard and using it are different experiences. The presentation is impressive, but a function near the far edge can demand an awkward stretch. It is the sort of detail that becomes more apparent after several days. Familiarity helps you learn where everything is, but it does not bring the controls any closer.

The interface itself became easier to understand over the week. It feels more like a smartphone than previous Mercedes systems, and the familiar icons began to make sense once I had adjusted to the layout. Coming from older interfaces, I initially looked for functions where I expected them to be. That improved with use, although I still missed aspects of the earlier approach. The driver’s display also felt a little small to me, and I would have preferred a larger head-up display. These are merely champagne problems in a car as well equipped as this one.

The Burmester 3D surround-sound system is another highlight, with 16 speakers, 850 watts of output and Dolby Atmos support for compatible content. Audiophiles will no doubt have a more elaborate way of explaining it, but I thought it sounded exceptional. If I were compiling a list of cars with the best sound systems, the CLA would comfortably earn a place. I might not have worked out how to skip a track from the steering wheel, but at least the song I wanted to skip sounded magnificent.

Other controls are much more convincing. The door-mounted seat controls look smart and have a satisfying tactile click, something I missed in some recent Mercedes-Benz models and am pleased to see return. I do, however, miss having the heating, cooling and memory buttons alongside them. I suppose the main reason for saving several seating positions is that different people drive the car, so having facial recognition identify your profile and recall your preferences makes sense. It takes some of the hassle out of sharing a car, and I can appreciate the thinking behind it. Still, I liked having the option of simply pressing a button on the door.

Unfortunately, the sports seats were my largest reservation. At six-foot-three, I found the lower edge of the head restraint pressed against the base of my neck. I could move it forwards and backwards, but could not adjust it vertically into the position I wanted. Moving it rearwards helped, as did changing my seating position and reclining the backrest, but I wanted greater freedom to settle into my natural driving position.

These are not terrible seats. They provide support, and I have experienced considerably more restrictive designs. They simply did not suit my frame particularly well. My preference in a Mercedes would be for a generously adjustable comfort seat, ideally with multi-contour support and massage. That would suit the CLA beautifully. The upholstery feels lovely, but I would like more choice over how the seat positions me.

Rear-seat access also deserves consideration. The bench sits low and well behind the door opening, so getting in requires more manoeuvring than I expected. Getting out is similarly less convenient than the presence of four doors might suggest. Once seated behind my driving position, knee room was reasonable considering my height, but access was the more obvious limitation.

This is where I begin to suspect the wagon would be the more compelling purchase. I would want to try it before making a firm judgement about entry and exit, but the prospect of greater practicality appeals. Personally, I also think it is the more attractive version. An automotive journalist preferring a wagon is predictable, admittedly, but I like the shape and would welcome the additional usefulness.

Ultimately, what I liked about the CLA mattered more than the things that irritated me. Its appearance grew on me, I loved the frameless windows, and the materials and substantial steering wheel made the cabin feel appealing. More importantly, I enjoyed driving it. The comfort, body control and agility make it satisfying in the ordinary situations that account for most of my time in a car.

The seat fit needs some inspection before buying; some screen functions demand an awkward reach, and rear-seat access could be easier. They are worthwhile reasons to spend proper time with the CLA before deciding, particularly if you are tall or regularly carry passengers. They did not outweigh its strengths during my week behind the wheel.

The Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4MATIC feels like a car I could become very fond of. It is attractive, comfortable and more than quick enough for me, with enough individuality to remain interesting once the novelty has passed. I would happily spend more time with one, although my request would be fairly specific: send the wagon, preferably with the comfort seats.