Mercedes-Benz CLA EV

The cabin relies heavily on large glass screens and removes most of the physical buttons.

Cabin Layout and Quality

• The dashboard layout depends on how much you spend.
• The base models get a separate digital driver display and a large central touchscreen.
• If you buy the top variant, you get the MBUX Superscreen.
• It places three screens: one for the driver, one in the centre, and one for the passenger.
• All three screens sit under a single, massive pane of glass across the entire dashboard.

Seating Comfort

Front Row

• The driver and passenger get full electric seat adjustments. 
• You can save your seating position using the memory function buttons on the door panels.
• The seats include a heating and cooling function, which helps during hot Indian summers.
• The front seats are firm and hold you in place well when you drive around sharp corners.

Second Row

• The rear seats get their own air conditioning vents to keep the back row cool.
• The long wheelbase provides a lot of legroom for people sitting in the back.
• However, the roof slopes down sharply to make the car look like a coupe.
• Rear headroom gets a bit tight for that reason.

Features That Improve Daily Use

• A large glass roof across the top of the car
• Several 100-watt USB-C ports
• The automatic climate control system

Seshan notes,

“The new MMA platform makes the CLA bigger, roomier and ready for multiple powertrains.”

Mercedes-Benz keeps the CLA EV as its entry point into the brand’s electric sedan stable.

“DISCLAIMER: Prices mentioned are at the time of publishing. Please check your dealership for current prices.”

Mercedes-Benz tackles range anxiety with the new MMA platform and an 800-volt electrical architecture, which turns the CLA EV into one of the most efficient cars in its class. Because the car uses an 800-volt system, it supports ultra-fast DC charging up to 320 kW. If you find a fast enough public charger, you can add 400 kilometres of driving range in just a 20-minute charge. An eight-year warranty comes along with the battery packs.

Besides its five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating, this sedan also packs an incredible amount of safety tech.

Passive Safety and Crash Protection

• The battery pack sits inside a rigid crash structure underneath the floor.
• This structure protects the volatile cells from side impacts.
• The passenger cabin uses ultra-high-strength steel.
• You get seven airbags as standard across all variants.
• There’s a centre airbag that inflates between the driver and front passenger.

Active Safety and Stability Systems

• The car relies on a heavy suite of sensors to keep you out of trouble.
• Level 2 ADAS comes as standard equipment.
• It includes automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and active lane-keeping assist.
• The radar cruise control handles stop-and-go traffic perfectly.
• The 360-degree camera system uses multiple lenses for active parking assistance.

The interior technology is the biggest selling point of the new CLA EV.

Infotainment and Interface

• The system runs on the new MB.OS software.
• It is fast and does not lag when you open the navigation maps.
• There’s a 14-inch central touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital driver display.
• The system includes a highly advanced voice assistant.
• You just say "Hey Mercedes," and you can ask the car to change the cabin temperature, open the sunblind, or find the nearest fast charger.

Cabin Convenience and Practical Features

• The ambient lighting uses active LED strips that change colour based on the temperature.
• It also flickers when the blind-spot monitor spots a car in the next lane.
• The Burmester surround sound system supports Dolby Atmos.
• The dual-zone air conditioning runs through a HEPA filter to block dust and smog.

• The main rear boot holds 405 litres of luggage.
• It easily takes two large suitcases and a couple of soft duffel bags for a weekend trip.
• The boot opening is wide, making it easy to slide heavy boxes inside.
• You also get a 101-litre storage area under the bonnet.
• It is highly practical for holding dirty items, wet shoes, or your public charging cables.
• The rear seats further fold down flat if you need to carry long items.

Electric cars are heavy, but Mercedes-Benz tuned the suspension specifically to mask that weight and provide a highly comfortable ride in the CLA EV.

City Driving

• This car asks for very little effort during city manoeuvres.
• Because it uses a rear-wheel-drive setup, the front wheels can turn much more sharply.
• The suspension handles broken city roads well.
• It absorbs the shock of deep potholes and sharp speed breakers without transferring the impact into the cabin.

Highway Driving

• The sedan feels incredibly planted on fast, open highways.
• The heavy battery pack keeps the centre of gravity very low, so the car never feels floaty.
• Wind noise is kept out of the cabin effectively thanks to the aerodynamic shape.
• The multi-link rear suspension handles long highway dips and bumps very smoothly.
• It is not designed for heavy track use, but it will keep the car acceptably flat around corners.

Mercedes-Benz keeps the lineup simple, splitting the car into two main choices based on how far you need to drive.

The Essentials That You Don’t Get

• Physical buttons and dials for the AC
• A rear-seat entertainment screen package
• Plush, soft air suspension (it uses standard steel springs)

Your decision strictly depends on your daily driving routine and your budget.

Best for Daily Commutes: The CLA 200

If you only need a stylish luxury car to drive to the office and back, the smaller battery is usually fine. You save a massive amount of money upfront, and you still get the premium interior and sharp exterior design.

Best for Highway Travel: The CLA 250 Plus

If you take long road trips frequently, spend the extra money on the bigger battery. The gearbox makes highway driving much more efficient, and the 792 km claimed range means you do not have to worry about finding chargers constantly.