Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric Review & Prices

Mercedes’ new electric CLA could be the Pele of electric cars. Or maybe the Muhammed Ali. Or the Michael Schumacher. In other words, a true and genuine game-changer. That’s because this compact, sporty, four-door saloon has an electric range of very nearly 490 miles. That’s enough potential mileage, even allowing for some real-world deductions, to put range anxiety to bed once and for all.

This new CLA picks up more or less where the old one left off — it’s a mid-size four-door, sleek enough to almost, but not quite, earn the coupe badge that Mercedes gives it. The overall shape isn’t so different to the old one, but the details are. Up front, there’s a vast new grille, made up of lots and lots of tiny Mercedes stars, while the headlights and an LED light bar sit above that, almost as if the CLA has a Gallagher-Brother monobrow.

Down the back, there’s another broad LED light bar, and brake lights which have that same Mercedes star built-into them so that you’re never going to be unaware of what’s slowing down in front of you. The body has been designed to be as slippery through the air as possible, so that the CLA has almost the same aerodynamic performance as the dolphin-like EQS saloon.

Mercedes-Benz CLA: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 478-484 miles
Efficiency: 5.1 miles per kWh
Battery size: 85kWh
Max charge speed: 320kW
Charge time AC: 11-12hrs
Charge time DC: 22mins
Charge port location: Right rear
Power outputs: 272-351bhp

Inside, there’s a cliff-face dash, almost totally vertical in its style, into which as many as three screens have been built — a 10.25-inch digital instrument display; a 14.6-inch central infotainment screen; and an optional 14-inch screen for the front-seat passenger. All of the screens are running the latest MB.OS operating system, developed by Mercedes itself, which is said to be super-smart, and which allows you to stream Netflix or even play some Fortnite while you’re charging up.

It’s a practical car too. The 405-litre boot isn’t massive, but it’s backed up by a huge 101 litre ‘frunk’ in the nose - great for storing charging cables.

The battery, at first, will be a big 85kWh unit, which when combined with the single rear-mounted 272hp motor in the CLA 250+ model, gives the CLA that massive 484-mile range on one charge. That motor is good for a 6.7 second 0-62mph sprint, so that would seem to be the best all-round performer in the lineup.

There is a faster CLA 350+ 4MATIC with four-wheel drive and two motors, which even though it can hit 62mph in 4.9 seconds can still manage a claimed 478 miles on one charge.

Charging is also super-fast, thanks to an 800-volt charging system that can cope with up to 320kW from the fastest DC public charging stations. That allows you to add as much as 186 miles of extra range in just ten minutes.

However, there’s a hitch — because of the 800-volt system, the CLA, unlike other cars with 800-volt charging from Audi, Kia, Hyundai, and Porsche — can’t work with older 400-volt chargers, which means huge swathes of the UK charging network will be off-limits to the Merc. That rather does take the shine off that almost-500-mile range. Mercedes has said it’s working on a converter, but initial cars won’t have this.

If that bothers you, though, there’s also a super-frugal petrol-powered hybrid model, which has up to 164hp and which Mercedes says will easily average better than 50mpg in real-world driving.

Later on, an entry-level electric version with a cheaper, more robust, 58kWh battery using lithium-iron phosphate technology will be added, which will bring the range down to around 300 miles, but which will also be more affordable to buy. At the other end of the range, there will also be a 500hp+ four-wheel drive AMG version, eventually.

If this long-range EV sounds like your cup of tea, check out the best Mercedes CLA Electric deals right here on Carwow. You can also see the best Mercedes CLA Electric leasing deals, or find a used Mercedes CLA for sale. And remember you can even sell your old car through Carwow too.

The CLA is actually very well-priced, with a starting sticker just over £45,000 for the big-battery CLA 250+ model. That puts it on par in pricing terms with the likes of the BYD Seal and the Polestar 2, but with vastly more range on one charge than either. It’s slightly more expensive than a long-range Tesla Model 3, but not by much and boasts an extra 50 miles of range. More affordable versions of the CLA — with a smaller battery and a roughly 300 mile range — will arrive later in the year.