One of the biggest challenges in this business is booking cars. Typically we get one week with each vehicle, and if you're a mathematician, you'll note that means we may get 52 cars to drive a year. Evaluating 50 or so new cars sounds like a lot, but considering there are always product updates, we're only capturing a sliver of the market. And, you have to consider we don't always have a press vehicle — we do have lives, you know.
So, when I put the CLA45 AMG on the calendar, I was looking forward to it. I tend to favor AMG products for their outlandish nature and the fact most of the time they lack table manners.
2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
When I took delivery, it evoked the same reaction from me as when I first saw the CLA250. It's a solid design and it's definitely controversial, which I like. Though if you're looking for something a bit more shouty to show you spent AMG dollars, you may be disappointed. Now that Mercedes offers Sport Packages across its standard product portfolio, it's becoming harder to distinguish the real deal from the posers. Sure, you'll note the 45's larger wheels and tires, big brake kit, turbo badging and quad-tipped exhaust but that's essentially it. If you compare the CLA250 equipped with the sport package and the CLA45 side-by-side, you'll see what I mean.
2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
Where you'll actually start to see drastic changes is on the inside.
Slipping into the Recaro sport bucket seats, it feels pretty much as close to a race seat you can get to without being uncomfortable. What I dig about them is that they're thin, which helps out your rear seat passengers, but there's enough padding that you don't feel like you're in a Porsche 911 GT3 with the carbon fiber-backed racing seats. Be careful getting in though, if you're not careful you will get jabbed with a bolster. If you opt for the Recaro seats get ready to hear the cash register ring — as an option, they cost $2,250.
Welcome in my tester was a leather and Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel. As with other AMG products, the shape looks a bit peculiar but it fits your hands just right. Problem is that the Alcantara was already showing a bit of wear. I know press cars get abused but this was disappointing. Elsewhere around the interior, you'll note unlike the standard CLA-Class, the AMG version has a proper shifter located "on the floor." There's just one problem with the shifter though: You can't use it to change gears in manual mode. Sure, it works for P, R, N, D, but that's it. As the paddles are small and located on the steering wheel, you may find yourself in a precarious situation if you're not paying attention.
To change the vehicle's driving modes there's the typical Mercedes button that simply reads "C--> S --> M." If you're buying this vehicle I'd hope you'd do the right thing and leave it in "M."
Looking around the interior in my tester, one interesting little thing I noted was the upper dash and door panels were trimmed in what appeared to be leatherette, which Mercedes calls MB-TEX. It's given a splash of color thanks to red stitching. While I'd guess this is appreciated by some, I found it a bit...lame. That's because this is something that you'll find in cars like the Toyota Avalon and Honda Civic Si as they try to evoke a more expensive feeling. Leather or nothing, in my humble opinion. Don't spend the $1,500 for this option.
As noted in my CLA250 review, there's plenty of room up front, but if you're going to be traveling with four adults on a consistent basis, you'll want to spend a bit of time sitting in the back seat to see if there's enough leg and head room for your family members and friends.
**Read Agent00R's review of the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 HERE!
2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
Now, let's cut to the chase. This is an AMG, so, you just want to know how this thing drives. Let me indulge you.
Boasting a 2.0-liter four-cylinder motor that's aided by a turbocharger, the CLA45 AMG puts out an impressive 355 horsepower and 332 lb.-ft. of torque. For a tiny vehicle like this that weighs in around 3,500 pounds, that's a helluva lot of power. Zero to 60 happens in an estimated 4.4 seconds, which is more than fast enough to get you in trouble quickly. This time is helped out by the 45's all-wheel drive setup and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that snaps shifts with an occasional burp.
Throttle tip-in is nicely weighted as the Germans tend to pay closer attention to this than those high-strung Japanese performance vehicles. But once you get your foot closer to the floorboard, you'll notice that the power delivery is not linear. You wind up the power waiting for that turbo to kick in, it hits you hard and you hang onto the steering wheel as you're pulled. Although I know some people are into this sort of thing, I found this power delivery a bit frustrating as a lot of modern forced induction cars do have linear power delivery. It felt a bit too Volkswagen Golf GTI-like and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution-ish for my taste. This translates into around-town motoring that feels lethargic and makes you wonder why the hell you ponied up the bucks for the more powerful AMG variant. Where the CLA45 really shines is on the highway because you can adjust your driving to eliminate the turbo lag to the best of your ability, and you feel 10/10ths of the vehicle's power.
Speaking of the Evo, then there's the sound of this AMG. If you were holding your breath, please make sure to stop. Frankly, the sound leaves a lot to be desired. I know that all four-cylinders sound a bit ragged and buzzy, but it didn't seem like Mercedes-Benz did anything to make it sound better. Considering AMG is known for producing intoxicating exhaust notes from its V8 motors, I was expecting something.
Insert the "womp womp" sound effect here.
Perhaps Mercedes can save the day with a well handling vehicle, right? Putting the CLA45 around some windy roads, I found it to be a mix of good and bad. The AWD system in this car makes sure that the car has plenty of grip in just about all situations; however, the body roll that is omnipresent ruins the experience. I don't think the CLA45 is too soft either because I found its suspension tuned well. At the end of the day, I believe the CLA's center of gravity just is too high with that bulbous greenhouse. Though it is supposed to mimic a coupe, I can tell you that the much bigger and heavier CLS does a MUCH better job at keeping body roll in check while feeling planted and "coupe-like." Not the case in the CLA45, which feels very much like a sedan especially when pushed.
The steering is what you'd expect to find in a modern day performance car that's tuned for Mercedes. It's quite light at low speeds making maneuverability a cinch and when you hit highway speed it gets more weighting to inspire confidence. Aside from the annoying body roll, the CLA AMG feels quite nimble and lacks that hefty feeling you get in the BMW M235i. Though I am sure folks will complain the 45 lacks any true steering feel, I ask the naysayers to find a performance car with road feel and get back to me.
Although the CLA45 AMG is listed as obtaining 23/31 city/highway mpg, in the real world I was seeing about 21-22 mpg in the city and 26-27 mpg on the highway. Of course I wasn't driving it like a saint, so, I am sure you could do better if you mind your driving style.
Probably the biggest hurdle for the CLA45 AMG is its price. While the base car starts at an attainable $29,900, my AMG tester cost nearly $64,000 all in — destination included. In the car's defense it was optioned with some nonsense I'd never invest in, but after spending a few minutes clicking around on MBUSA.com I priced out an appropriately optioned car at just over $55,000. In a world when you can acquire an Audi S4 for about the same price, or opt for a really well equipped BMW M235i xDrive, the AMG is definitely pricing itself at a premium.
Though its motor is a very impressive feat of engineering as it produces 178 horsepower per liter — making it one of the most power dense engines in the world — the car leaves me cold. There is no lust factor and, frankly, its performance is ho-hum given its price. To be straightforward, this car's driving experience is very similar to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just that if I want an Evo, I'll go get an Evo.
If you want a real AMG for around $55,000 go check out a lightly used C63 AMG.
The Good:
- When you buy a CLA45 AMG, you're buying an engine that's meticulously engineered
- From the exterior, it looks pretty close to a standard CLA, which is great if you're into the sleeper thing
- The optional Recaro sport seats are fantastic, racing-inspired seats
The Bad:
- The 45's turbo lag reminds me of a Golf GTI or Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution — around town motoring makes the AMG feel lazy
- If you're looking for a performance car that sounds killer, this isn't it at all
- Its base MSRP is already priced at a premium, if you're not careful when optioning it gets VERY expensive VERY quick
The Lowdown:
- The CLA45 AMG is a first for the three-pointed star's performance division. On paper, it sounds very enticing but in the real world this AMG is a complete let down. I have seen a handful of them on the road, I just can't figure out who would purchase it. If you want a proper AMG vehicle, go find a lightly used C63 AMG with 10,000-20,000 miles on it for $55,000. For me, the vehicle drives far too immature for its price and it will likely make my Top 007 biggest disappointments list for 2014.
2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
