#CES: SPIED! The Soon-to-debut Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class Gets Caught NAKED, Inside + Out

Looks pretty similar to the last model. It really needed a bit more head and leg room in the back. I'm not so big and I could not fit back there and be remotely comfortable.

yea the A3 is far more practical, however Benz did their research and survey says, their target market placed connectivity, "look at me" instagram worthy looks, and fuel efficiency above all, which the previous Gen scored.

However the new one should see modest improvements on practicality, while leaving the new Sedan variant to cover most practicality concerns

looks like they better refined the overall proportions.

of course this new CLA sits on a FWD platform, but I can't wait to see the AWD AMG version.

although I may be crazy, but it kinda reminds me of the Chrysler 200. Hmmmm....

@xjug, check the sales sheet, in the US alone, the CLA out sold the A3 by more than 4,000 units this year which is about 3-4 month’s worth of A3 sales alone.

Point blank, Mercedes could have cancelled the CLA for an entire quarter and still outsold the A3

The tail is too stubby and too droopy. This car would look so much better with a wedge profile than a crashed-on-both-ends-and-bowed-in-the-middle look.

I'm surprised that the CLA sells at all. It would be great for a Renault, but it simply does not feel like a Mercedes.

yup, the current gen was an experiment, to see if Mercedes could take sales from down market, just as more manufacturers are trying their luck at higher end offerings, i.e. genesis.

Turns out the experiment was more successful than Benz anticipated, the CLA handidly outselling the A3, so now that its proven itself, Benz will make it a proper Mercedes as most reviews have already acknowledged for the new generation

Gone are the days where Mercedes pours crazy amounts of money in an experimental class, i.e. R Class, Maybach, now they test it using it as a trim level first, or platform sharing, should it prove worthy of the investment,the necessary resources will be allocated.

No, I dont completely agree with approach from a personal perspective, but from a Business end, I get it, and it's what helps keeps Benz from suffering the same fate as every other luxury manufacturer being traded from buyer to buyer with the exception of BMW

Maybach was a chassis sharing trim level on an S Class. Maybach failed because it was a tarted up S Class and not distinctive enough. Next generation Maybachs, based on concepts, will be over the top style wise justifying the high price. What is gone are the days when Mercedes built cars to an engineering standard, not to a budget.

I'd love to see real data on how the CLA out sells the A3, the A3 is a much better car, platform as well as much better looking. Are you including GLA in that as well? If so you need to include A3, Q3 and A3 convertible variants.

Again if you're saying the CLA sedan outsells the A3 sedan, I'd really like to see that data the A3 sedan is simply more usable. I've been in the back seat of both and there is no room in the CLA... at all...

PugProud - BullsEye... MB is now built to a price point not an engineering standard. MB vehicles are fantasticly marketed and the vehicles are good, but they're no where near what they once were... To be honest, I"m not sure what they once did is possible...

Purgod the original Maybacb 62 was the longest production car in the world at the time and cost Mercedes dearly, along with the dealer network they set up, they got wiser and simply offered it as trim level on the new S to educate the consumer, now that demand is up and they are outselling Bentley/Rolls handodly with the S 600 maybach models, they will launch independent Maybach models again.

In terms of how Benz are built today compared to yester year, let’s also be realistic, the cars built 20, 30 years ago were also wasaaay more simple, less tech/computers/sensory to worry about, they were able to focus specifically on mechanics, however if anyone questions Mercedes build quality today, I invite them to go on a trip to Europe and see just how many miles those taxis, Sprinter Vans, Ambulances, buses, and semis habe clocked on them and the countless drivers/agencies that swear by them new and old.

The W140 S Class was one of my favorite Benz of all time but the damn wiring in the engine bay was bio degradable leading to countless problems, the W124 brilliant car, but simple at the same time, less attention had to be pay to features, and more to mechanics given the time

Let’s keep everything in context is all

Of course, Maybach's claim to fame is that it was the chariot that Hitler liked to ride in. #GoodTimes

Xjug do you not see the sales charts posted on this very site? The CLA and GLA are reported separately. The A3's numbers include all variants of the A3. The CLA still outsold the A3. And I’ve driven both cars and the A3 absolutely is not a better car. To me they are on par. The new A class will raise the bar in the category based on published reviews. And especially the new A Sedan should take tons of sales from the A3.

Lol @cid unfortunately, some ppl like xjug voluntarily choose to be ignorant, it baffles me, you don’t even have to leave the site or google the very info he requested...mindblown

Actually CID I didn’t see those sales figures so thanks for pointing that out. Clearly the power of the Star there because it’s just not a very good vehicle. I’ve also driven both so we can agree to disagree on which looks, handles, drives or simply feels better.

Car4Life: there is no ignorance but clearly there is arrogance. To say the CLA was an “experiment that worked out”... huh? You’re kidding right? Also the original Maybach was built on an excellent but dated platform that when introduced the current S was on a new one or modified one. I looked terrible and the only thing going for it was the magnificent V12, I nearly got a ticket while driving a 57. However, THAT was an experiment that failed miserably. Interesting it’s been more successful as a trim line.

Looks cool, modern, tiny and cheap.

Kind of like a Renault Megane.

I hope they put some more sound deadening in it. Or offer it as an option a la the new E Class sedan.

As an owner and driver of the BMW 2-series (a 228i and M240xi) who has test driven both the MB CLA and Audi A3, I cannot, for the life me, understand why anyone would prefer driving either the CLA or A3 over the BMW 2-series. It boggles the mind.

What boggles my mind is why anyone would buy a 2 Series when for 10 cents more you can have the better 3 Series. The real-world price difference is negligible.

Because the 2 is tiny with only 2 doors

The 2 is a steaming piece.

Lol it boggles your mind how less ppl bought a car that’s less practical than the already impractical CLA, lol the CLA sold more than twice as many units as the 2 series this year...stop the madness

Seems to look a little more proportioned than the original CLA and the interior seems to look a little nicer. Perhaps Mercedes is using a little better finished plastic inside now then the original car. The original was Mercedes first attempt at an affordable mainstream Mercedes. Perhaps there was a bit of learning curve required. If properly engineered FWD should be fine. Most of the people buying these things are not going to notice or care anyway. Any performance version is going to be AWD anyway.