Choice of a CLA

[Monday]

I have been looking at a (new) CLA to replace the CLS - I never did need a car this big. I had my eye on a CLA 250e (hybrid) but spotted a CLA 35S 4matic. Rather the other end of the environmental spectrum but the wonders of PCP finance make it about the same price. The 250e would suit my mainly local trips with occasional longer runs (about 6k miles pa) but the 35S sounds like fun. Any thoughts?

 

[Blobcat]

@Ron240 had a CLA 35

 

[Ron240]

Well funnily enough my first Merc was a new 2020 CLA 250 Premium Plus which I bought despite an Arnold Clark Mercedes manager telling me to my face that I was wanting the wrong engine size.
I went to a different dealer and ordered my CLA 250 which arrived in June 2020 and it was a great car.
Fast forward (slightly) to November 2021 when I took delivery on the last day of the month of a CLA 35 Premium in Sun Yellow.
I specified the red and black leather seats and truly loved this car which had fantastic performance of 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds, but it was the rolling acceleration that never failed to impress me.
The fuel consumption was only slightly more than the less powerful 250 model, but you had the much superior power available at your right foot should you choose to use it. Having said that if you do choose to use it all the time then obviously it will cost you more at the pumps.
Honestly if you are considering the CLA 35 over a lesser model then I would have no hesitation in recommending it because it was a fantastic car to me...probably the best I have ever owned.
Oh and both my cars were fully debadged from new.

 

[Monday]

Ron240, thanks for that write up. The yellow car is quite an eye catcher. From what I can work out, the 35S has the same 2 litre twin turbo engine and mild hybrid system as my current CLS350 but in a much smaller car - which should be interesting. The worry is how long this model will last. I am aware that there is a very futuristic design of a 2025 CLA around which goes on sale soon but which is stated to be pure electric and MB's answer to the Tesla 3. Q: will it extend to ICE or hybrid models?

 

[Ron240]

@Monday I don't know what you mean by '35S' because this is not a UK model.
Are you maybe thinking of the 45S?
This is a much more powerful engine, and I believe still holds the record for most powerful 4 cylinder engine in a production car.

 

[JBell]

@Monday I don't know what you mean by '35S' because this is not a UK model.

Just the AMG CLA 35 IIRC

 

[Jack_M]

Well funnily enough my first Merc was a new 2020 CLA 250 Premium Plus which I bought despite an Arnold Clark Mercedes manager telling me to my face that I was wanting the wrong engine size.
I went to a different dealer and ordered my CLA 250 which arrived in June 2020 and it was a great car.
Fast forward (slightly) to November 2021 when I took delivery on the last day of the month of a CLA 35 Premium in Sun Yellow.
I specified the red and black leather seats and truly loved this car which had fantastic performance of 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds, but it was the rolling acceleration that never failed to impress me.
The fuel consumption was only slightly more than the less powerful 250 model, but you had the much superior power available at your right foot should you choose to use it. Having said that if you do choose to use it all the time then obviously it will cost you more at the pumps.
Honestly if you are considering the CLA 35 over a lesser model then I would have no hesitation in recommending it because it was a fantastic car to me...probably the best I have ever owned.
Oh and both my cars were fully debadged from new.
View attachment 91398

That is the nicest CLA 35 I've ever seen, the yellow is stunning, by far the best colour!

 

[Monday]

@Monday I don't know what you mean by '35S' because this is not a UK model.
Are you maybe thinking of the 45S?
This is a much more powerful engine, and I believe still holds the record for most powerful 4 cylinder engine in a production car.

Yes, superfluous S. CLA 35 4matic. The 45 S is as you say a bit of a step change.

 

[Ron240]

That is the nicest CLA 35 I've ever seen, the yellow is stunning, by far the best colour!

Yes Sun Yellow was beautiful and was exclusive to AMG models only and the only colour I wanted when I bought my CLA 35 at the end of 2021.
Then for 2023 models Mercedes in their wisdom removed the exclusivity and made Sun Yellow available to non AMG models.
Now in 2024 they have discontinued the colour altogether.

 

[Monday]

Just to finish this off. My decision was made for me and I have ended up with the 250e Premium Plus. I loved the 35, although I was only able to test it as an A35; same power train. But the only car available under the current offer campaign was in Magno grey…….. At least I found the first road tax was free, although it starts again from Year 2 and includes the ‘expensive car’ supplement.

 

[Ron240]

At least I found the first road tax was free, although it starts again from Year 2 and includes the ‘expensive car’ supplement.

Pity about the 35, but it is quite a bit more expensive in equivalent trim spec.
Yes effectively the road tax is free because the emissions are low enough due to it being a plug in hybrid, but you would never notice the cost anyway because this charge is akways built into the price you pay for a brand new vehicle at first registration.
Under the present system that has been in place since April 2017 the first year rate is linked to CO2 emissions, then from second year on is a flat rate (currently £190 or £180 for hybrid)) plus the additional rip off tax (currently £410) if the car originally retailed at more than £40k minus the first year rate.
This rip off rate is payable for 5 years and applies until the vehicle is 6 years old.

 

[Monday]

Pity about the 35, but it is quite a bit more expensive in equivalent trim spec.
Yes effectively the road tax is free because the emissions are low enough due to it being a plug in hybrid, but you would never notice the cost anyway because this charge is akways built into the price you pay for a brand new vehicle at first registration.
Under the present system that has been in place since April 2017 the first year rate is linked to CO2 emissions, then from second year on is a flat rate (currently £190 or £180 for hybrid)) plus the additional rip off tax (currently £410) if the car originally retailed at more than £40k minus the first year rate.
This rip off rate is payable for 5 years and applies until the vehicle is 6 years old.

Funnily enough, the Premium trim was about the same price (on a PCP) as the 250e. The other problem was that MB have updated the Premium spec in the configurator to include goodies like memory seats/leather etc but the stock vehicles don’t have this. So you need Premium Plus which whacks the price up quite a lot. But they didn’t have either so not a real problem. They did have a 45S though……

 

[Ron240]

Yeah you probably noticed in my earlier post that I had the premium plus 250 but premium 35.
The jump from premium to premium plus on the 35 was significantly more because it included panoramic roof and adaptive dampers, so for me premium trim was the sweet spot.
Also I much preferred the wheels that came with the premium model.
To give you an idea how much prices have risen in only 3 years...a CLA 35 Premium retailed at £44,450 at end of 2021.