2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

　　

2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　Now that Mercedes-Benz is reportedly discontinuing the A-Class sedan after the 2022 model year, the CLA is poised to take its place as the most affordable way to get yourself into a new Mercedes sedan. Yes, Mercedes markets the 2022 Mercedes CLA as a coupe due to its fastback roofline, but there are in fact four doors here.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class CLA 250 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$158/mo  for CLA-Class CLA 250

　　CLA-Class CLA 250

　　CLA 250 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) (Most Popular) - $38,200 MSRPCLA 250 4MATIC 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $40,200 MSRPAMG CLA 35 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $47,900 MSRPAMG CLA 45 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) - $55,900 MSRP

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　Like other Mercedes models, the CLA comes standard with a high-tech infotainment system and plenty of driver safety systems. From there, you can option the car with numerous exterior, interior, wheel and trim selections to personalize it to your sense of aesthetics. There's also the AMG 35 or AMG 45 models, which are compelling sport sedans thanks to the increased power and tuned suspensions.

　　Overall we recommend the CLA if you're looking for a stylish entry-level luxury sedan, though it might be worth your time to also check out the redesigned Audi A3 — or the performance-oriented S3 and RS 3 versions — as it's another excellent pick in this class for 2022.

　　

Which CLA-Class does zzdcar recommend?

As much as we like to go fast and have fun in Mercedes-AMG models, we recommend the most affordable model in this lineup, the CLA 250. Not only does it meet the widest range of buyer budgets, but it also offers the greatest range of customization opportunities if you're feeling a little spendy. We strongly recommend upgrading to the Driver Assistance package, which contains numerous helpful driver assist systems

　　

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class models

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA is available as the CLA 250, AMG CLA 35 and AMG CLA 45. The CLA 250 is available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (Mercedes' 4Matic), while the more powerful and performance-tuned AMG versions come standard with all-wheel drive to help get their power to the pavement. Standard equipment highlights include:

　　CLA 250

　　The CLA 250 convinces as a luxury car with these standard features:

　　Turbocharged four-cylinder engine (221 horsepower, 258 lb-ft of torque) Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission LED headlights 18-inch wheels Rain-sensing wipers Heated side mirrors Panoramic sunroof Keyless entry and push-button ignition Dual-zone automatic climate control               Leather-wrapped steering wheel with shift paddles Customizable ambient cabin lighting Simulated leather upholstery Power-adjustable sport front seats with memory function 40/20/40-split folding rear seats   Standard technology features on the CLA 250 include:

　　Remote engine start via smartphone app Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system display 7-inch digital instrumentation display Natural language voice recognition Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Blind-spot monitor (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing) AMG CLA 35

　　Equipped for sporty driving, the AMG CLA 35 adds:

　　More powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (302 hp, 295 lb-ft) All-wheel drive Bigger digital instrumentation and infotainment displays (10.25 inches) Sport-tuned suspension and transmission Sportier body styling 18-inch wheels Sport steering wheel AMG CLA 45

　　Builds on the AMG CLA 35 with:

　　Even more powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (382 hp, 354 lb-ft) Performance-tuned eight-speed transmission 19-inch wheels Hands-free opening trunk Power-folding and auto-dimming side mirrors   Numerous option packages are available for the CLA. For the CLA 250, they include:

　　AMG Line package AMG body styling 18-inch wheels Sport suspension Diamond-pattern grille Sport steering wheel Upgraded interior trim AMG Night package AMG Line package Gloss black trim 18-inch wheels with black accents Exterior Lighting package Adaptive cornering headlights Automatic high beams Premium package 10.25-inch instrumentation and infotainment displays Auto-dimming rearview and side mirrors Power-folding side mirrors Multimedia package Navigation system with augmented video overlay Speed limit alert Driver Assistance package Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the CLA and the car in front) Lane change assist (when cruise control is on, can automatically change lanes after driver activates turn signal for several seconds) Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Blind-spot intervention (automatically steers the car back into its lane if you try to change lanes while a car is in the vehicle's blind spot) Evasive steering assist (enhances the forward collision mitigation system with steering-based collision avoidance) Parking Assistance package Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the CLA and its surroundings for tight parking situations) Automated parking system (steers into a parking spot with little or no driver intervention)   Separately, the CLA is available with stand-alone options, such as:

　　Gloss black and carbon-fiber-style rear spoilers Adaptive sport suspension Leather upholstery Wood interior trim Heated and ventilated front seats       Multi-contour front seats with adjustable lumbar, side and shoulder support Heated steering wheel Hands-free opening trunk Wireless charging pad Dashcam Burmester surround-sound system Gesture control for the infotainment system Head-up display The CLA 35 is available with the above packages (minus the AMG Line) and stand-alone options, and also offers the following exclusives:

　　AMG-tuned electronically adjustable sport suspension AMG Night Package Plus AMG Night package plus black badges and dark-tinted grille AMG Aerodynamics package Performance-oriented body kit AMG Performance Seat package AMG multi-contour heated front seats with adjustable lumbar, side and shoulder support Premium leather and simulated suede steering wheel trim selections Onboard performance data recorder The CLA 45 can also be equipped with the above packages and options, plus:

　　AMG Dynamic Plus package Electronically adjustable sport suspension Driver-selectable performance modes Upgraded brakes

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