2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA Road Test and Review

2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ electric sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

It’s expensive to buy a luxury sedan. Then you have to run it. But when you’re looking for a Mercedes-Benz at a more attainable price and running cost, the third-generation CLA is more appealing than ever. 

The redesigned 2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA is a sleek subcompact luxury sedan with a choice of two brand-new fuel-saving powertrain types – a gas-electric hybrid and an all-electric EV. The CLA starts at $43,900 with an elegant exterior, Mercedes’ next-generation interior, and a smooth, quiet ride.

For this review, we just spent a week testing the CLA 250+ EV, which starts at $47,950 and came to $64,030 with its mandatory destination charge and a long list of optional add-ons. Keep reading to learn more about the smallest Benz sedan and whether it’s the right small luxury sedan for you.

Choose Between Electric and Hybrid

The CLA comes in a choice of three models. The most affordable is the hybrid CLA 220, which has 188 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. It currently comes only in front-wheel drive in the U.S., though all-wheel drive is expected to follow.

Next is the rear-drive fully electric CLA 250+, like our test vehicle. It has 268 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. And at the top of the line is the fully electric CLA 350, which starts at $50,500. A second electric motor gives it both all-wheel drive and more power: 349 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque.

All three CLA models come with similar standard features: leatherette upholstery, heated and power-adjustable front seats with memory settings, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a panoramic roof, GPS navigation, single-zone automatic climate control, and adaptive cruise control. But you pay extra for amenities like genuine leather, an upgraded stereo, bigger wheels, a heated steering wheel, a wireless smartphone charger, and even dual-zone climate control and keyless entry.

2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ electric sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Up to 374 Miles on a Charge

The electric CLA 250+ is one of the most economical vehicles on the market. In EPA testing, it gets the energy equivalent of 127 mpg in the city, 124 mpg on the highway, and 126 mpg combined. And it goes an EPA-estimated 374 miles on a charge – better than most electric cars.

Range and efficiency estimates drop if you upgrade from the base 17-inch wheels to our test car’s 19-inch wheels, which are heavier and more focused on looks than aerodynamics. Our car was rated at 109 MPGe and 317 miles of range – still respectable, but less world-beating. We did trounce the EPA estimate during our test; we needed 58 percent of the battery to drive 220 miles, which would come to a 371-mile range. The CLA 350 gets an estimated 118 MPGe and 312 miles of range.

The electric CLA charges fast, too – going from 10 percent to 80 percent charge in as little as 21 minutes at a powerful DC fast-charging station. Or you can fully charge it up in nine hours at a 240-volt car charger, like you might install in your garage. Like other EVs, the CLA delivers the best convenience and cost savings if you can charge at home; at public charging stations, EVs can cost as much to refuel as gas-powered cars.

The CLA includes a Tesla-style NACS port for DC fast charging plus a CCS port for 240-volt or 120-volt chargers. To charge at stations with other cables, you can use an adapter.

2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ electric sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Or Get 33 MPG and Easy Fueling

If you can’t charge at home or don’t want the bother, the CLA 220 hybrid gets great gas mileage for a luxury car. In EPA testing, it gets 29 mpg in the city, 39 mpg on the highway, and 33 mpg combined. That’s 3 mpg better than last year’s equivalent gas-powered CLA 250. With its little 11.9-gallon fuel tank, the CLA 220’s range isn’t much longer than the electric model’s. But it’s quicker and easier to refuel on the go. The CLA 220 requires premium-grade gasoline.

The CLA 220 hits 60 mph in a reasonably peppy 7.1 seconds. But last year’s non-hybrid CLA 250 needed just 6.3 seconds, and you could get amped up AMG models that were quicker still. These more powerful gas models are no longer available. For speed, you need the new electric model.

The CLA 250+ needs 6.6 seconds to reach 60. And better still, it accelerates in near silence, while the CLA 220’s little 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder will growl under heavy throttle. And the CLA 350 sprints to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, which is quick for a subcompact sedan but a second slower than an AWD Tesla Model 3 Premium.

2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 220 ・ Photo by Mercedes-Benz

Comfortable Ride, Agile Handling

Overall, the redesigned CLA drives well. The ride isn’t ultra-cushy like a big Benz sedan, and the handling isn’t super crisp like the best sports sedans. But even with its upsized 19-inch wheels, our test car glided smoothly down the road. The steering is responsive and feels natural, and you can adjust it by choosing among different driving modes.

Our chief objection was our CLA 250+’s throttle. We had to pay extra attention to avoid jerking the car awkwardly forward, rather than building up speed smoothly like other Mercedes EVs. We got better at driving it during our week with the car, but effortless smoothness should have been a CLA selling point – not a weak point. Especially if you’d be choosing the rear-drive electric CLA 250+, see how it feels during a test drive.

2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ electric sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Smoothed-Out Style With an Available Light Show

In silhouette, the CLA hasn’t changed much since the first generation debuted in 2014. This little Benz has the sloping roof and high window line of what it used to call a “four-door coupe.” (The Mercedes website now lists the CLA as a sedan.) Over the years, the CLA's details have gotten smoother, with fewer sharp edges. The new third-generation CLA is more rounded than ever, with just a slight crease on the trunk lid and another along the side. The rounded headlamps and taillamps now flow into lightbars, and Mercedes logos glow in the lights at both ends of the car.

Another change this year is newly available power-retractable door handles. This trendy touch creates a flush surface for a sleeker look and slightly better aerodynamics. But it’s also an extra complication to opening the door. Conventional door handles are standard.

At a glance, there’s little visual difference between the hybrid and electric CLA versions. You'd have to look closely to see that the EV's grille is a decorative plastic panel. The hybrid has an actual grille to let air cool a gasoline engine. At night, it's more obvious: The EV's "grille" lights up.

2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ electric sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Next-Generation Dashboard

Inside, the CLA is more dramatically changed. It adopts Mercedes’ next-generation infotainment, which fits into the straight-vertical dashboard. On our test car, almost the entire dashboard is made of screens: a 14-inch central touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, and an optional bonus 14-inch screen on the passenger side. Shiny black plastic surrounds the screens, which we don’t usually love. But to our eyes, it works in the CLA. When the car is switched off, the flat, empty dashboard could pass for an old truck. But when it’s on, your eyes are drawn to the glowing screens, with the plastic fading appropriately into the background. Patterned plastic fills the passenger side when you don’t have the passenger-side screen.

The rest of the CLA’s interior takes its inspiration from the gently curved exterior. With smoothly flowing lines and rippled textured materials, the CLA has a softer touch than the typical cold, sterile, tech-focused EV.

The CLA’s controls are easier to use than many EVs’, too. Like most modern luxury cars, it has fewer physical controls than we’d like. But the touchscreen is responsive, and the steering wheel has some physical dials and switches that are missing on most Mercedes models. And at this point, we’re relieved to have stalks for gear selection and windshield wipers – which you don’t get from a Model 3. The CLA also includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration.

2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ electric sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Just Enough Space

We mentioned that the CLA is a subcompact sedan. It slots below the Mercedes-Benz C-Class in size, price, and mechanical sophistication (with its front-wheel-drive-based platform and less powerful hybrid engine). Between its size and its swoopy roofline, the CLA isn’t a super-roomy sedan. But we were pleasantly surprised to fit into the backseat, if not without a lot of room to spare. The trunk is a modest 10 cubic feet, but the electric model can also fit another 1.7 cubic feet of small items under the hood.

The CLA’s front seats are comfortable, if not maximally coddling. They’re firm and well-shaped, and an available massage function is an unexpected perk from a subcompact car. But we wish Mercedes included ventilation as well as heating for the front seats, and the rear seats aren’t heated.

2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ electric sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

CLA Hybrid vs. the Competition

The hybrid CLA faces various competitors. The Audi A3 and BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe are fellow gas-powered German subcompact sedans. They aren’t hybrids, but they get great real-world gas mileage, too. Plus, with sharper handling and quicker acceleration, they’re more fun to drive. Their interiors aren’t as high-tech or richly finished as the CLA’s, though, and their bodies are stubby and angular where the CLA flows gracefully.

Two other premium small cars with gas engines are the slightly larger Acura Integra and Mazda3 Turbo. The Integra favors simplicity and value over technological dazzle, but this five-door hatchback looks appropriately upscale despite costing thousands less than the CLA. And if the CLA’s big screens feel like overkill, the Integra’s old-school buttons and knobs are welcome.

The Mazda3 (sold as a sedan and a hatchback) also lacks a big-screen experience. But it’s more powerful than the Integra (or CLA 220) and has the ride, handling, and build quality of a luxury sedan. Gas mileage isn’t great, but the Mazda3 costs a lot less to buy – if you don’t mind a Mazda badge instead of the Mercedes three-pointed star.

2025 BMW 228 Gran Coupe ・ Photo by Brady Holt

CLA Electric vs. the Competition

Meanwhile, if you’re interested in the CLA EV, the top competitor is the Tesla Model 3. It doesn’t look as fancy as the CLA inside or out. And by squeezing too many controls and displays onto a single screen, the Tesla isn’t as easy to use as the Benz. The CLA 250+ with 17-inch wheels edges out the longest-range Model 3 (374 miles versus the Tesla’s 363 miles in EPA testing). And the Mercedes charges a few minutes faster. But the Tesla earns its best-seller status with superior speed, efficiency, interior space, and driver-assistance technology – all with a lot more features for the money.

In the U.S., the only other electric sedan in the CLA’s price range is the new, much larger Lexus ES EV. It’s huge, posh, and comfortable, but some CLA customers will prefer a smaller car, and the Lexus doesn’t go as far on a charge. But the electric CLA faces a host of appealing electric crossovers, ranging from the quirky Mini Countryman EV to the opulent Genesis GV60 to the sporty Ford Mustang Mach-E to the well-rounded Hyundai Ioniq 5. Plus, because many EVs lose value quickly, lightly used EVs are often available at huge discounts – including the larger Mercedes-Benz EQE electric sedan.

2026 Tesla Model 3 ・ Photo by Tesla

Entry-Level But Cutting-Edge

The 2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA brings the brand’s smallest, least expensive model to its technological forefront. With no shortage of style, tech, or fuel efficiency – with either its hybrid or electric powertrains – there’s a lot to like.

The CLA isn’t a leader for interior space, speed, or affordability. Its digital dashboard will overwhelm some prospective owners. And we didn’t love the touchy throttle on our CLA 250+. But when you’re looking for a Mercedes sedan and prefer a smaller, more economical car, the redesigned CLA is a better entry-level Benz than ever.

2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ electric sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt