The 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA emerged as a stylish entry point into the luxury coupe segment, offering a blend of Mercedes-Benz sophistication and sporty appeal. This model year provides a range of features and options catering to diverse preferences, from the well-equipped CLA250 to the high-performance AMG CLA 45. Let’s delve into a detailed exploration of what the 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA has to offer.
The standard CLA250 trim comes generously equipped with features designed for comfort, convenience, and technology. Exterior highlights include 17-inch wheels and automatic wipers, ensuring both style and practicality. For enhanced visibility and safety, a rearview camera is included as standard. Inside the cabin, occupants benefit from dual-zone automatic climate control, allowing personalized temperature settings. The driver and front passenger enjoy eight-way power front seats with manual thigh adjustment, memory functions, and four-way driver lumbar support, promoting a comfortable driving posture. The leather-wrapped steering wheel, which is tilt-and-telescoping, further enhances driver ergonomics. The interior is upholstered in MBTex simulated leather, while the rear seats feature a practical 60/40-split folding design for increased cargo flexibility. Mercedes’ Mbrace2 emergency communications system is also standard, adding a layer of security. Technologically, the CLA250 boasts the Mercedes COMAND interface, Bluetooth connectivity, HD radio, a USB port, a media player interface, an auxiliary audio jack, and a CD player, ensuring a comprehensive infotainment experience.
Mercedes-Benz offers a variety of optional packages to further personalize the 2017 CLA250. The Premium package enhances convenience with keyless ignition and entry, heated front seats for colder climates, a blind-spot monitoring system to improve safety, satellite radio for expanded entertainment options, and a premium Harman Kardon sound system for audiophiles. For a more luxurious interior ambiance, the Interior package adds leather upholstery, stitched MBTex on the dashboard and doors, and multicolor ambient lighting, allowing for customization of the cabin’s atmosphere. The Multimedia package caters to tech-savvy drivers with a navigation system, voice controls, and Smartphone Integration, which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for seamless smartphone integration.
Further options to enhance convenience include the Convenience package, which adds a hands-free power trunk for easier cargo access and auto-dimming driver-side and interior mirrors to reduce nighttime glare. For advanced safety and driver assistance, the Driver Assistance package incorporates adaptive cruise control and a lane departure warning system. Sportier aesthetics and handling are available through the Sport package, which includes special exterior styling elements, 18-inch AMG wheels, and upgraded brakes. For those seeking even greater performance, the Sport Package Plus adds performance-tuned suspension, steering, and exhaust. The Night package, compatible with the Sport packages, adds 18-inch black AMG wheels and gloss black exterior trim pieces for a more aggressive look.
Beyond packages, a range of stand-alone options allows for granular customization. These include a panoramic sunroof to enhance the sense of spaciousness, bi-LED headlights for improved illumination, an adjustable suspension with Comfort and Sport settings to tailor the driving experience, an automatic parking system for effortless parking maneuvers, stand-alone blind-spot monitoring, various 18-inch wheel designs to personalize the car’s appearance, heated front seats, and a Garmin Map Pilot navigation system as an alternative to the Multimedia package’s navigation.
For drivers seeking elevated performance, the AMG CLA 45 represents a significant step up. It features a more powerful engine, a different transmission optimized for performance, standard all-wheel drive (4Matic), and sport-tuned versions of key mechanical components including steering, suspension, and brakes. Unique AMG styling cues differentiate it visually, while LED headlights and sport seats are also standard. The interior features a distinctive upholstery combination of MBTex simulated leather and Dinamica simulated suede. Notably, almost all of the CLA250’s optional features are also available on the AMG CLA 45, allowing for customization of luxury and convenience even in the high-performance model. Specific AMG options include the AMG Dynamic Plus package, which further enhances performance with its own adaptive suspension, a limited-slip differential, and a Race mode added to the driving mode selector. The AMG Dinamica Interior package adds simulated-suede trim to the dashboard and steering wheel rim, enhancing the sporty feel of the cabin.
Under the hood, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It is paired with a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission, and front-wheel drive is standard, with 4Matic all-wheel drive available as an option. Performance is brisk, with Edmunds testing recording a 0-60 mph time of 6.4 seconds. Fuel economy is EPA-estimated at 29 mpg combined (24 city/36 highway) for the front-wheel-drive model, with slightly lower figures for all-wheel drive versions. Real-world fuel economy in Edmunds’ long-term testing averaged 28.4 mpg.
The AMG CLA 45 boasts a significantly more potent version of the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 375 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. It utilizes a specialized seven-speed, AMG-tuned transmission and sport-tuned all-wheel drive as standard. Despite its high performance, the AMG CLA 45 achieves a surprisingly respectable EPA-estimated fuel economy of 26 mpg combined (23 city/30 highway).
In conclusion, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA offers a compelling entry into the luxury coupe market, with the CLA250 providing a well-rounded package of features and options, and the AMG CLA 45 delivering exhilarating performance. Whether prioritizing refined comfort or dynamic driving, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA range provides a model to suit various preferences and needs.
