Driver Reviews, Vicki Butler-Henderson slips behind the wheel of the all-new Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ Electric, ready to discover if Stuttgart’s latest saloon can truly shake up the EV game with its headline-grabbing range and a tech suite that promises to be as smart as it is sophisticated.
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Beneath its sculpted bonnet sits an 85 kWh battery, powering the rear wheels and boasting a WLTP range that stretches up to an eye-popping 483 miles—numbers that put some petrol rivals on notice. But range claims are one thing; real-world driving is another. Vicki puts the CLA through its paces, dissecting the nuances of its two-speed transmission and Mercedes’ latest regenerative braking wizardry, all while probing whether the car still serves up that unmistakable Mercedes driving character enthusiasts expect.
Step inside and you’re greeted by a cabin that’s as much Silicon Valley as it is Stuttgart. The latest operating system offers seamless over-the-air updates, AI-driven features, and a raft of enhanced driver assistance tech. On the all-important charging front, Mercedes has pulled out all the stops: thanks to its 800-volt architecture, rapid charging becomes less of a pit stop and more of a coffee break—provided the conditions are right.
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Riding on 19-inch alloys shod with Bridgestone Turanza 6 Enliten rubber, the CLA Electric aims for that sweet spot between svelte efficiency and reassuring grip, whatever the weather throws at you.
So, does the new CLA Electric fuse long-legged range, cutting-edge tech, and day-to-day practicality into a single, irresistible package? Vicki puts it to the test to find out.
