Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+ 2020 Review

If there’s one thing that moves faster than the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+ it’s the purchase price.

At $111,200 for the second-generation (118-series) CLA 45 S, the increase is around $18,000 over that of the last of the 117-series CLA 45 sedans, sold here in 2019.

And that places it well out of reach for buyers limited to a budget ceiling that would readily accommodate the much cheaper BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe  or a circa $89K Audi RS 3 sedan.

But there is a bright side. The new car is not just priced higher but delivers significantly higher engine outputs. There’s also an extra cog for the dual-clutch automatic transmission and there’s more fun to be had with a drift mode setting for the all-wheel-drive powertrain. On top of all that, the new-generation CLA is larger and stiffer, meaning more flexibility and dynamics.

Standard equipment for the top-shelf Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+ includes everything specified for the CLA 35 plus: AMG Driver’s Package, AMG Performance steering wheel, a 12-speaker Burmester surround-sound audio system, AMG body kit, LED headlights with Adaptive High-Beam Assist plus, red AMG callipers (six-piston units at the front) and AMG-tuned electrically-assisted steering.

Other features as standard consist of the MBUX infotainment system, sports seats upholstered in Lugano leather and black 19-inch alloy wheels with titanium grey forged wheels in a high-sheen finish available as a no-cost option.

The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S also comes with heated/fold-in electric mirrors that dip while reversing, keyless entry/starting, wireless smartphone charging, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, front-seating heating and a position memory for the driver’s seat.

Mercedes-Benz Australia backs the CLA 45 S with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and five-year roadside assistance. Service intervals are pegged at 12 months or 20,000km, whichever occurs first.

There is no shortage of active and passive safety equipment fitted as standard to the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+. All the driver-assist technology includes Active Distance Assist Distronic (adaptive cruise control) with cross-traffic assist, driving assistance package plus, lane change assist (active), parking package with 360-degree camera and route-based speed adaptation.

All of that’s on top of all the safety gear standard right across the CLA range, which consists of such features as Brake Assist, driver fatigue monitoring, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition and autonomous emergency braking.

This last feature has been calibrated to react at exactly the right moment and with the appropriate degree of urgency, as I learned while returning the test car to Mercedes-Benz.

The high-performance flagship also comes equipped with a high-performance braking system incorporating six-piston fixed callipers and 360x36mm cross-drilled rotors at the front, and single-piston floating callipers with 330x22mm cross-drilled rotors at the rear.

Secondary safety features fitted as standard comprise an active bonnet, nine airbags (one for the driver’s knee) and automatic emergency unlocking for the doors.

The M139 engine in the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+ is positively sensational. It’s utterly quiet at touring speeds in Comfort mode, but provides all the gritty, muscular sounds owners will want from this car in Sport mode, under full load and at high revs.

That’s remarkable given it complies with noise abatement legislation overseas. There are also other modes of operation – Sport+ and Race at one extreme and Slippery at the other.

According to Merc, the CLA 45 S will reach 100km/h from a standing start in four seconds, which is rapid in anyone’s language. The new engine has the head swapped around for the twin-scroll turbocharger to be mounted at the rear of the engine, near the firewall. This shortens the intake runners and an electronic wastegate also enhances response time. The engine exhibits no real sign of turbo lag.

Of some note for those who care about this sort of thing, all the engine and exhaust noise heard inside the test vehicle is the real deal. Benz will supply you with an AMG Performance Sound option for $690. This gizmo comprises a microphone in the exhaust to enhance the car’s native soundtrack through the car’s audio speakers, but the test vehicle was not fitted with the option.

Enabling Drift mode is a matter of switching off the stability control system altogether (press and hold the button until advised in the instrument binnacle that the system is disabled), changing the powertrain to ‘Race’ and hauling back on both shift paddles until the further advice that Drift Mode is operational.

The new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission can be rough on occasion in one of the hard-core driving modes, but is smooth the rest of the time. Shift paddles are of real value when you want a lower gear right there and then.

On a more mundane level, the CLA 45 S posted a fuel consumption figure of 12.3L/100km over a 70km drive loop. That’s about half a litre more than a 117-series CLA 45 we reviewed back in 2014, but the new car is close to 100kg heavier and produces significantly more power and torque, of course.

The moment you drive the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+ over a level crossing or other comprised road surface, you’ll note that the ride is quite jarring.

After some familiarisation (the end of the week, in my case) you’ll likely have made peace with the car’s uncompromising suspension – on account of the car’s overall ability on open country roads.

And no one buying this car will expect it to soak up bumps like a hydro-pneumatic Citroen.

Offsetting the ride quality, the handling of the CLA 45 S is much improved from the old car, as is the grip. Power oversteer can be induced (even without resorting to drift mode) and this new CLA will also tuck in neatly with a stance much closer to neutral on a trailing throttle than was the case with the old car.

According to the manufacturer, the torque vectoring clutch packs on the rear axle will lock up the drive on one or the other side at the rear, when it’s plain that’s what the driver wants. It means you can keep the boot in it and the car gets drive on the way out of a corner, even with the rear-end sliding.

Steering is direct and the CLA 45 S offers extraordinary braking that’s very strong and stable – no doubt complemented by the Michelin 255/35 ZR19 tyres.

At cruising speeds, the CLA 45 S is a relaxed tourer, very quiet inside the cabin due to the low engine speed (1400rpm @ 100km/h) and an impressive aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.23Cd. There’s some muffled rumbling from the Michelins.

The phased dipping of the auto high-beam LED headlights works a treat and destination entry via voice recognition for the satellite navigation is excellent too.

The cruise control is easy to use and features ‘route-based speed adaptation’, which is fantastic for the way it will slow the car down automatically for corners, bends and roundabouts the moment you flick the indicator on for a left or right turn.

The CLA 45’s front seats are firmly cushioned, but comfortable nonetheless, and supportive, with the added benefit of adjustable lumbar support and an extendable base.

One concern I had with the driving position was the pedals felt a little close relative to the maximum telescopic adjustment for the steering column. And the low roofline makes setting yourself down in the driver’s seat almost as much a challenge as taking a seat in the rear.

That said, the cockpit of the CLA 45 S is commanding. Dials and buttons on the steering wheel give you instance transition to different drive modes, which can be useful, rather than groping around on the passenger side of the centre console to change from Comfort to Sport. That level of interface redundancy is quite welcome.

There’s much to learn in terms of the infotainment system and trip computer. While the touch pads on the steering wheel spokes work OK, there’s a fine line between enough thumb pressure for swiping input and not enough.

Wireless charging for the smartphone is a nice touch. The CLA 45 S also comes with USB-C ports that will support older portable devices by means of a USB-A adapter.

In addition to the USB-C ports to service the front seats, there are two more in the rear of the centre console for rear-seat passengers. Amenities back there are complemented by the fold-out cup-holders in the centre armrest.

But life is not a bowl of cherries for rear seat occupants. The CLA 45 is not easy to enter or exit, due to the low, sloping roof line over the doors, and you don’t have to be 180cm tall for your head to make contact with the headlining.

Legroom is adequate for adults but there’s no use denying that this is a small car and taking a pew in the back will make you readier to accept the Germans’ definition of ‘coupe’.

Leaving aside the extra doors, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC is, in every other way, a coupe. A Benz spokesman tells us, however, that most CLA owners rarely carry passengers around in the back of the car. They only open the rear doors to slip a briefcase, a backpack or some other cumbersome item in behind the driver’s seat.

The boot is long, measuring 460 litres, but it’s shallow too. To liberate additional loading length there are two levers under the rear scuttle to fold the triple-split folding seat forward. There’s a tyre repair kit under the floor.

Short answer: Good. How could anyone fail to appreciate the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+ when it’s driven in the manner for which it was intended?

Yet the CLA 45 S is no one-trick pony. It can be refined and cosseting around town or on a long drive. The interior is beautifully presented, and all the controls and instruments are functional too.

It’s by no means perfect, but the CLA 45 S is going to win a few hearts and minds nonetheless.

How much does the 2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+ cost?
Price: $111,200 (plus on-road costs), $111,990 (as tested, with Head-up Display, plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 310kW/500Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 8.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 202g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)