Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG and CLA 45 AMG 2014 Review

The three-pointed star has both bases covered for fans of high-performance prestige small cars with the A 45 AMG hatch or CLA 45 AMG sedan, costing $74,900 and $86,900 respectively (plus on-road costs). Sharing a platform and featuring the same sprightly turbocharged all-wheel drive powertrain, the two compete against the Audi S3 Sportback and BMW M135i.

The 'Cirrus White' A 45 AMG came with a proliferation of aerodynamic aids -- for that endearing Fokker Triplane look. Ordering the car with the AMG Aerodynamics package adds nearly $1990 to the price. In contrast, the CLA 45 AMG, in 'Mountain Grey' metallic, offered a more conservative presentation that might just save you from being picked out for special attention by police.

Both cars rode on 19-inch black alloys, boosting the price by a further $490, but it's money well spent; they are handsome wheels. The hatch also featured AMG's Performance suspension for another $1990 -- and that's a sum of money harder to justify, in my assessment. 'Harder' being the operative word there.

While the sedan and the hatch drive very similarly, it's the Performance Suspension that will make or break this car for some drivers. Call me old, but the AMG suspension upgrade is simply too firm. Yes, it's ideal for the track, but no... I wouldn't want it in any car I plan to drive around the suburbs.

Cornering, the CLA 45 delivered what felt like comparable levels of grip, turn-in and consistent handling -- with significantly better ride comfort into the bargain.

So score one for the CLA 45 in that instance.

If the hard-riding suspension wasn't a tell-tale in itself, other elements quickly revealed the A 45 to be intrinsically aimed at hot-shoe drivers. While the CLA 45 delivered a broadly similar level of performance (from the same engine output), it was clearly intended to be more a touring car than the hatch.

The CLA's interior was more conservative than the A 45's, making do with brushed aluminium in lieu of the hatch's carbon-fibre fascia in the dash. There was more 'red' in the A 45 interior too, with engine nacelle-like air vents featuring 'pillar box' red bezels, rather than the bright finish in the CLA 45, which I found more soothing than the A 45's interior. With the red seatbelts in the A 45 and the semi-retro look of the instruments, the whole ambience harked back to sporting Benzes of the 1950s.

NVH is more subdued in the sedan. Those aerodynamic aids contributed to stronger wind noise, and there was a hint of rumble from the engine at open-road speeds, but everything was dominated by tyre noise on coarse-surfaced bitumen. The hatchback design of the A 45 was clearly a factor in the (marginally) heightened noise levels in the cabin.

The sedan was quieter across the board than the hatch -- including the snarling engine note. There wasn't that much in it, but the CLA 45 was subdued to the point that occupants could hear the squeak and chirp of soft materials making contact over lumpy roads.

The engine delivered enough torque at lower speeds for dawdling around town in traffic, but it was a unit that needed to be stirred up to pump out some firepower. Happiest above 4000rpm for performance, there was no immediate performance available with the transmission left in 'Controlled Efficiency' mode. More enthusiastic drivers -- presumably those who care less about the idle stop-start system and conserving fuel -- will almost certainly leave the transmission in 'Sport' mode for general driving... and 'Manual' when they're driving for fun.

Naturally the engine had some bark when it was revving harder with plenty of throttle, but even at low revs and being driven gently it was conspicuously audible -- in both cars. Back off and the engine would emit a flatulent clap from the exhaust.

Fuel consumption in the A 45 for the week -- including equal parts open-road and urban commute -- was 11.5L/100km. The trip computer in the CLA 45 posted an average figure for the week of 11.8 -- not very much more than the A 45, considering the lighter hatch covered significantly more open-road kilometres.

Steering was quite heavy in the A 45, but the upside was that it did convey what the wheels were doing while cornering. Turn-in was responsive enough, and the handling was neutral in most circumstances, although the A 45 would understeer -- significantly -- on the exit from tighter turns. That was principally a function of the car's prodigious power in fact, because the hatch's roadholding was actually outstanding.

Steering felt lighter in the CLA 45. This may have been a function of the tyres as much as anything else. The Dunlops fitted to the CLA 45 were quieter and provide more feedback through the wheel than the A 45's combination of firmer spring/damper settings and Continental tyres. Note that the tyres on both cars are the same size -- 235/35.

As already mentioned, the CLA 45 was more comfortable in everyday driving, but gave away little in roadholding. Yes, despite the longer rear overhang, the weight penalty and the 'softer' suspension, the CLA 45 was as quick out of the bends as the A 45. Like the hatch, the sedan understeered if you didn't exercise enough care. Too much power applied and both cars let you know about it by the squirming tyres at the front. Brake early enough for the corner and the CLA 45 would tip in neatly, just like the hatch.

And on that point, strong, dependable braking could be felt through the progressive pedal in both the hatch and the sedan. We expected nothing less from Benz.

As practical cars for daily driving, the A 45 and CLA 45 were afflicted by a blind spot in the field of vision to the rear, with the CLA 45's boot exacerbating the problem. The small rear window of the A 45 didn't help either, and both cars sport thick C pillars that were at least offset by the effective reversing camera and parking sensors. And the turning circle was pretty large, given each car's (shared) 2.7m wheelbase.

Inside, the seats provided a nice, snug fit for most physiques and worked very well holding the occupant in place. Slots at shoulder level provided a means of threading through a racing harness, and looked functional, should the owner be a serious weekend racer.

Rear-seat accommodation was better than expected, with knee room adequate for adults and a place for the feet under the front seat. As with the front seat, headroom was restricted by the sunroof and entering or leaving either car was made harder by the low roofline. That was exacerbated by the aggressively contoured seats in the front.

Luggage carrying seems unlikely to be a major factor in the purchasing decision, but the CLA 45's boot was useful. Even the A 45's luggage compartment -- despite being compact -- met the required standard. It was fully lined and angular in shape to hold relatively large objects, making few concessions to style or driveability.

Both cars tended to get hot and bothered about cars making left turns in front, and sounded the Collision Prevention Assist alarm at the first sign of a collision... and that quickly became wearisome. It was the same merging on freeways. If the system felt that there was insufficient gap between the CLA 45 and a car to the right and behind -- even if that other car was two lanes over -- it would sound an audible alarm, frequently leaving the driver to wonder what was the trigger?

2014 Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG and CLA 45 AMG pricing and specifications:
Price: $74,900 / $86,900 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 265kW / 450Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 6.9L/100km / 7.0L/100km (combined)
CO2: 161g/km / 164g/km (combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

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