Mercedes-Benz CLS 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY 2011 Review

Mercedes-Benz CLS 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY

What we liked
>> Progressive styling
>> Unflappable engine
>> Ride and handling

Not so much
>> Rear seat head room
>> Column gear shifter
>> Foot operated park brake

About our ratings

From the moment you settle down on the electronically adjustable soft leather seats, the cabin opening around you like an amphitheatre, there's a discernable sense of elegance and sophistication that becomes even more apparent when the CLS 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY is in motion.

The Mercedes-Benz CLS 350 CDI glides along the road like it's on a maglev setup and the 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine delivers the kind of refinement and low NVH levels you'd expect of a cutting-edge petrol engine. It's an absurdly smooth vehicle to drive.

The CLS 350 CDI marks the first time that a diesel-powered CLS-Class Coupe [Benz's label, not ours - Ed] has been offered in Australia, and it strikes me as remarkable that this hadn't happened earlier because it's a complementary pairing.

On top of improved levels of equipment and technology over its predecessor, which has been around since 2004, the 2011 CLS-Class is an all-new model from the ground up, and as such boasts a serious new look -- one that keeps the low-slung and curvaceous roofline, but adds sharper angles at the front end.

When the CLS-Class was originally outed in concept form at the 2003 Frankfurt motor show, as the Vision CLS concept, it was derided in some quarters for its oxymoronic premise -- a four-door coupe? But after 170,000 sales world-wide, and numerous four-door, four-seat copy cat 'coupe' designs from everybody from Volkswagen to Aston Martin, Mercedes has proven a point -- style and pragmatism can go together.

The Mercedes-Benz CLS 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY tested is up $5000 over its predecessor, but equipment levels have been improved -- to the tune of $7500 according to Benz.

Chief among the CLS 350 CDI's standard exterior features are 18-inch alloy wheels in a five-spoke design, cutting-edge LED headlight clusters comprising of 142 individual LEDs (including LED main and high beams with adaptive high beam assist), LED brake lights, a glass sunroof, and lashings of chrome trim.

Inside the CLS 350 CDI and without ticking any boxes that read "optional extra" you get Burr walnut wood trim and leather upholstery, Thermotronic luxury tri-zone climate control, a Harman/Kardon Logic 7 surround sound audio system, auto dimming rear view mirrors, and a 7-inch colour COMAND APS infotainment system. This system (COMAND is an acronym: cockpit management and data system) incorporates a 40Gb hard disc with 10Gb partitioned for music files, a 6-disc in-dash CD/DVD changer, FM/AM stereo, Bluetooth connectivity, satellite navigation, and Linguatronic voice operation for navigation, telephone and audio systems.

If that cavalcade of techno-wizardry doesn't whet your appetite, perhaps standard features such as a digital television tuner and electrically-adjustable front seats will? Just sit back and relax in traffic, watching reruns of American Dad. Better yet, if you drop another $3500 on the car you can option the multi-contour inflatable air chambers in the seat cushions and backrests. And yes, it's the best $3500 you'll spend -- the air-adjusting seats are incredible.

There's also a multifunction steering wheel finished in Nappa leather and a handful of cupholders - though the latter sit very closely to centre stack, their contents potentially obscuring some of the controls.

Rain sensing windscreen wipers, light sensing head and brake lamps are standard as is a reversing camera and Active Parking Assist (including PARKTRONIC), which uses ten ultrasonic sensors in conjunction with a new electromechanical power steering system to map out and control the steering of parallel parking manoeuvres. This requires the driver to control only throttle and brake.

MECHANICAL

The common-rail engine features a single dual-stage turbocharger to amplify the V6's power and torque, yet does so without too much turbo lag. Without registering the CDI badges on the rear (or the low rev tachometer) most drivers would have had trouble picking if the engine was petrol or a diesel mill.

Hooked up to Mercedes' 7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speed automatic gearbox the CLS-Class hoofs along with effortless ease, and if you don't like the way the gearbox is shifting there are always the tiptronic paddle shifts which instantly override gear selections.

One of the best things about the CLS 350 CDI is that as well as delivering compelling propulsion, it can also be very frugal. Bearing the BlueEFFICIENCY tag, this particular vehicle has a claimed average fuel consumption of 6.2L/100km, which also helps avoid a portion of the Luxury Car Tax as it comes in under the 7.0L/100km threshold. Carbon dioxide emissions are equally low, at 163 grams per kilometre.

Australian CLS models are equipped with the large 80 litre tank (plus a 9 litre reserve), which should deliver a theoretical highway cruising range of more than 1300km per fill.

Mercedes-Benz claims a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 6.2 seconds. The claimed top speed of 210km/h sounds a little low for this sort of autobahn cruiser.

Four disc brakes take care of deceleration, which have a handful of automatic functions that kick into action depending on the conditions. The brakes will automatically dry themselves if wet, can be primed in emergency situations, and feature a hill-start assistance program to improve uphill take offs.

The CLS 350 CDI's suspension (in fact almost the whole chassis) is borrowed from the E-Class, though the CLS-Class gets a slightly sportier state of suspension tune. A new electro-mechanical steering system is, however, unique to the CLS, and marks a world debut for the new car. In addition to allowing Benz to individually tune how the car feels through the wheel across a range of operations, the system also facilitates the automated parallel parking system.

The CLS's sportier personality is further identified in the tyre choice: uber wide low profile rubber at the front (255/40 R18) and rear (285/35 R18). Despite its hulking appearance, the almost 5.0 metre long car weighs 1815kg and has a turning circle of 11.27 metres.

PACKAGING

Access for rear seat passengers can also be a little close around the crown because of the low, sloping roofline (1416mm at its highest point) but once seated the interior is both sumptuous and roomy. The high quality leather in use has a premium feel, as does everything from the headlining to the soft-touch dash plastics and the neat analogue time piece that slots into the centre console.

Like the spacious cabin, the boot is huge, with a 520 litre capacity able to swallow golf clubs, picnic baskets and perhaps even small flocks of alpacas in a single gulp. A space saver spare wheel helps in creating this liberty.

The interior is festooned with storage spaces, from cupholders to map pockets and there's plenty of close-able cubbies in the rear too (not just up front) to keep belongings out of sight.

You don't need to do the maths to see that the CLS has a long overhangs - just check out the photography. A wheelbase of 2874mm and an overall bumper-to-bumper length of 4940mm means there's plenty of metal in front and behind the wheels. The car is 1881mm wide.

It's quite an experience to spend time in the CLS-Class which possesses an atmosphere of sophistication not just in the materials used, but in the layout and positioning of the seats, controls and appointments. It's a much improved interior than its predecessor, with slightly better ergonomics and more legroom.

There's also something to said of the Harman/Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system, which system spills lavish audio throughout the cabin. Listening to a Vivaldi concerto (through the FM tuner mind you) was tremendously impressive. The sound quality was superb.

SAFETY

A reinforced passenger safety cell (with integrated side impact protection) surrounds occupants, to which countless safety systems, both active and passive, are attached.

Three-point seat belts are afforded to all four occupants with height adjust for driver and passenger, and include a PRE-SAFE positioning function to ready them in case of a crash. Belt force limiters are installed for driver and front passenger while belt tensioners with adaptive belt force limiters work for rear seat passengers. There's also NECK-PRO head restraints designed to reduce whiplash injuries for front seat occupants.

The CLS is fitted with a hefty 11 airbags. These including side airbags, plus full length windowbags for driver and front passenger and, for the first time on CLS, the curiously named pelvisbags are standard for driver and front passenger. The driver also gets a knee airbag.

Traction control and stability control are active by default, and antilock brakes and brake assist are also standard, as is a tyre pressure warning system and brake pad wear indicator.

The doors are childproofed, there's a driver fatigue warning system and should you forget to head check or veer out of your lane you'll be promptly warned by the Lane Keeping Assist and Blind Spot Assist systems.

If you want the full 'Active' Lane Keeping Assist and Blind Spot Assist systems, which will actively guide the car away from risks, the $3825 Driving Assistance package PLUS will need to be optioned, which also adds DISTRONIC PLUS radar cruise control.

Though priced in a much higher price bracket, the Aston Martin Rapide and Ferrari FF are both modelled in the same vein as the CLS, offering a four-door, four-seat layout. The Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG is a closer rival for the latter two vehicles, and when optioned out it comes a little closer to their extreme price points.

Why do buyers gravitate towards the CLS? The bold design is a big factor, says Mercedes-Benz Senior Manager of Corporate Communications, David McCarthy.

"Style is probably the main driver for people looking at CLS. There is  a lot of repeat buyers on CLS, in the same way as the CL. They don't think of another vehicle," McCarthy claims.

ON THE ROAD
-- Controlled power, refined dynamics
On a cold, inclement day in Victoria's Yarra Valley, the CLS 350 CDI proved surprisingly adept on damp roads.

When idly cruising the Mercedes-Benz CLS 350 CDI glides along serenely, easily soaking up ragged edges and cracks in the road, delivering a refined ride quality befitting the tri-star badge. But at the same token Mercedes' chassis engineers have dialled out a lot of body roll, the result being a car that is still comfortable to ride in when chasing apexes and frequently changing direction.

There was the odd moment when stability control reined in the rear end as it detected a loss of traction, but for the most part the car eased through corners as if it weighed 1200kg, not 1815kg. The steering felt precise and appropriately weighty and the car tracked through corners cleanly.

The CLS steering wheel has well-weighted feel to it when pushing on – a virtue of the new electromechanical power steering system's tuneable damping characteristics. Its suitably damped in a straight line and lightens slightly when turning, while delivering enough feedback to know when you've pushed a wheel too far. For mine, this is one of the best steering systems around.

For such a large car -- and a diesel at that -- I was surprised with how engaging the CLS oiler was to drive. But even when the curves in the road subside and the speed limit drops, the trend-setting Merc is still strangely satisfying to punt along.

Cruising down the Hume Highway at 110km/h, the CLS 350 CDI was whisper quiet, the engine ticking over at around 1600rpm in top gear. And though there wasn't as much white-knuckled cornering involved, it was still an oddly satisfying experience. Probably those optional air-bladder seats and Harman/Kardon stereo...

With 195kW and 620Nm on hand, the engine can be coaxed into action in an instant -- yet even under full throttle the power delivery is creamy smooth. This suits the car's personality beautifully and if I was in the market for a CLS, I wouldn't hesitate to test drive the diesel.

The seven-speed automatic doesn't miss a beat and though the paddle shifters are a nice addition, the gearbox is savvy enough to be left to its own devices. The only aspects of the car that didn't appeal to the author were the column-mounted gear shifter and foot-operated park brake, which were in stark contrast to the rest of the car's high-tech and elegant solutions to everyday motoring.

It may cost $26,000 more than the E-Class equivalent E350 CDI, but what the CLS brings to the table is well worth the premium. It's delivers a subtle but sporty drive, has more standard equipment, including 'those' LED headlights, and of course a stylish design that won't go unnoticed in the driveway or on the road.

The four-door coupe may well be the answer to a question no one asked, but by gum it's nice to drive.


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