CLA 250 (Hybrid)

STORY

The CLA arrived in 2013 as a four-door "coupe" on Mercedes' front-drive MFA platform, bringing the swoopy, sensuous styling of the larger CLS to a compact, affordable price point and drawing a younger audience into the brand. The first generation (C117) spanned the CLA 200 and 250, a practical Shooting Brake estate, and the hot CLA 45 AMG, whose turbo four ranked among the most powerful production four-cylinders of its era; a 2016 facelift sharpened the look and raised the 45's output to 381 hp. The second generation (C118), launched in 2019 on MFA2, matured with MBUX, a slippery body, and the AMG 35 and 45 S 4MATIC+ (the latter making 310 kW). A 2023 update added mild-hybrid petrol engines, a longer-range plug-in hybrid, and the star-studded grille from the new C-Class. Long Mercedes' entry point and gateway model, the CLA is now pivoting to a fully electric successor on the dedicated MMA platform.