Merc’s stylish compact sedan gets an AMG badge. Can the CLA45 live up to the expectations these three letters demand?
The answer to the opening question is yes … and no. Which is not an entirely satisfactory response, granted, but in this case it’s a fair assessment of a compromised car.
Let’s start with the yes part and, specifically, the design.
If you read our test of its CLA200 sibling in last year’s November issue, you’ll remember we were impressed with its CLS-like lines. Mimicking the bigger car’s four-door-sedan-that-looks-like-a-coupé trick, the CLA is a svelte machine that manages to be more than the sum of its parts. Those parts, of course, are an A-Class hatch and a boot. Indeed, more than just a graft of the two, put the two side by side and you even notice a clear difference in their front-ends; the CLA45 has a more pronounced nose with wider headlamps and a flatter grille.
Being the AMG, this model adds a healthy dose of aggression to the mix with 18-inch five-spoke alloys and a tasty body kit. Up-front, the star-stamped radiator grille is flanked by twin louvres and, below it, a suitably aggressive front bumper with a titanium-grey front splitter and deep matte-black vents below each headlamp. The lower side sills also get the grey finish, as does the rear diffuser. Vertical aero vents and chrome-tipped quad tailpipes add exclamation marks to its AMG exclusivity.
The next yes comes from the engine and ride.
You would, of course, expect any vehicle with an AMG plaque to get the thumbs up in the engine department, and this one not only meets that expectation, but exceeds it by some measure. It’s a remarkable piece of automotive engineering that delivers an unholy amount of power from a mere four-cylinder engine block, and the real-world translation is very impressive acceleration through the gears. In normal mode for the drive-train, the delivery is understandably muted, but engage sport or manual and the throttle response sharpens up instantly, exiting the exhaust on overrun like a series of mini explosions. In terms of aural drama, this little 2,0-litres’s firecracker exhaust note is right up there with Jaguar’s F-Type V8.
Like the A45 AMG, the CLA45 comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch AMG Speedshift transmission, Merc’s 4Matic all-wheel-drive system that allows a variable torque split, a Race Start launch-control system and AMG sports suspension.
That last bit of kit particularly impressed us, too. While we weren’t enamoured with the CLA200’s ride quality, the AMG fettling has clearly made a difference. The ride is still firm, but there’s a deftness to the way in which it dampens road scars. This affords the car just the right amount of lean through the corners – this is a road and not a track car, after all – and, with the levels of grip and power available, there are few cars that will get you from point A to B faster. It is outrageously quick in a straight line and confidence inspiring in corners.
But, as we alluded to earlier, there are some issues.
The first of which is the interior, an area that the CAR team unanimously criticised. To put it bluntly, this does not feel like an AMG interior in terms of finish or quality. The sports seats are excellent – supportive and comfortable – but some of the plastics, particularly that of the dashboard, are poor for a vehicle costing nearly R680 000. After a few days with the car, an annoying buzz from somewhere in the dash began to accompany the car’s audio system, too.
The other big issue is the price. Not only is it a whopping R74 000 more than the A45 (which makes that boot eye-wateringly pricey), but it’s nearly R20 000 more than the bigger, more capable and only slightly slower Audi S4. Take into account the fact that this Benz has to make do with manual air-con rather than climate control and it does start to look a little overpriced and under-equipped.
Test Summary
The CLA45 is a compromised car. On the one hand, it’s a technological masterpiece that sets a new benchmark for power outputs for a 2,0-litre engine (it’s impressively fuel efficient, too – we got 8,8 litres/100 km) and, on the other, a car also let down by an interior that falls short of our expectations of the AMG brand.
That said, there is a certain X-factor about the CLA45. The car undoubtedly has a presence (and an exhaust note) that will get it noticed. If you’re looking for a car with which to make a statement, and you are prepared to pay for that privilege, this is worth looking at.
