[booker]

Building on the CLA comparison with the Verano Turbo and the ILX Tech Pack I thought I would have a look at how the CLA stacks up against the other two in terms of goodies...

Verano:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Bluetooth® wireless technology for select phones and music
• Bose® premium 9-speaker system
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio1 with 3 month trial
• OnStar® with 6 months of Directions & Connections® Plan
• Passive Keyless Entry with Push Button Start
• Rear Vision Camera
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Remote vehicle starter system
• Heated front seats
• Steering wheel controls, audio and cruise
• Rear Park Assist
• 10 standard air bags
• Interior rearview auto-dimming mirror
• Heated power-adjustable mirrors
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Heated leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Leather-appointed, premium grade seat trim
• Driver 6-way power seat adjuster, multi-directional
• Side Blind Zone Alert
• Sport pedal kit (Dealer-installed)

See the full list here, make sure to select Premium Group as thats where the Turbo falls

ILX:

• Acura Navigation System with Zagat Survey ratings and reviews
• AcuraLink Real-Time Traffic with Traffic Rerouting
• AcuraLink Real-Time Weather
• AcuraLink Satellite Communication System with Automated Appointments
• USB7 Audio Interface with iPod® 8 integration
• Auxiliary input jack
• Bluetooth Audio
• Pandora Interface
• Acura/ELS Surround®32 415-watt Premium Audio System with 10 speakers, 15GB hard disc drive (HDD) media storage, in-dash CD, DVD-Audio, MP3, WMA6 and DTS®-featured player, Dolby® 5 Pro Logic® II and AM/FM tuner
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio
• Song By Voice
• Short Message Service (SMS) text message function
• Bluetooth HandsFreeLink wireless telephone interface
• Active Sound Control
• Keyless Access System with Smart Entry and pushbutton ignition
• Voice Recognition system for navigation, audio and climate control
• Dual-zone, automatic climate control system with air filtration
• GPS-linked, solar-sensing temperature control
• 5-inch full-color center information display screen featuring audio, climate info and clock
• Multi-view rear camera display in navigation screen

See the full list here

CLA:

$2200 CLA Premium Package

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Heated front seats
• harman/kardon LOGIC7® sound system
• SiriusXM Radio with 6-month All Access trial
• Media Interface
• Auto-dimming driver-side and inside rear view mirrors
• Compass display in inside mirror
• Garage door opener

$2370 CLA Multimedia Package

• Rear view camera
• Enhanced Voice Control
• 80GB hard-drive navigation and 7-inch display
• Gracenote® Media Database, including album cover artIn-dash 6-disc DVD/CD player and SD card reader
• 10GB Music Register
• SiriusXM Traffic and Weather

Explore the CLA here


As you can see many of the features standard on Verano and ILX are charge options on the CLA. Options like dual zone climate control, heated seats, rear view camera, satellite radio and even garage door connectivity. The ILX sports an impressive standard list that makes up for its lack of styling or punch.

While the CLA is good value the additional packages needed to equip the CLA with many of the Verano and ILXs standard features quickly pushes the CLA towards $40k.

 

[mr.smith]

So the CLA is an affordable entry-level luxury vehicle as long as you pay an extra $5,000 for all the features that make it luxurious?

I will say though, you can spend some extra money for extra features with the CLA, but you can't add on a better looking body to the Verano or ILX when you buy it.

It's actually pretty staggering how many things come standard on the Verano and ILX compared with the CLA where you have to buy everything.

 

[fastlane]

It's actually pretty staggering how many things come standard on the Verano and ILX compared with the CLA where you have to buy everything.

sadly thats how it is with Mercedes, got to pay to play, its what separates the weak from the working

 

[brianch]

Welcome to Mercedes Benz BMW and Audi.

Standard? What does that mean?

 

[fastlane]

Welcome to Mercedes Benz BMW and Audi.

Standard? What does that mean?

The world of buying german.

Even Porsche is like this. Crazy how you can buy a basemodel cayenne for $70k, but if you want the top end model, add $100 000 to that base price.

 

[holding]

The world of buying german.

Even Porsche is like this. Crazy how you can buy a basemodel cayenne for $70k, but if you want the top end model, add $100 000 to that base price.

Porsche makes the other Germans look down right charitable... Porsche sold a diminutive 78,000 vehicles last year and profited 1.3 billion euros ($1.7 billion US)!

So now to average out profit per vehicle, Porsche extorts an envious $22,190 per car sold.

Porsche has been long known to have the fattest margins in the industry, but did you realize they were THAT fat... Buyers are lucky Porsche hasnt started charging for steering wheels and pedal assembly's, YET!!