[holding]

Took the CLA for a boot yesterday, still not fully sold but here are a few observations...

• ECO mode is a joke. Stop start is jerky and downright annoying.
• Sport mode is quite peppy and the flippers move you up and down easily enough, still want the third pedal but thats moot at this point.
• Got it up to 60 mph quick enough, was well on my way past 100 before the salesboy lost his head and asked me to please slow down.
• The turbo is powerful enough to feel V6ish yet there's no mistaking the FWD, torque steer isnt a problem per se but you can definitely feel the CLA grab the wheel from you.
• As some of the others have mentioned, the CLA is narrow.

Trying to get some more seat time with it but my dealer has a pretty full roster of test drives... Would like to get into a 4Matic equipped CLA and see if that changes anything..

 

[CLAJoe]

I remember test driving a BMW 330xi when they first came out in the early 2000's. The BMW salesman had a side road that he took me on to do emergency braking tests, and to take the car up to 100mph without fear of many cops. It was a factory area, no school zones, or anything risky. Surprised the salesboy told you to slow down.. unless you were really pushing it.

What would it take to get you sold on it, price? Or are the modes just not fun enough?

Joe

 

[vracer]

point.

• Got it up to 60 mph quick enough, was well on my way past 100 before the salesboy lost his head and asked me to please slow down.

I doubt that you look like Jeff Gordon in a mustache. And he did say please.

If anyone doesn't get the Jeff Gordon allusion, look it up. He's doing a Pepsi commercial.

 

[holding]

I am Jeff Gordon with a mustache no nothing like that, he said he didnt want me beating on the car while it was so new. Fine by me, that's the only reason I was flogging it, not mine. Plus there were a few other cars coming and the demo CLA had the dealers name stickered across the back glass..

Its not the price that's going to break it for me its going to be what else could i get at that price.. I'm single so 4 door vs 2 door doesnt mean much to me, neither does cargo space. Its golf clubs and a suitcase max.

The Sport mode is fun, but like i said every now and then the CLA reminds you its FWD. RWD, Its just my thing, I grew up driving my dads pickups and the fist car i ever bought was a Foxbody Mustang and right now i'm in a 350Z. Was interested in the CLA because its a little more grown up than the 350Z, but hey man i still like to have fun behind the wheel.

I'm also shopping the ATS and the 2 series. I don't have to be out of the 350, its mine, so I'm comfortable exploring the different models. I'd really like some time in a CLA 45, but getting a test spin in one of those is like asking to sit down with the pope...

 

[CLAJoe]

I am Jeff Gordon with a mustache no nothing like that, he said he didnt want me beating on the car while it was so new. Fine by me, that's the only reason I was flogging it, not mine. Plus there were a few other cars coming and the demo CLA had the dealers name stickered across the back glass..

Its not the price that's going to break it for me its going to be what else could i get at that price.. I'm single so 4 door vs 2 door doesnt mean much to me, neither does cargo space. Its golf clubs and a suitcase max.

The Sport mode is fun, but like i said every now and then the CLA reminds you its FWD. RWD, Its just my thing, I grew up driving my dads pickups and the fist car i ever bought was a Foxbody Mustang and right now i'm in a 350Z. Was interested in the CLA because its a little more grown up than the 350Z, but hey man i still like to have fun behind the wheel.

I'm also shopping the ATS and the 2 series. I don't have to be out of the 350, its mine, so I'm comfortable exploring the different models. I'd really like some time in a CLA 45, but getting a test spin in one of those is like asking to sit down with the pope...

I'm a big Nissan fan, mind posting up some pics of the 350Z? I have a feeling from your love of cars that it's probably pretty pimped out.

Joe

 

[BenzFan]

I'm a big Nissan fan, mind posting up some pics of the 350Z? I have a feeling from your love of cars that it's probably pretty pimped out.

Joe

x2, would love to see what he did.
I think it's just natural for someone into the CLA to like a car like the 350Z.
Would be interesting to see what his is like, just to get an idea of what he may do to the CLA.

 

[holding]

by popular demand....

TIEN coils, state 2 clutch, 3 inch header pipe each side, and those Brides are COMFORT... its an '03 i picked it in '07, Put about $8K into it since.

I dont know how much i would do to the CLA, If i do get it I'd like it to be a little more gown up than my 350... Wheels definitely, but Mercedes have never seemed to me a tinkerers car..

 

[AMG]

by popular demand....

View attachment 274

View attachment 282

TIEN coils, state 2 clutch, 3 inch header pipe each side, and those Brides are COMFORT... its an '03 i picked it in '07, Put about $8K into it since.

I dont know how much i would do to the CLA, If i do get it I'd like it to be a little more gown up than my 350... Wheels definitely, but Mercedes have never seemed to me a tinkerers car..

Very true, most MB's are relatively stock, nothing extreme. At least you can have a CLA daily driver and your 350z fun car, great mix of things to have.

 

[booker]

most of the CLA crowd doesn't seem like modders anyways. Most of them would of spent the $30K on something like a Ford Focus, I'm sure there will be the token mods from the big tunning houses but i dont see much aftermarket demand from individual customers, but i could be wrong...

 

[sleepyhead]

I would think a CLA would be a bad car for modders. Too expensive. I mean, you could work on a WRX or a Focus that would be a lot cheaper to begin with and almost as fast. And lighter. All those fancy seats weigh a lot. I could see someone working on exhaust, but that's it. You just don't see Mercedes customers as modders. Even the group/age range that the CLA is targeting. Which is me.

 

[holding]

I would think a CLA would be a bad car for modders. Too expensive. I mean, you could work on a WRX or a Focus that would be a lot cheaper to begin with and almost as fast. And lighter. All those fancy seats weigh a lot. I could see someone working on exhaust, but that's it. You just don't see Mercedes customers as modders. Even the group/age range that the CLA is targeting. Which is me.

yea thats what I'm thinking, at the $30K starting for the CLA there are plenty of cheaper and faster options one could pickup with change left over to grab a few go fast goodies. Plus Mercedes are notoriously complicated to work on, not something your average wrench could or should fiddle with in the driveway.

I think the CLA is targeting those that have grown out of their boy racer phase, Acura still makes the ILX for that type of gig....

 

[BenzFan]

yea thats what I'm thinking, at the $30K starting for the CLA there are plenty of cheaper and faster options one could pickup with change left over to grab a few go fast goodies. Plus Mercedes are notoriously complicated to work on, not something your average wrench could or should fiddle with in the driveway.

I think the CLA is targeting those that have grown out of their boy racer phase, Acura still makes the ILX for that type of gig....

Yup, CLA compared to the ILX, the CLA is a step up, the more mature crowd will be in the CLA or at least those that can afford it. The rest will get an ILX or even worse a Verano.

 

[brianch]

V6 RWD to a 4 cylinder turbo FWD?

You sure?

 

[MaximilianJürgen]

Yup, CLA compared to the ILX, the CLA is a step up, the more mature crowd will be in the CLA or at least those that can afford it. The rest will get an ILX or even worse a Verano.

Givven the price of both If It were up to any one I am sure they would have no issues picking the CLA over the ILX. For the money I think overall you would be getting a better deal.