Topic: Test Drive: 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 4Matic

[tortoise]

Good detail in this review.  [emoji106]

Agreed.  A very thorough review.

In fact, if you're interested in buying a CLA it's probably the only review you need to read.  Hats off Jacob, you mixed the perfect amount of facts with a solid unbiased perspective. And you made it interesting to read!

[2JDM]

I know someone who has one of these. She totalled her 2013 C250, then chose a brand new BASE MODEL CLA250 4Matic because "it was a nice Mercedes at a good price".     It was clearly for the badge.

[SKYMTL]

Actually, looking at the price of the A3 I'm not 100% sure if the CLA250 / A3 / BMW 2-series are simply too expensive or the mid-tier car in each lineup (C300, A4, 3-series) is simply too INexpensive. 

The problem I see is that luxury brands can't undervalue their names too much.  Therefore have to start their "entry" level pricing schemes at a pretty high level, a point where options quickly bring cost in line with pretty well equipped mid-tier offerings. 

However we all know the pricing is a fallacy anyways.  Finding a base model C300, CLA250, etc without at least one or two pricey option packages will see you waiting for months for a car which may never arrive. 

[OliverD]

At least with Audi the base model is fairly well equipped. Sunroof, real leather, etc.

Also, I'm not really sure why anyone would even want a completely base luxury car. With BMW and Mercedes, the "premium" package is usually a must-have IMO (I guess moreso with Mercedes).

[Jaeger]

I know someone who has one of these. She totalled her 2013 C250, then chose a brand new BASE MODEL CLA250 4Matic because "it was a nice Mercedes at a good price".     It was clearly for the badge.

As are 99% of CLA sales, I expect.

[Niklasky]

At least with Audi the base model is fairly well equipped. Sunroof, real leather, etc.

Also, I'm not really sure why anyone would even want a completely base luxury car. With BMW and Mercedes, the "premium" package is usually a must-have IMO (I guess moreso with Mercedes).

Yeah, a luxury vehicle without the luxuries, doesn't make much sense to me...

[Jaeger]

At least with Audi the base model is fairly well equipped. Sunroof, real leather, etc.

Also, I'm not really sure why anyone would even want a completely base luxury car. With BMW and Mercedes, the "premium" package is usually a must-have IMO (I guess moreso with Mercedes).

Yeah, a luxury vehicle without the luxuries, doesn't make much sense to me...

Because you don't get that some people just want a luxurious badge to brag about.

[OliverD]

At least with Audi the base model is fairly well equipped. Sunroof, real leather, etc.

Also, I'm not really sure why anyone would even want a completely base luxury car. With BMW and Mercedes, the "premium" package is usually a must-have IMO (I guess moreso with Mercedes).

Yeah, a luxury vehicle without the luxuries, doesn't make much sense to me...

Because you don't get that some people just want a luxurious badge to brag about.

Sure, but the reality is that they sell very, very few that aren't optioned up. I think most people also expect a luxury car to have luxury features even if their primary purchasing motivation is the badge.

[SKYMTL]

At least with Audi the base model is fairly well equipped. Sunroof, real leather, etc.

Also, I'm not really sure why anyone would even want a completely base luxury car. With BMW and Mercedes, the "premium" package is usually a must-have IMO (I guess moreso with Mercedes).

Yeah, a luxury vehicle without the luxuries, doesn't make much sense to me...

Because you don't get that some people just want a luxurious badge to brag about.

Sure, but the reality is that they sell very, very few that aren't optioned up. I think most people also expect a luxury car to have luxury features even if their primary purchasing motivation is the badge.

There's a very fine line between a "luxury feature" and what Mazdas, Toyotas, Nissans, etc. are equipped with from the factory.  What's a luxury feature these days anyways?    Leather?  A surround view camera?  Lane departure warning?  Panoramic sunroof?  A power lift tailgate?  Android Auto?  Auto dimming rear view mirror?

Those OPTIONS on a Benz cost thousands (add them to a CLA and you're suddenly spending $5,000 more) yet folks can get every one of them in lower end brackets now, often included without pricey option packages.   

[johngenx]

There was a time when buying a base 190E or even a base C-Class made a lot of sense.  You paid a LOT less for the car, and you got all the Mercedes engineering and quality without spending a ton of extra dough.  Things have changed.

[Scaerio]

There was a time when buying a base 190E or even a base C-Class made a lot of sense.  You paid a LOT less for the car, and you got all the Mercedes engineering and quality without spending a ton of extra dough. all the electronic crap that will constantly need replacing. Things have changed.

Fixed that for you!

[greengs]

Car2go uses these along side smart cars in Calgary.   

While it's a car I would never consider I don't think price is out to lunch on these, considering where our $ is currently.  Like most German brands the issue is option packages and how they are bundled.  Prices of new cars have escalated in the last few years in Canada.  For example a 2018 Camry XLE V6 is $48,000 in Ontario all in. 

[Slow_lane]

Ouch!!!

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2018/02/barks-bites-mercedes-benz-cla-250-shining-beacon-inauthenticity/#more-1614064

More bad press about this car. This a a stinging review.

[Fobroader]

Ouch!!!

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2018/02/barks-bites-mercedes-benz-cla-250-shining-beacon-inauthenticity/#more-1614064

More bad press about this car. This a a stinging review.

Wow....everything we've said about the CLA in a nutshell. Its not scathing, its the real deal

[Jaeger]

Ouch!!!

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2018/02/barks-bites-mercedes-benz-cla-250-shining-beacon-inauthenticity/#more-1614064

More bad press about this car. This a a stinging review.

Wow....everything we've said about the CLA in a nutshell. Its not scathing, its the real deal

Yup. Dropping truth bombs left and right.

[Fobroader]

Ouch!!!

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2018/02/barks-bites-mercedes-benz-cla-250-shining-beacon-inauthenticity/#more-1614064

More bad press about this car. This a a stinging review.

Wow....everything we've said about the CLA in a nutshell. Its not scathing, its the real deal

Yup. Dropping truth bombs left and right.

The worst part is if Honda, Toyota, hell, even Kia, came out with a car this poor, everyone would be all over them, but this is a Benz, we are supposed to be blinded by the hood badge. Might work on the ignorant types, actually by the number of these I see around it has, but anyone who goes into a test drive and actually looks at the car objectively will be highly turned off.

[Jaeger]

Ouch!!!

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2018/02/barks-bites-mercedes-benz-cla-250-shining-beacon-inauthenticity/#more-1614064

More bad press about this car. This a a stinging review.

Wow....everything we've said about the CLA in a nutshell. Its not scathing, its the real deal

Yup. Dropping truth bombs left and right.

The worst part is if Honda, Toyota, hell, even Kia, came out with a car this poor, everyone would be all over them, but this is a Benz, we are supposed to be blinded by the hood badge. Might work on the ignorant types, actually by the number of these I see around it has, but anyone who goes into a test drive and actually looks at the car objectively will be highly turned off.

Believe it. Badge wh0res are some of the most vocal and belligerent of car enthusiast. Thankfully we have few if any here that fit this description.

[Noto]

Allz I can say is that I 100% agree with all of this.

[johngenx]

The thing that kills this thing for me the most is that a new Corolla is roomier, more comfortable, much nicer inside, the top model is is as well equipped, arguably has a better looking exterior, drives better, gets far better fuel economy, is built better, costs 1/10 to service, and in five years will be worth about the same despite the original price being half.

The CLA doesn't stack up against Camrys and Accords and Fusions because it doesn't even stack up against Corollas and Civics.  If it were $22K and competing in the compact class, it would be an also-ran.

[Hannibalsmith]

The thing that kills this thing for me the most is that a new Corolla is roomier, more comfortable, much nicer inside, the top model is is as well equipped, arguably has a better looking exterior, drives better, gets far better fuel economy, is built better, costs 1/10 to service, and in five years will be worth about the same despite the original price being half.

The CLA doesn't stack up against Camrys and Accords and Fusions because it doesn't even stack up against Corollas and Civics.  If it were $22K and competing in the compact class, it would be an also-ran.

Per that TTAC article, most of the drivers I see in this are young women...you know its an accessory like a Prada purse