- Mercedes revealed the 2024 CLA lineup, previewing newly styled front and rear ends, restyled headlights, and new wheel options.
- Peak output stays at 221 horsepower, but a newly electrified powertrain adds 13 horsepower to bring peak power lower in the range.
- There’s no word on official pricing yet, but Mercedes expects the new CLA to start arriving at dealerships later in 2023.
Mercedes isn’t quite ready to give the CLA a full redesign but instead is offering a slight facelift to please fans of the compact four-door. Along with it comes a newly electrified powertrain. The 2024 model gains a 48-volt hybrid system to help with acceleration. In the low end of the rev range, it adds a power boost of 13 extra horsepower. During braking and acceleration, the starter-generator recuperates energy, which it then uses to supply the 12-volt onboard network and the 48-volt hybrid system with electrical energy. The system appears to work similarly to the hybrid system in the Mercedes-AMG SL43, which utilizes a belt-driven starter-generator to boost horsepower at lower rpm.
The CLA’s looks are updated at both front and rear, although changes are minimal. The front fascia gets new shaping, and the grille swaps its old speckled-dot design for one spangled by the Mercedes star. The biggest visual changes are redesigned headlights and taillights, which drop the lower portion of the daytime running lights. There are two new color options: Hyper Blue, which is exclusive to CLA models, and Starling Blue. Three new wheel designs also join the lineup.
The AMG wing cooked up its own series of revisions and upgrades for the AMG CLA35 and CLA45 models, which sport a new AMG-specific front end. Opting for the AMG Aerodynamics Package Plus adds a fixed rear spoiler. Output in the AMG CLA35 stays put at 302 horsepower, though it receives the same 13-hp boost as the non-AMG variants. The AMG CLA45S is a different story, with power increasing by 34 horsepower to an impressive total of 416. According to Mercedes, the AMG CLA45S can sprint to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds.
Inside the CLA, the standard display has grown, with a 10.3-inch instrument cluster and a 10.3-inch touchscreen, both running the newest MBUX infotainment system. One of the features is a choice of three display styles: the fully informative Classic, a Sporty version with a dynamic tachometer, and the minimalist Discreet setting. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have both been added, and there are new trim levels, with a choice of carbon, open-pore wood, or and an AMG-exclusive brown microfiber option. Stepping up to the AMG line brings the number of interior upholstery options from three, to five, adding two-tone color schemes into the mix.
Standard safety systems have been updated as well, providing customers with parking assist and a mirror package. Mercedes has not offered any word on pricing yet but said it expects to have CLA models arriving at U.S. dealerships later in 2023.
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Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
