The Mercedes CLA offers great specifications for an electric vehicle at an average price

Despite headwinds from the current administration, automakers continue to launch well-equipped electric vehicles with larger battery packs and increasingly faster charging speeds. For those who want to travel further between deliveries, the future is still bright, but a little colorful.

But there weren’t many sedans starting at around $50,000 or less, with crossover SUVs largely taking over that area. Now, Mercedes-Benz has released the CLA compact sedan that checks all the above boxes for the 2026 and 2027 model years, offering pleasant interior amenities and a fun-driving character for good measure.

The CLA with EQ (Mercedes’ term for “EV”) is based on the latest MMA platform – the driving kind, not the fighting kind – and comes in two versions: CLA250 Plus and CLA350 4Matic.

Both have 85-kilowatt-hour batteries, 800-volt architecture, a maximum charging capacity of 320 kilowatts, and the ability to go from 10 to 80 percent charge in just 22 minutes at that maximum rate. The 250 Plus uses only a rear motor to push out 268 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque, which will propel its 4,553-pound stature to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds.

The 350 4Matic uses a motor on each axle with a combined output of 349 and 380, respectively, and its 4,729-pound car will get to 60 mph in just 4.8. The 250 Plus has an EPA-estimated range of 374 miles, while the 350 4Matic travels 62 miles less. Prices start at $48,500 and $51,850, respectively.

The latest CLA is billed as a compact sedan, but it’s very spacious inside. I found the front passenger area of ​​my 350 4Matic tester fairly accommodating for my six-foot-three stature, and really dug its driving position; The Sport’s telescoping steering wheel could be positioned, overall visibility was great, and the optional AMG Line sport seats were very comfortable.

Rear passenger room was more restricted but good for passengers of average build. Combined cargo room comes in at 11.7 cubic feet, of which 1.4 is in the trunk — that’s right, and thankfully, it’s not just wires and coolant hoses underneath.

The CLA is the first model to receive the latest Mercedes-Benz operating system (MB.OS0). Notably, this makes over-the-air updates smoother, which the brand says will be beneficial for improving driver assistance system software over time. Personalization also appears to be high on the list of MB features as the latest sixth-generation MBUX software – the gateway to the software’s user interface, as opposed to MB.OS0 being the software foundation for the entire vehicle – offers the ability to easily customize themes, interior lighting and more.

However, getting the most out of it isn’t possible without the optional Pinnacle Line ($5,850). That explains my tester’s highly customizable interior lighting, wireless charging, head-up display, Burmester 3D surround sound, and four-zone automatic climate control, among other details.

It was easy to spot the optional Superscreen — three separate, huge screens grouped together — that covers much of the dashboard. Figuring out what to tap to quickly change settings, music, and more had a learning curve, and the software’s voice assistant filled in any gaps nicely. Being late wasn’t a thing either. Although finer adjustments like ambient light brightness were a bit blurry, and at night, the illuminated air vents obscured my view of the side mirrors from my seating position.

Driving a Mercedes-Benz CLA350 4Matic EV

With its sporty EV spec and a drag coefficient of 0.21, I was amazed at how easily the CLA achieved more than 300 miles on a single charge. My week was a good mix of city and highway driving, plus a weekend trip to the mountains above Southern California. 4200 feet of elevation gain and loss. At the start of my vacation with an 85 percent charge, I still had an estimated 150 miles to go — after traveling 175 miles and averaging 0.225 kWh per mile.

Taking advantage of the ramp regeneration and Mercedes’ MB DriveAssist ($1,950 option) certainly helped. (Quick note: This was not SAE Level 2 for the independent brand MB DriveAssist Pro ($3,950 option), which, as of this writing, It doesn’t seem to be available yet On the CLA.) The standard DriveAssist was easy to shift and drove smoothly as long as I wasn’t behind someone who couldn’t maintain a constant speed. Or hit the brakes for seemingly no reason. With a lighter foot and fewer rips on full downhills, it was certainly possible to travel 325+ miles on a charge.

Unlike some manufacturers who bury regenerative braking in a sea of ​​menus (BMW), the CLA is adjustable via paddle shifters and allows one-pedal driving. The middle of the road was good, and the most intense was, well, intense. But this is appreciated, especially considering that German manufacturers have avoided OPD in the past.

Finally, the CLA350 has good overall ride quality with confident turn-in, as well as respectable grip and body control on twisty roads. I could feel its weight over mid-corner bumps especially the rocky blacktop, and ground clearance over large speed bumps and trails was left a bit to be desired. But overall, the average commuter or road tripper won’t have many complaints. It will be interesting to see if Mercedes’ AMG division will give Benz downsized adaptive dampers, stiffer spring rates, and other body-tensioning tweaks one day.

Great EV specs at an average price

Fun fact: The average treatment for new cars is Just under $50,000. Considering that the 2027 Mercedes CLA 350 4Matic and its slower 250+ sibling are up there, have solid charging and range specs, and the former is comfortable and good to drive, it has a lot of advantages.

However, to get the latest and greatest MB experience, it takes some lofty choices.