Audi Q3 vs Mercedes-Benz CLA

What's the difference?

The Audi Q3 Sportback S line 40 TFSI quattro is a quiet achiever.

Not as flashy or performance driven as some of its rivals, it still manages to tick almost every box when it comes to comfort and features. Like most models in the class, space in the back seat is modest but for a top-spec non-performance model, the price is alright and it’s lovely to drive.

Is the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 the perfect choice in the sleek sedan’s line-up?

Well, if you are after outright performance, then the answer still clearly lies with the CLA 45. But for those that just want a little more pep compared to the standard CLA range, the 35 is undoubtedly the one to get.

It’s not without its flaws, though, commanding a $15,000 price premium over the CLA 250 and a tougher-than-we’d-like ride, but if you value a more engaging drive and a brisk 0-100km/h time, the CLA 35 should definitely be on your shopping list.

The Q3 Sportback blends the practicality of an SUV with a sports-car presence due to its wide 2022mm stance and coupe-styled rear. With the black accents across the body, big 20-inch alloys and sharp Matrix LED headlights, the Q3 Sportback more than holds its own against the sporty prowess of its rivals.

The cabin establishes that it sits within the premium market with its leather mix upholstery and flashy-looking tech that headlines an angular dashboard. However, it's understated compared to its rivals, which all boast a stronger cabin presence.

Overall, it's not a ‘look at me car’ but the longer you look, the better it gets.

From the front, the CLA 35 exterior oozes style and luxury.

Up front, the sleek and slender headlights emphasise the width of the fascia, while the large Mercedes logo sits proudly front and centre of the CLA’s nose.

There are subtle hints to the CLA 35’s sportiness too, with a slightly bulging bonnet and chiselled lower chin.

The grille is also unique on the 35, with a dual-horizontal slat design instead of the non-AMG CLA’s diamond pattern or the CLA 45’s Panamericana grille.

To my eye, the front of the CLA 35 is actually a bit too tame in styling for an AMG model. I prefer the in-your-face aggression of the CLA 45’s widened track and front grille, while the CLA 35 opts for more subtle styling cues. To each their own, though.

The silver paintwork of our test car probably doesn’t help, and if it was my choice I'd pick 'Sun Yellow' or 'Denim Blue' to stand out a bit more from the sea of black, grey and white German cars out there.

Move to the rear of the car though, and a large rear diffuser, big dual-exhaust outlets and a bootlid spoiler are much more befitting an AMG model.

Step inside the CLA and you will see it adopts the same dashboard design as all new-generation Mercedes vehicles built on the MFA2 platform, with the 'MBUX' dual-screen layout, large air-vents and central touchpad.

Our car was specced out with red-leather interior, which is a bit too loud for my tastes, but a two-tone black leather/titanium grey combo can also be had at no extra cost.

Sitting inside the CLA 35, you can tell it’s a modern car thanks to the clean layout of all the controls, while the screen-heavy dashboard definitely makes it feel tech-focused.

The Q3 Sportback offers plenty of head- and legroom up front, with access that is accommodating because of the wider door apertures.

Like its rivals, the back seat offers modest space for my 168cm height, but it might be a squeeze if you taller. The middle seat suffers the most with legroom due to the tall transmission tunnel – keep this seat for kids only.

However, all other seats offer well-rounded comfort with decent-padding, side bolsters and the front get extendable under-thigh and lumbar supports, as well as heat functions.

The rear row also gets directional air vents, reading lights, two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket. Longer trips will be comfortable for four occupants but five will elicit some grumbles.

Storage is good for the class with a glovebox that can fit a manual, a medium-sized middle console and a large phone tray. There are four cupholders and four drink-bottle holders throughout the car, and the rear row also get two map pockets.

The boot offers class leading space with its 530L capacity and only the BMW X2 beats it (by 30L). Storage options open up again with the 40/20/40 split of the rear row. The top model gets a powered tailgate with gesture control and temporary spare tyre.

Technology looks high-end and the touchscreen multimedia system is easy enough to use once you get your head around the menus. The built-in satellite navigation is top notch and the directions are pulled through to the digital instrument cluster.

The Q3 now gets wired/wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. The CarPlay maintained a steady connection this week. Charging options are great with a total of four USB--C ports, two 12-volt sockets and a wireless charging pad to choose from.

Measuring 4695mm long, 1834mm wide, 1399mm tall and with a 2729mm wheelbase, the CLA 35 is definitely a sizeable sedan in the metal.

This actually makes the CLA 35 slightly longer and wider than a non-AMG C-Class sedan that measures 4686 and 1810mm respectively, but don’t expect the same level of practical interior space.

With a heavily sloped roofline, rear-seat comfort takes a hit. My 183cm (6.0ft) frame could not sit upright behind my driving position without tilting my head, while legroom was also slightly lacking.

With such large C-pillars and a small rear window, the second-row can actually feel a little claustrophobic for full-sized adults, but will seat children quite comfortably.

Second-row amenities include air-vents, two USB-C ports, back-of-seat storage nets, bottle holders in the doors, and two cupholders in the fold-down arm rest.

Just like at a music concert though, the best seats in the CLA 35 are up front, with plenty of room for heads, shoulders and legs.

The cabin is also much more light-filled up front, making for a more pleasant experience.

The front seats are electronically adjustable, as is the steering column, but the headrests are fixed.

Storage options include sizeable door bins, a centre console cubby, glove box, two cupholders and a wireless smartphone charger.

Boot space is 460 litres, but can expand with the rear split-fold 40/20/40 rear seats stowed.

Though the boot looks small and shallow on the outside, the aperture is actually quite large, and can easily accommodate a large suitcase with plenty of room to spare.

Priced at $85,500 before on-road costs, the CLA 35 sits $15,300 upstream of the CLA 250 but is $25,700 cheaper than the $111,200 CLA 45.

Standard equipment includes leather interior, dual-zone climate control, electronically adjustable front seats with heating and memory function, keyless entry and push-button start, 64-colour ambient lighting, and a wireless smartphone charger.

AMG specific appointments include 19-inch wheels, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, sports exhaust, high-performance brakes with silver-painted calipers, blacked-out exterior highlights, sports suspension, a racy bodykit and speed-sensitive steering.

Instrumentation is displayed on a 10.25-inch screen, which can be customised and features AMG readouts.

The multimedia system, which includes satellite navigation, digital radio and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, is also outputted to a 10.25-inch screen, with inputs including touch, voice commands, centre touch pad or steering wheel controls.

Our test car also came with a ‘Mojave Silver Metallic’ paint finish and 'Vision Package', adding $1190 and $990 to the bottom line each.

The Vision Package adds LED headlights with adaptive high beams, a panoramic glass sunroof and surround-view monitor.

Straddling the lines between a small- and mid-size sedan, the CLA 35 doesn’t really have any direct competitors, which is reflected in its pricing that slots it between the Audi S3 and S4 sedans.

Though the CLA 35 features a long list of equipment, it is still a sizeable chunk of coin, costing more than the C300 sedan and Volvo S60 T8 PHEV, the latter boasting higher engine outputs.

Our test vehicle keeps it's tried and tested 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, which produces 132kW of power and 320Nm of torque. Those outputs are slightly less than most of its nearest rivals and it sports a slower sprint time of 7.8 seconds.

The Q3 Sportback is a quattro, which means it has an all-wheel drive and it boasts a silky-smooth seven-speed auto transmission.

While it doesn't induce strong sports-car vibes on road, it’s not a car you'd ever have the audacity to call slow.

Powered by a 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, the CLA 35 punches out 225kW/400Nm.

Drive is sent through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions to the road via Mercedes’ '4Matic' all-wheel-drive system, enabling a 0-100km/h sprint in the 1603kg sedan in just 4.7 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h.

Though I didn’t get a chance to test the latter, the former certainly feels accurate when taking off from a freeway on ramp, however, there is some hesitation from the turbo in getting on boost.

Peak power comes in at 5800rpm, while maximum torque is available from 3000-4000rpm.

The official combined fuel cycle figure is 8.2L/100km, but the real-world usage is at 8.6L after doing a mix of open-road and urban driving. Considering the lack of restraint shown for really giving this model a real 'go' on the open-road, the fuel usage is respectable.

Based on the official combined fuel cycle and 60L fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of up to 732km, which is good for any longer road trips you might want to tackle.

Officially, the CLA 35 sips 7.5 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, but we managed a 9.9L/100km figure in our week with the car.

The majority of our driving was done in inner-city environments, with the two trips down the freeway to seek out twisty country rounds.

Minimum fuel grade in the CLA 35 is 98 RON.

The power delivery for the Q3 Sportback S line model is effortless. It doesn’t have the thrum or burbling of a turbo, but the power is well and truly there whenever you need it. So, while not as ‘powerful’ as some of its rivals, you don’t feel like you’re missing out.

The low and wide stance of the Q3 Sportback translates to nimble and direct handling – you can take corners at speed with almost no roll and the steering sits within the goldilocks zone for firmness.

A downside is the cabin noise, which is fairly loud with road and wind no matter the speed – but you don't have to raise your voice. You'd expect a bit of noise with the big wheels, but you always hope for more refinement at this grade level.

The Q3 isn’t difficult to park, but it does take a moment to get your bearings on how it fits a space, as it’s bigger than you might expect. The 360-degree camera is super clear, which takes out a lot of the guesswork.

The car feels like an extension of you as a driver which elevates the overall on-road experience despite not being a performance model. This would be well-suited for a driver who wants great on-road performance without feeling like someone who is in a mid-life crisis.

The CLA 35 might not offer the outright thrills or breadth of capability of the CLA 45, but don’t think the cut-price AMG offers up a cut-rate driving experience.

From the driver’s seat, one of the cool things about the CLA 35 is that it doesn’t actually look any different from its more expensive sibling.

The drive-mode selector that is now embedded on the steering wheel is fantastic, a feature first seen on the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door, and makes changing the driving dynamics on the fly an absolute breeze.

In fact, we think all cars where you can select drive modes should have a selector on the steering wheel like this, which lets you quickly and easily dial it up or down while keeping your hands on the wheel.

'Comfort', 'Sport', 'Sport+' and 'Individual' modes are available, while the transmission can also be put into manual mode independently for those that prefer to use the flappy paddles.

Suspension settings can also be tweaked regardless of which drive mode you are in, and it’s this level of customisability that we appreciate.

You want loud exhaust pops and the engine in full attack with manual shifting and the softest suspension? Sure, that’s doable here in the CLA 35. And toning it down to its most comfortable settings is just a flick of the wrist away.

The steering feels a little numb on centre and at slower speeds, though feedback picks right up with speed and is communicative enough when the road starts to get twisty.

Fitted with wide and sticky Michelin rubber, as well as the aforementioned all-wheel drive system, the CLA 35 is certainly not lacking in grip.

The suspension does an okay job of absorbing bumps, but uneven surfaces, like Melbourne’s tram tracks, can send uncomfortable jolts into the cabin if travelling quickly.

In fact, we think the ride comfort of the CLA 35 is probably its weakest aspect, offering not enough variability in its Comfort and Sport settings, and instead settling somewhere in between, regardless of drive mode.

The CLA 35 is ultimately still a fun and engaging sports sedan, though there are some sacrifices made to get it there.

The CLA 35 has not been tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, but the standard CLA range was awarded a five-star rating in September 2019.

Standard safety equipment in the CLA 35 includes autonomous emergency braking, automatic high beams, nine airbags, drive attention alert, blind-spot monitoring with exit warning, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition and tyre pressure monitoring.

The standard CLA also comes with these features, and was awarded 96 and 92 per cent respectively in ANCAP adult occupant and child occupant protection tests.

For the vulnerable road user and safety assist examinations, the standard CLA scored 91 and 76 per cent respectively.

ANCAP says the AEB system works from seven-200km/h.

Of note, adaptive cruise control is not standard in the CLA 35 like it is in the CLA 45. Instead, buyers will have to tick the 'Driving Assistance Package' box for the feature, which also comes bundled with cross-traffic alert and lane change assist.

The Q3 comes with a five-year/unlimited-km warranty, which is a normal term for the class.

You can pre-purchase a five-year servicing plan, which costs $3330 overall, or $666 per service which is competitive for the premium segment.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km whichever occurs first.

As with all new Mercedes-Benz models, the CLA 35 comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is one of the best assurance periods offered by a premium carmaker.

It also comes with five years of roadside assist.

Scheduled service intervals are every 25,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first.

A three-year service plan is available for $2150 for new CLA 35 buyers, saving $500 when priced individually.

Four- and five-year plans are also available, and are priced at $4200 and $4950 respectively.