BMW 218i vs Mercedes-Benz Cle53

What's the difference?

Sometimes a name change can make all the difference.

Google used to be called “Back Rub”. The Spice Girls started off as “Touch”. And – particularly in Germany – some premium sedans became known as “coupes”, as they struggled to stay popular against SUVs.

Case in point: what is essentially a 1 Series hatchback with a boot has been more glamorously badged the “2 Series Gran Coupe” since 2020.

Still following the sedan script with four doors, it’s BMW’s tilt at Mercedes’ booted A-Class hatch, the rakish CLA, unveiled early last decade as the Concept Style Coupe and now in its third series-production iteration – though since 2019 a more conservatively styled A-Class Sedan has also existed, that goes up against Audi’s A3 Sedan.

But we digress. Now there’s a “new” 2 Gran Coupe, coded F74, though it’s really a heavy facelift of the superseded F44. Oh, and the ‘i’ no longer exists in the badge, so (M-enhanced models aside) it’s just numbers from here on in. 218. 220. M235.

Regardless of names, does it live up to the BMW promise?

You’re looking at what Mercedes-Benz dubs “The AMG for all occasions”, the CLE 53.

Now, in case you haven’t been paying attention, the CLE replaces both the previous C-Class and E-Class coupes, so we’re talking about a relatively practical two-door four-seater here.

So, 53? Not the full-fat 63 flagship, then (that’s coming eventually), but something that comes close to the slightly more-powerful (and a bit more expensive) Audi RS5 and BMW M4 range-topping alternatives.

Like Goldilocks’ preferred porridge, this particular flavour of coupe is meant to leave well-heeled enthusiasts not too hot or too bothered, meaning it’s been engineered to be refreshingly refined as well as rousingly rapid.

Is the AMG CLE 53 just right, then? Time to find out.