BMW X2 vs Mercedes-Benz CLA250

What's the difference?

There is little doubt the new X2 represents a vast improvement over the original model. The design alone gives it a lot more presence. 

More interior and boot space also helps widen the SUV’s appeal and the significant tech updates are welcome.

It is on the pricey side and there are a few too many options that should be standard. 

However, the M35i is hard to ignore as a sporty premium crossover, and the iX2 xDrive30 is the sort of electric SUV that should worry Volvo.

They both have their own distinct flavours, so there’s no dud in this line-up. Of course, we will hold final thoughts for the local launch when we can drive all four grades. But until then, it’s a welcome return to form for the X2.

The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S is more glorious madness from the hot-rodders in Affalterbach. A design and engineering master-class putting a slightly more mature spin on the fast and furious small AMG formula. But only slightly. It's brilliantly outrageous.

The second-gen X2 looks very different to the original from 2018. That first X2 had a squat stance, looked more like a hatchback than an SUV, and the glasshouse appeared as though it had been squished into the body of the car.

The 2024 X2 adopts a similar design philosophy to the X4 and X6 - swoopy, coupe-like roofline and liftback, and bold styling elements at the front and rear.

It has a much more upright, flush front end, freshly designed large kidney grille and an edgy headlight design. There’s flared wheel arches and broad shoulders at the rear, as well as a cool new horizontal tail-light signature.

The X2 has grown in size in a big way. It’s 194mm longer, 21mm wider, and 64mm taller than the outgoing model. That naturally means more space inside, too.

Inside there are big changes. The X2 adopts elements introduced by the excellent iX SUV a couple of years ago. They include the curved display, and a floating arm rest with a control panel. Some of this is also familiar from the X1.

The materials mostly look and feel like they are high quality, and there is an appealing minimalism to the overall design and layout. The chunky sports steering wheel is visually appealing, but it’s a bit too thick in my hand.

Claimed to blaze from 0-100km/h in 4.0 seconds the second-generation CLA 45 has the performance credentials of a mid-engine supercar, wrapped in a relatively unassuming three-box body. And while it might look mild-mannered from a distance, this devil's differences are in the detail.

Like it's A 45 sibling the CLA 45 S features AMG's now signature Panamericana grille with 12 vertical louvres, a winged front spoiler treatment, extra aero bits around the front air intakes and 'Power Dome' bumps in the bonnet.

The side skirts are wider, and the 19-inch twin five-spoke rims are standard. While at the back the diffuser treatment is more pronounced than the hatch, but the fat 90mm exhaust pipes are the same, and the lip spoiler is on the boot lid rather than the roof.

The interior is virtually identical to the hatch, the biggest difference being the four-door coupe's frameless doors.

A combination of Merc's 'Artico' faux leather and 'Dinamica'  microfibre trim is accented with racy yellow highlights, with a nappa leather and Dinamica AMG Performance wheel and sports pedals completing the picture.

And the twin widescreen MBUX instrument and media display boasts AMG-specific read-outs on everything from gear selection, warm-up menu, car set-up, a G-metre, race timer and engine data. The standard 'Track Pack' even includes specific circuit layouts and data.

Where the previous X2 was a very small crossover with niche appeal, the increase in size for the new model means more people will be interested in it. Possibly even people with a small family.

Those increased dimensions pay dividends inside, with ample headroom up front and more than enough space across the front row, although the raised armrest console is somewhat narrow. 

The seats in both the iX2 xDrive30 and the M35i xDrive are very supportive thanks to ample bolstering, but both were also on the firm side. The iX2’s synthetic leather was slightly more comfortable than the M35i’s sports-focused front seats.

The power-adjustable seats and height- and reach-adjustable steering wheel means it’s not hard to find a decent driving position, but forward vision is impeded by a very thick A-pillar, and the letterbox-like rear windscreen in the X2 means rearward vision is limited. Good thing it has excellent parking cameras and sensors. 

Storage is decent in the X2, with room for big bottles in the door cavity, and a few nooks and large open spaces in the console. Although secure storage is limited with the armrest housing a very shallow space. I do like BMW’s phone charger setup. Rather than lying on a pad, it slots into a vertical holder that has a latch to keep it in place when cornering. The only drawback is that you can see the screen which could potentially distract some drivers.

The X2 introduces operating system nine to iDrive, which is housed in the central part of the curved display and operated by touchscreen or the controller on the floating central console. After some familiarisation, the functionality isn’t that much different to the previous version of the operating system. The main menu looks cool and is mostly easy to navigate. The sub-menu icons - of which there are heaps - look a little Microsoft Windows.

The X2 has drive modes that also interact with the interior of the car and change lighting, EV noise and more. They include Personal Mode, Sport Mode and Efficient Mode as standard, but if you opt for (and pay extra for) BMW Digital Premium, the modes extend to Expressive Mode, Relax Mode and Digital Art Mode. Some of these are quite cool, especially some of the EV sounds, but would I use them everyday? Probably not.

The clearest indication of increased space is in the second row. There’s much more legroom than the old X2, and behind my six-foot frame I had enough space with a couple of centimetres between my knees and the front seat backs. Toe room was very limited, however. 

The roof has been scalloped out to ensure more headroom, which is welcome given the extra sloping roofline.

There are a pair of USB-C ports back there, lower air vents, map pockets, decent door storage, and a centre armrest with cup holders.

The boot is sizeable, in both engine grades but you only get a tyre repair kit. There is underfloor storage for the charging cables in the iX2.

At 560 litres with all seats in place and 1470L with the second row stowed, the petrol grades have a bit more space than the iX2 at 525L (all seats in place) and 1400L (second row lowered).

At just under 4.7m long (248mm longer than the A 45 S hatch), a bit under 1.9m wide, and fraction over 1.4m tall the A 45 S in the dimensional bullseye for a compact four-door.

The CLA A 45 S driver is presented with the same sleek 'MBUX' widescreen display found in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, and storage runs to two cupholders in the centre console, a lidded bin/armrest between the seats (including twin USB ports), decent door pockets with room for bottles and a medium-size glove box.

In a swap to the rear, sitting behind the driver's seat set to my (183cm) position, I enjoyed adequate knee and foot room, although headroom isn't as generous.

A centre fold-down armrest incorporates two cupholders, again there are generous pockets in the doors with room for bottles, and adjustable ventilation outlets are set into the back of the front centre console is a welcome inclusion. No map pockets on the racy, hard shell sports front seats, though.

There are three belted positions across the rear, but the adults using them for anything other than short journeys will have to be good friends and flexible. Best for two grown-ups, and three kids will be fine.

Boot volume is a healthy 460 litres (VDA), expanding further with the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat down. There are tie-down hooks, a 12-volt outlet and elasticised storage pockets either side of the load space to further enhance useability. But beware, the Merc-AMG CLA 45 S is a no-tow zone.

The new CLA 45 is launching in the premium S variant only (a 'base' non-S version is offered in other markets). The outgoing model was tagged at $93,800, before on-road costs, prior to its discontinuation in January this year, and Mercedes-Benz Australia has hinted strongly that a price increase is likely. So, expect a list price in the mid-$90k range.

We'll cover active and passive safety tech in the safety section, and although final Australian specification is yet to be confirmed you can expect the stand ard features list to include the 19-inch alloys, 'Artico' faux leather and 'Dinamica' microfibre trim upholstery, the 'MBUX' widescreen cockpit display (two 10.25-inch digital screens) and 'MercedesMe' voice recognition, heated and electrically-adjustable sports front seats, auto adaptive LED headlights, LED tail-lights and DRLs, keyless entry and start, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, dual-zone climate-control, sat-nav, multi-function sports steering wheel, active cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, Active Parking Assist' (with ultrasonic proximity sensors front and rear), rear privacy glass, plus premium audio with digital radio, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Each of the four grades come with a different powertrain, and the xDrive20i kicks it all off with its 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit, making 150kW of power and 300Nm of torque. It drives all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and can hit 100km/h in 7.4 seconds.

The xDrive M35i ups the fun factor with a gruntier 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol unit, driving all four wheels via the same transmission as the 20i, all while delivering power and torque of 233kW/400Nm This ensures a 0-100km/h dash of 5.4 seconds.

The iX2 eDrive20 is powered by a 150kW/247Nm electric motor on its front axle, and the iX2 xDrive 30 uses two motors - one on the front and one on the rear axle for all-wheel-drive traction. The total system output is 230kW and 494Nm and the xDrive30 gets to 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds.

The A 45 S's all-new 2.0-litre (M139) engine is claimed to be the most powerful series production turbo four ever made, pumping out 310kW at 6750rpm and a monumental 500Nm, peaking between 5000-5250rpm. . That's up from an already impressive 280kW/470Nm on the out-going model.

It's an all-alloy, closed deck design fed by a combined direct and port fuel-injection system, with a single, twin-scroll turbo featuring low-friction roller bearings for quick spool up.

It's transversely mounted, but compared to the previous model has been spun 1 80-degrees on its vertical axis so the turbo's near the firewall and the intake system sits at the front to simplify and shorten ducting on the intake and exhaust sides.

The cylinder linings are treated with Merc's patented 'Nanoslide' coating, which delivers an ultra-hard, mirror-like surface for less friction and greater durability. And 'Camtronic' variable valve control sits on the exhaust side.

Drive goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed 'AMG Speedshift DCT 8G' dual-clutch auto, with manual shift paddles attached to the steering wheel.

A fuel-use figure for the xDrive20i is yet to be confirmed, but the front-wheel-drive sDrive20i offered in Europe with a three-cylinder engine sips as little as six litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle. Expect the Australian version to be a little higher than that given it’s AWD and has a more potent engine.

The M35i consumes 7.7L/100km. 

The high-voltage 64.8kWh lithium-ion battery in the iX2 ensures a driving range on the WLTP cycle of between up to 477 kilometres in the eDrive20 and between 417 and 449km for the xDrive30. 

The latter has an energy efficiency range of 16.3 to 17.7kWh/100km, and BMW says you should be able to top up the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 29 minutes at a fast charging station.

That driving range is not bad compared with the Lexus UX300e and Peugeot e-2008, but not quite as impressive as the Volvo C40 twin-motor. 

I missed out on checking the energy efficiency figure of the iX2 xDrive30 following our drive, but after an 88km drive loop, the iX2’s range had dropped by 91km, which is just a 3km difference.

Claimed fuel economy to the combined cycle NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) standard is 8.1L/100km, the engine emitting 186g/km of CO2 in the process. Figures for the Australian (ADR 81/02) standard will be issued at the time of the car's local launch in early 2020.

Stop-start is standard, minimum fuel requirement is 98 RON premium unleaded, and you'll need 51 litres of it to fill the tank.

Our combination of furious hot-lapping on the circuit and relatively enthusiastic open road driving on the launch program means we'll wait until we test the car on home soil to log a real world average.

The M135i xDriveis undeniably quick off the mark. The lovely 2.0L turbo engine is well matched to the seven-speed dual-clutch and it’s responsive and willing from a standing start and when overtaking.

The engine sounds lovely too, although we suspect it’s amplified in the cabin, and steering is as sharp as it should be in a warmed-up performance SUV. We darted through some very twisty roads outside Lisbon and had quite a lot of fun in the process, so the M Performance badge is justified. 

I drove the previous-generation X2 M35i a few years back and was disappointed with the ride quality. It was quite jiggly on uneven road surfaces and way too firm.

While the new version still has a firm tune to aid dynamic driving, it is much more compliant than the old car and overall ride comfort has improved.

The iX2 is also quick off the mark and in xDrive30 guise is only 0.2sec slower to 100km/h than the M35i. 

That lively, smooth EV acceleration is present here, adding a sense of fun to the iX2.

It too has sharp steering, and the cabin is hushed. Not just because it’s an EV either. We were on coastal roads on a windy day and there was only a hint of wind noise in the cabin.

In some instances taking corners that had typical European walls or houses right up against the road, the iX2 would slow before I had a chance to tap the brakes. But it was hard to tell if that was a vehicle safety function, or the regenerative braking.

The ride in the iX2 was a bit of a mixed bag. It coped with some of the pockmarked roads exceptionally well, soaking up the imperfections. But then on other roads it was a little choppy.

It also bounces a little when you go over speed bumps, but that’s not exclusively an iX2 trait. I’ve felt it on many an EV, given the placement of the very heavy battery packs under the floor.

On the driving tech front, the X2 has a well executed head-up display projected directly onto the windscreen. It includes the speedo of course, nav guidance, a crystal clear display and more info. 

Mercedes-AMG invited us to the Jarama race circuit just outside Madrid in Central Spain, and the twisting B-roads nearby, to sample its latest pride and joy.

In the AMG tradition the engine is assembled by hand, by one technician. And hats off to the spanner twirlers, they do a great job. It's a spectacular unit. Torque delivery is shaped to mimic a naturally aspirated engine, with the maximum figure arriving between 5000-5250rpm.

But that's not to say it's hollow in the mid-range. Around 90 per cent of that peak number is available from below 3000rpm and low-end throttle response is brilliantly crisp and linear, helped in no small part by roller bearings on the turbo for a quicker spool up.

Merc-AMG claims 4.0 seconds for the sprint from 0-100km/h, which is supercar fast and with drive going to all four wheels entertainment is the name of the game.

The eight-speed dual-clutch auto is positive and sharp, especially in manual mode where shifts flick through in much less than the blink of an eye.

And as the A 45 S beefs up the A-Class on the outside, it's the same underneath the skin with body reinforcement including an alloy sheering plate under the engine, a front strut tower brace, extra reinforcement between side members and A-pillars, and diagonal struts on the front and rear of the underbody.

So, the strut front, four-link rear suspension has an extra stiff platform to hang from, and the three-mode 'Ride Control' active damping can transform the ride from soft and compliant to tightly buttoned down.

The speed-sensitive, electromechanical steering is specifically tuned for this car, and it points accurately with good road feel and pleasantly firm weight in Sport and Sport+ modes.

Rubber is Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, and it grips hard. On the fast and technical Jarama circuit they performed flawlessly, helping the A 45 S transform its prodigious power into maximum forward velocity without fuss.

The icing on the dynamic cake is 'AMG Dynamic Select' with six modes from 'Comfort' to 'Race' adjusting the engine, transmission, steering, suspension, and exhaust.

On top of that 'AMG Dynamics' uses the ESP and torque vectoring (by braking) to vary the level of stability and slip through four levels from 'Basic' up to 'Master'.

We played with all the toys including 'Race Start' and a 'Drift Mode' made possible by a new rear axle featuring two multi-disc clutches - one for each rear wheel.

Torque is split variably between front and rear axles with a default setting of 50/50 rising to around 70 per cent to the rear when pushing hard. Drive is also continuously managed across the rear axle, and like a swan gliding across the lake all the action happens seamlessly out of sight, turning you into a track hero in the process.

The first-gen A45's exhaust was a mass of pops, bangs and crackles, while this car's more rasping and rorty exhaust note is controlled by a flap in the system adjusted by engine speed and load. It's also amplified by the 'AMG Real Performance Sound' system, which puts some actual engine and exhaust noise (nothing is synthesised) through the speakers.

Open road ride comfort in the softest setting is surprisingly good, with rough surfaces unsettling the car only slightly despite the big 19s and high-performance rubber. Body control is S and S+ settings is spot-on, the car feeling planted, predictable and ultra-responsive on tight, twisting backroads.

Braking power is professional grade with six-piston calipers at the front and single piston rear, on vented and perforated rotors all around. Even following session after session on the track there wasn't a hint of fade.

Although final Australian spec is yet to be finalised, you can expect a host of active safety tech including ABS, BA, EBD, stability and traction controls, a reversing camera (with dynamic guidelines), 'Active Brake Assist' (Merc-speak fo AEB), 'Adaptive Brake', 'Attention Assist', 'Blind Spot Assist', 'Cross-wind Assist', 'Lane Keep Assist', a tyre pressure warning system, the 'Pre-Safe' accident anticipatory system, 'Traffic Sign Assist' and 'Adaptive Highbeam Assist'.

If all that fails to prevent an impact you'll be protected by nine airbags (front, pelvis and window for driver and front passenger, side airbags for rear seat occupants and a driver's knee bag), and the 'Active Bonnet' automatically tilts to minimise pedestrian injuries. A first-aid kit and hi-vis vests in the boot are thoughtful additions.

The A-Class was awarded a maximum five ANCAP stars in 2018, and for smaller occupants there are three child restraint/baby capsule top tether points across the back seat, with isofix anchors on the two outer positions.

The X2 range is covered by BMW’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty - something the German giant only increased from three years back in 2022. This is now the minimum standard.

The battery warranty for the iX2 is eight years or 160,000 kilometres. 

BMW does not have scheduled servicing terms, instead, servicing is condition-based and the car’s computer will alert the driver when to book in for a service.

A five-year servicing package will cost you $3171 for the petrol X2s, while the iX2 is $2186 for six years.

The Mercedes-AMG range is covered by a three year/unlimited km warranty, which, like Audi and BMW lags behind the mainstream market where the majority of players are now at five years/unlimited km, with some at seven years.

On the upside, Mercedes-Benz Road Care assistance is included in the deal for three years.

Service is likely to be scheduled (as per the out-going CLA 45) for 12 months/20,000km (whichever comes first) with pricing available on an 'Up-front' or 'Pay-as-you-go' basis.

For the first-gen CLA 45 pre-payment delivers a $500 saving with the first three services set at a total of $2950, compared to $3650 PAYG. Fourth and fifth services are also available for pre-purchase.