Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class CLS250 2013 Review

The original Mercedes-Benz CLS was credited with inventing the luxury four-door coupe body style, and the current generation remains the most successful in its field.

Its curves were seemingly inspired by the Sydney Opera House. But compared with the muscles of BMW’s 6 Series Gran Coupe or the awkward shape of the Porsche Panamera, the CLS has a certain elegance that rivals Mercedes’ flagship S-Class, and could even distract eyes from the big British saloons.

However, unlike its direct competition, the CLS range’s breadth of drivetrain and specification means the ticket to CLS ownership costs less than you might think.

VALUE

See the entry CLS 250 CDI model tested here, with a $119,900 pricetag that significantly undercuts the entry $184,445 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe 640i and $196,700 Porsche Panamera diesel on price.

It also halves the ask for the bullet-fast CLS 63 AMG flagship, but still sits $20,000 above the similarly-equipped E-Class sedan the CLS shares much of its underpinnings with.

The 250 CDI does lack the outright performance of the entry BMW and Porsche  four-door coupes, but it does come with plenty of luxuries, including leather and wood trim, sunroof, front seats with memory, 7 inch multimedia system with satnav and hard drive storage, bluetooth audio and telephone, dual-zone climate control, speed-limiting cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and reversing camera, proximity keys, xenons, 18-inch alloys and a powered bootlid. Our tester was optioned with 19 inch alloys and metallic paint, pushing its price closer to the 130 thousand mark.

DESIGN

The CLS’s beauty is not without compromise, with slightly less headroom inside than an E Class, and a slightly smaller boot with a shallower opening. There’s also one fewer seat in the rear, with the centre seat making way for a Maybach-esque console with an ornate wooden roll-top lid. It may not be the ideal family saloon, but the CLS is significantly more practical than any two-door coupe.

ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION

Under CLS 250 CDI’s bonnet is Mercedes’ 150kW/500Nm 2.1 litre four cylinder turbodiesel, and despite its diminutive capacity there’s plenty of go to match the show. Mercedes claims a 7.5 second 0-100km/h acceleration figure, which is plenty for comfortable progress within Australian speed limitations.

The familiar 7G-Tronic seven speed auto shifts with organ-stop refinement, and is delightfully matched to the turbodiesel’s torque delivery. A switchable stop/start function helps it achieve a very impressive 5.2L/100km combined fuel figure.

SAFETY

Standard safety items include 11 airbags, traction and stability control, driver fatigue detection, radar collision warning, lane guidance, blind spot monitoring, and active seatbelt tensioning for the front seats.

DRIVING

Out on the road, the CLS is as quiet and comfortable as you’d expect from a high-end Merc, and its steering, braking and handling do not disappoint. The optional 19 inch wheels make a for a sharper ride than likely with the standard 18s, but it’s still lovely over most surfaces.

You can hear and feel a degree of diesel grumble under acceleration, but its torque surge and efficiency cannot be matched by a petrol engine of its size. The 250 CDI is an ideal tool for covering vast distances, but is hardly sluggish when faced with urban point-to-point duty. 

VERDICT

The comfort, features and capability of the CLS 250 CDI does make you question the value of the V6 and V8 engines available far further up the CLS price scale, particularly given the value of demerit points these days. The 250 CDI is by no means cheap, but it’s a value buy as a rolling piece of art.

Mercedes-Benz CLS 250 CDI
Price: from $119,900
Engine: 2.1 litre four-cyl turbodiesel; 150kW/500Nm
Transmission: 7-speed auto; RWD
Thirst: 5.2L/100km; 137g/km