Citroen C4 vs Mercedes-Benz CLS53

What's the difference?

It’s weird, wonderful and fun, in more ways that one. I think every segment could use an oddball alternative like the C4. Citroen has successfully transformed it from a hatch to a small SUV with a difference. It’s not going to be for everyone – few Citroens are – but those who are willing to take a chance will be rewarded with a surprisingly competitive little package that stands apart from the crowd.

Comfortable when it needs to be and sporty when you want it to be, the CLS 53 is a bit like Mercedes’ Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde – or maybe Bruce Banner and the Hulk is a better frame of reference for some.

While it doesn’t excel in any one particular area, its breadth of useability is commendable, but ultimately it might be its all-too-familiar aesthetics that is the biggest letdown.

From the inside, it looks and feels like any other large Mercedes model (not necessarily a criticism), while the exterior – in my opinion – doesn’t go far enough to differentiate it from the CLA.

After all, if you wanted a stylish and sporty sedan, shouldn’t feel special too?

It’s really hard to stand out in Australia’s busy marketplace, especially in this small SUV space, where there doesn’t really seem to be as much of a design rulebook as there is in other segments.

Rooflines are wildly different, as are beltines and light profiles. While some may decry the fall of the hatchback to these more high-riding options, at least some of them are bringing fresh design ideas to the car world.

Our C4 is a great example. An SUV perhaps in profile only, it sports a slinky descending roofline, tall, contoured bonnet, a frowny-face LED profile, and characterful plastic claddings, which are a continuation of Citroen’s ‘Airbump’ elements, which gave cars like the previous-generation C4 Cactus such a unique look.

The rear is this car’s most confronting angle, with a post-modern approach to the light profile, and in reference to C4s past, a spoiler integrated into the rear tailgate.

It looks cool, contemporary, and I think is successful in its aim to blend the sporty elements from the hatch world with the sought-after high-riding elements of an SUV.

It certainly caught a few eyeballs in my time with it, and if nothing else, a bit of attention is something the Citroen brand desperately needs.

In the past you could rely on this brand to give you a funky interior, but one that sadly also came with its fair share of sub-par plastics and strange ergonomic. So I’m pleased to report that the new C4 dips into the better looking and feeling Stellantis parts catalogue for a still interesting yet more coherent experience this time around.

The modern look and feel of this car continues with interesting seat designs, a high-riding dash with a higher degree of digitization than before, and improved ergonomic features (even over some notable Peugeots). We’ll talk more about those in the practicality section, but the C4 feels as weird and different from behind the wheel as you’d hope , with an odd dash profile, a fun and minimalist steering yoke, and attention-to-detail elements, like a detail strip that runs through the door trims and across the seats.

These elements are welcome and help separate this Citroen from its Peugeot siblings. It will need this going forward, as it also now shares much of its switchgear and screens with its sister brand.

This is largely a good thing, with the 10-inch screen looking and feeling good and slotting into this car’s design nicely.

Mercedes’ homogenised design is a bit of a double-edged sword, and while the CLS does wear its styling confidently, it probably looks a little too much like the cheaper and much smaller CLA for our tastes.

Both are swoopy four-door coupes from Mercedes-Benz, so of course there will be some similarities, but keen-eyed car spotters will notice some differences.

While the proportions are similar, the longer wheelbase and bonnet line gives the CLS a more mature look, and the extra details found in the head- and tail-lights, and front bumper stand it apart.

The changes to the 2022 version also brings in AMG’s 'Panamericana' front grille, which adds a bit of welcome aggression to the front end.

From the side, the steeply raked roof flows seamlessly into the rear, while the 20-inch wheels fill out the arches well.

All four doors are also frameless, which is always cool to see.

From the rear, quad-exhaust tips hint at the CLS’s sporty intentions, while a prominent rear diffuser and subtle boot lid spoiler also feature.

Inside, the biggest change to the CLS is now the inclusion of the MBUX multimedia system, which keeps it in line with the E-Class, C-Class and other Mercedes models.

AMG sports seats are also fitted, wrapped in Nappa leather and 'Dinamica' fabric upholstery for all pews.

Our test car also came fitted with red contrast stitching and seat belts, adding a racy streak to the CLS cabin.

Have to point out the new steering wheel that comes with the 2022 CLS, though, which mirrors the tiller offered in the new E-Class, and is a step back in terms of functionality.

It looks premium enough thanks to its chunky leather-wrapped rim and gloss black dual-spoke design, but using the buttons, especially when on the move, is difficult and unergonomic.

This design is definitely function over form, and might need a few more revisions to get it right.

Overall, we’d say the CLS is a good-looking car, but does play it a bit too safe with its styling?

The C4 brings some interesting practicality elements. There are a few areas where it’s even better than the improved layouts of recent Peugeot models.

The cabin feels spacious, with the C4’s relatively long wheelbase providing ample room in both rows. Adjustability is good for the driver, although it is worth noting that the seats have an odd blend of manual adjust for sliding fore and aft, contrasted with electrical adjust for seat height and tilt.

Comfort is superb from the memory-foam stuffed and thick synthetic-leather-clad seats. I don’t know why more cars don’t adopt this approach to seat design. You sink into these seats and are left feeling like you’re floating above the ground rather than sitting on something. The feeling here is unmatched in the small SUV space.

The massage function is a wholly unnecessary addition, and with the thick seat cladding, it didn’t really add much to the experience.

The seat bases aren’t too high either, unlike some cars in the SUV class, but the dash design itself is very tall, so people shorter than my 182cm height might find extra adjustment is required to see over the bonnet.

There are large bottle holders in each door with a very small bin; dual cupholders in the centre console, and a small armrest console box.

There’s also an odd little two-tiered shelf under the climate unit, with a removable base for extra storage underneath. It seems to me that the top shelf is a missed opportunity to place a wireless charger, although connectivity is handy with the choice of USB-C or USB 2.0 to connect to the wired phone mirroring.

A big win is the presence of a full dial set for not just volume but the climate unit too. This is something the Citroen scores over some of the new Peugeots, which have moved the climate functions to the screen.

Somewhat less wonderful are the digital dash cluster and holographic head-up display. These seem to be a bit redundant in the information they display to the driver, and the digital dash has no customisation, leaving me wondering what the point of it is.

The C4 also has some interesting innovations on the front passenger side. It has an unusually large glovebox and a neat little sliding tray, which looks like something from a Bond car.

It also has a slide-out tablet holder. This odd little thing lets you securely mount a tablet to the dash to provide a multimedia solution for the front passenger, which may be good for entertaining larger kids on longer journeys. Or adults who don't want to talk to the driver. It’s a neat inclusion, but I’m not sure how many people will use it in the real world.

The back seat offers a remarkable amount of room. I’m 182cm tall and had heaps of knee room behind my own driving position. The nice seat trims continue, as does the patternwork and detailing, which is the kind of attention to detail you don’t always get from rivals.

Headroom is a little limited, but you also score dual adjustable air vents and a single USB port.

The boot comes in at a hatch-sized 380-litres (VDA). It’s a neat, square shape with no little cutaways at the sides and is just big enough to fit our full CarsGuide demo luggage set, but leaves no room to spare. The C4 features a space-saver spare wheel under the floor.

Measuring 4994mm long, 1896mm wide, 1425mm tall and with a 2939mm wheelbase, the CLS slots neatly between the E-Class and S-Class in size and positioning.

Up front, occupants are afforded ample room for head, legs and shoulders, while the electronically adjustable seats make it easy to find a comfortable position.

The steering wheel also features a telescoping function – an always appreciated feature – and the expansive glasshouse makes things feel open and airy.

Storage options include a deep door pocket, a cubby found under the armrest, two cupholders and a smartphone tray with wireless charging capabilities.

It’s a different story in the second row, though, as the sloping roofline does noticeably eat away at headroom.

Don’t get me wrong, a six-foot-tall (183cm) adult can still slide in there fine, but the roof is dangerously close to the touching the top of the head.

Leg- and shoulder-room is pretty good in the outboard seats though, while the middle position is compromised by the intrusive transmission tunnel.

In the second row, passengers have access to a bottle holder in the door, a fold-down armrest with cupholders, backseat map pockets and two air vents.

Opening the boot reveals a cavity offering 490 litres of volume, with an aperture wide enough to fit golf clubs or luggage for a weekend getaway for four adults.

The rear seats also fold in a 40/20/40 split fashion, but Mercedes-Benz is yet to detail how much volume is on offer with the rear seats down. And as a traditional sedan, the CLS is less practical than the liftback Audi S7.

When the third-generation Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class hit Australian showrooms in 2018, it was available in three flavours, but the 2022 refresh has trimmed the line-up to just one – the top-spec AMG-tuned CLS 53.

The discontinuation of the entry-level CLS350 and mid-tier CLS450 means the CLS-Class now kicks off at $188,977, before on-road costs, which makes it more expensive than rivals like the Audi S7 ($162,500) and Maserati Ghibli S GranSport ($175,000).

With BMW ditching the 6 Series, the Bavarian brand doesn’t offer a direct rival to the Mercedes-AMG CLS 53, but its bigger 8 Series is offered in a Gran Coupe body style that starts at $179,900.

So, what does Mercedes include in the CLS’s asking price?

Standard equipment includes interior ambient lighting, a head-up display, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, power-adjustable and heated front seats, woodgrain interior trim, powered boot lid, rear privacy glass, push-button start, keyless entry, and a sunroof.

As an AMG model, the 2022 CLS is also fitted with a unique steering wheel, sports seats, illuminated door sills, drive mode selector, 20-inch wheels, a performance exhaust, boot lid spoiler and blacked-out exterior package.

Handling multimedia duties is a 12.3-inch 'MBUX' (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) touchscreen, with functions including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, digital radio, a wireless charger, satellite navigation and a 13-speaker Burmester sound system.

It’s a long and fully-featured equipment list, for sure, and it’s so extensive that there aren’t really any options available.

Buyers can opt for an 'AMG Exterior Carbon Fibre Package', power-closing doors, and different finishes for the exterior paint, interior trim and seat upholstery – that’s it!

While its nice that everything you’d want comes included in the asking price, it’s hard to ignore the fact that its Audi S7 rival is more than $20,000 cheaper, but also well equipped.

The C4’s single trim level has a single engine, and it’s a good one; a peppy 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo.

It appears elsewhere in the Stellantis catalogue and has been refreshed for the 2022 model year with a new turbo and other small refinements. In the C4 it produces 114kW/240Nm and drives the front wheels via an Aisin-sourced eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

No dual-clutches or CVTs to be found here. This sounds good to me, but is it good to drive? You’ll have to read on to find out.

Powering the Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 is a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, punching out 320kW/520Nm to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission and Merc's '4Matic+' AWD system.

A 48-volt mild-hybrid system, known as 'EQ Boost', is also fitted that serves up to 16kW/250Nm from take-off.

The result is a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.5 seconds, keeping it on pace with the likes of the 331kW/600Nm Audi S7 (4.6s) and 390kW/750Nm 250kW/500Nm BMW 840i Gran Coupe (5.2s).

While not as brutish as AMG’s eight-cylinder engine, the straight six strikes a great balance between pace and poise that perfectly suits a model like the CLS 53.

Despite the little turbocharged engine and the abundance of ratios in that transmission, the Citroen C4 disappointed me a little bit when it came to real-world consumption.

The official/combined consumption sounds reasonable at just 6.1L/100km, but after a week of driving in what I would consider realistic combined conditions my car returned 8.4L/100km.

While it’s not terrible in the wider context of small SUVs (a segment that is still packed with naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engines), it could be better.

The C4 also needs at least mid-shelf 95RON unleaded fuel and has a 50-litre fuel tank.

Official fuel consumption numbers for the CLS 53 are pegged at 9.2 litres per 100km, while we managed an average of 12.0L/100km in our launch drive.

All of our driving was relegated to country back roads and high-trafficked urban areas however, with no consistent freeway driving.

We’ll reserve judgement on how accurate the fuel economy figures are until after we’ve had the car for longer, but the EQ Boost system is designed to help keep consumption down by being able to coast the engine in particular situations.

Driving the C4 is an interesting experience because it approaches the road a little differently from most of its rivals.

It really leans into Citroen’s newfound comfort-focused niche with the seating and suspension. This results in an overall experience that is a bit unique in the market, and quite pleasant, too.

The ride really is quite good. It’s not a fully hydraulic system but has dual-stage dampers that essentially smooth out corrugations and much of the nasty stuff that comes into contact with the tyres.

It’s odd because you can hear the big alloys crashing about on the road, but ultimately you feel little of it in the cabin. What’s more impressive is Citroen has managed to imbue the C4 with this floating-on-the-road feeling, while maintaining enough of a ‘real’ driving position to make it feel like you’re sitting in the car and not on it.

The overall result is impressive. The comfort extends to the seats, as mentioned, which really do still feel floaty and supportive even after hours on the road. It also extends to the steering, which has a very light tune. This is a bit unsettling at first, as it feels like it has a large dead-zone in the centre, but it is also speed dependent, so once you’re cruising it regains a significant amount of feel. You can also manually bring back a bit of firmness by setting this car to its Sport drive mode, which is unusually good.

This means you can have an ease of operation in tight quarters while maintaining enough feel to make it fun to drive when you need to ask more of it. Clever.

Speaking of fun, the revised 1.2-litre three-pot is a hoot. It has a distant but entertaining gruff tone under pressure, and surges forward with just enough urgency to not leave you really wanting for power.

It’s not what I would call quick, but it has a raucous attitude paired with a well-behaved torque converter auto to make it truly entertaining. When you push it, there’s a moment of turbo lag followed by a lump of torque, which the transmission lets you ride out before decisively snapping into the next gear. I like it.

Again, it's not quick, but it punches just enough above its weight to leave you with a smile when you stick your boot in. To have that in a car otherwise so focused on comfort is an unexpected pleasure.

The dash cluster could use some work, as could visibility out of the cabin. The small aperture out the rear and tall dash line could leave some drivers feeling a bit claustrophobic. While the engine is fun to engage with, the turbo lag could potentially be a source for annoyance at times, too.

Brief negatives aside, I think the C4's drive experience really brings something unique, fun, and comfortable to the small SUV space.

There are certain expectations on a vehicle when it wears a Mercedes badge, namely it should be comfortable to drive while also dripping with the latest tech. And here the large four-door coupe delivers in spades.

Driving the car is smooth, easy and comfortable when in its default drive setting, you can really sink into the CLS and just eat up the miles in comfort.

There are small niggles, like the 20-inch wheels and low-profile tyres (245/35 front and 275/30 rear) throw up a bit too much road noise into the cabin, but for the most part, around town, the CLS is serene, supple and supremely soothing.

However, switch it over to Sport or Sport+ and the steering gets a bit heavier, the throttle response a bit sharper, and the suspension a bit stiffer.

Does it transform the CLS into a sports car? Not quite, but it certainly dials up driving engagement to a level where you can really have some fun.

Though this isn’t a full-fat AMG in the same vein as an E63 S and doesn’t feature the ubiquitous 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, the CLS 53’s 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine is still plenty potent.

Coming away off the line feels particularly brisk, likely due to the EQ Boost system adding a bit of poke, and even flat-footing it mid-corner delivers a noticeable surge of urgency from the creamy straight six.

However, the best of the CLS 53 experience, in my opinion, is actually the sound, with the exhaust letting off the right sort of pops and crackles in Sport+ mode on overrun.

It’s rude and obnoxious, but also completely surprising coming from the motoring equivalent of a three-piece dress suit – and I love it!

The brakes are also up to task for scrubbing speed, but our relatively brief time with the car was in extremely wet conditions, so the 4Matic+ AWD system was hugely appreciated.

The Mercedes-Benz CLS is yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, which means there is no official crash-test rating that applies to local market vehicles.

However, the standard safety equipment list is extensive, and covers autonomous emergency braking (AEB), nine airbags, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, tyre pressure monitoring, a surround-view camera, route-based speed recognition and lane-change assist.

The rear seats also feature two ISOFIX mounting points for child seats.

Ownership has always been a tough topic for unusual Euros like the C4, and that seems to continue here. While Citroen offers a competitive five-year and unlimited-kilometre warranty for all its new products, it’s the service costs that will hurt the most.

While most Japanese and Korean brands are competing to really keep these numbers down, the C4’s average yearly cost, according to the provided schedule, comes in at an average of $497 for the first five years. That’s nearly double the cost of Toyota’s C-HR!

The C4 Shine will need to see a service centre once a year or every 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

Like all new Mercedes-Benz models sold in 2021, the CLS 53 comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist over that period.

This outclasses the assurance period offered by BMW, Porsche and Audi (three-year/unlimited kilometre), and matches that available from Jaguar, Genesis and Lexus, who recently upgraded their offering.

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

The first three planned services will set buyers back $3150, broken down as $700, $1100 and $1350 apiece.