Gac Emzoom vs Mercedes-Benz CLA45

What's the difference?

GAC isn’t messing around with the Emzoom Luxury. It’s undeniably eye-catching, priced well and carries just enough of a premium aesthetic to draw attention.

Is it the best small SUV I’ve driven? No. It does enough to avoid being overlooked, but it’s not quite reinventing the wheel.

What it does well is deliver a comfortable, easy urban runaround with strong equipment for the price. However, the safety calibration and overall breadth of systems feel like areas that still need attention.

All up, it gets a lot right for the money, but doesn’t quite land a knockout punch.

The new CLA 45 S has knockout performance to match its knockout looks, neither of which are much of a surprise given the ingredients involved.

That said, it is far from perfect, with questions raised over its value and practicality. And for those reasons, we’d be buying the A 45 S hatch instead.

Is the new CLA 45 S worth such a hefty premium over its non-S predecessor? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Up front, the Emzoom offers the most space and it’s where it feels most comfortable. The seats are supportive enough for longer trips, and while only the driver’s side is electrically adjustable, that’s not unusual at this price point. Wide door apertures make getting in and out easy and there’s enough elbow room so it doesn’t feel cramped.

In the rear, space is also surprisingly generous for the segment. The flat floor helps with legroom and headroom remains good despite the panoramic sunroof.

Storage is well thought through and generous. Up front, there’s a glove box, a deep centre console and a dual-phone tray that incorporates a ventilated wireless charging pad. There are two cupholders and a drink holder in each door storage bin. You also get an additional shelf underneath with both USB-A and USB-C ports, which helps keep cables and clutter out of the way.

In the rear, amenities are solid, with rear air vents, a fold-down armrest with two cupholders, map pockets and even small device pockets for added practicality. There's a drink bottle holder in each door and a single USB-A port behind the centre console.

Around the back, the boot offers a wide opening and a level load space, making it easy to use day-to-day. Capacity sits at 341 litres, which is enough for a weekly grocery run or a weekend away. There’s a spare tyre tucked under the floor and a powered tailgate is standard.

The tech is easy to live with, too. The media system is intuitive with clear graphics and a responsive touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay connects quickly without fuss, and there’s also wireless Android Auto. Sound quality from the six-speaker system is crisp and the digital radio and Bluetooth hold a steady connection (where some rivals can struggle).

Measuring 4693mm long, 1857mm wide and 1413mm tall, the CLA45 S is actually similar in size to a C-Class but not quite as practical.

Cargo capacity is pretty good, at 460L, but can be increased via the 40/20/40 split-fold three-seat rear bench stowed – an action that can be performed via the boot’s manual release latches, although it doesn’t tumble forward by its lonesome.

Speaking of the boot, four tie-down points are on hand for to help loose loads alongside two side storage nets. Bulkier items will have to contend with a tall load lip. That said, the boot’s aperture is much wider than before, which is good news.

In-cabin storage options are okay, with the glove box decently sized and the map pockets of the net variety, while the central bin is fairly average, although it does house two USB-C ports.

There’s also a standard sunglasses holder and a cubby in front of the centre console’s two cupholders. It isn’t that useful, though, as the wireless smartphone charger takes up most of space alongside a USB-C port and a 12V power outlet.

The front door bins can accommodate two regular bottles each, while their counterparts in the rear take only one apiece. That said, the second row does have a fold-down armrest with another pair of (flimsy) cupholders.

Rear occupants don’t have a whole lot of room to play with, though. Legroom behind my 184cm driving position is pretty decent, at around four centmetres, but headroom is not. In fact, it’s non-existent sitting upright, with the panoramic sunroof not helping matters.

Toe-room is also at a premium alongside precious footwell space, which is reduced by the tall transmission tunnel. As such, the second row is best for up to two adults or three children at a time.

And if there are three occupants abreast, they’ll have to compete for the two USB-C ports, which are located in a fold-out cubby below the central air vents at the rear of the centre console.

For reference, child seats can be fitted in the second row thanks to top-tether and ISOFIX anchorage points, although both are only available for the outboard seats.

Priced from $111,200 plus on-road costs, the CLA 45 S is a staggering $20,530 dearer than its non-S predecessor. Yep, it’s a hard number to digest at first, but Mercedes-AMG says the premium is justified due to a significant step-up in specification.

Standard equipment not already mentioned includes dusk-sensing lights, rain-sensing wipers, a tyre repair kit, power-folding side mirrors with heating, rear privacy glass, satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, digital radio, a 590W Burmester sound system with 12 speakers, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, power-adjustable front seats with heating, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and LED ambient lighting.

Key options include the $2490 'AMG Aerodynamics Package' (high-gloss black front splitter, aero flics and larger bootlid lip spoiler), $3290 'AMG High Performance Seat Package', $790 cooled front seats and $790 'Communications Package' (windshield-projected head-up display). Only the latter was fitted to our test vehicle alongside no-cost 'Polar White' paint.

The CLA 45 S only has one direct rival, the $86,500 Audi RS3 sedan, although the $106,900 BMW M2 Competition coupe is more or less in the same league. Either way, the CLA 45 S is in another league when it comes to price and performance.

But you could also opt for its A 45 S hatch sibling for ‘just’ $93,600…

The Emzoom Luxury is front-wheel drive and powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 125kW and 270Nm.

That gives it a slight edge over the GWM Haval Jolion, which sits at 105kW and 210Nm and puts it more in line with the MG ZS Vibe Turbo and Kia Seltos Sport+. On paper at least, it’s competitive for the segment and suggests there’s enough performance on tap for daily driving.

It’s paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. Around town, it can feel a little clunky at lower speeds, particularly in stop-start traffic, but it settles down as you pick up pace and feels much smoother on the open road.

The CLA45 S is motivated by the most potent series-production four-cylinder engine yet.

The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol unit punches out an astounding 310kW of power at 6750rpm and a significant 500Nm of torque from 5000-5250rpm – a marked 30kW/25Nm improvement over its non-S predecessor.

It’s also worth noting Mercedes-AMG performed “torque shaping” to make the new engine’s output delivery (or curve) akin to that of a naturally aspirated unit. This attitude also led to a screaming redline of 7200rpm.

An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is responsible for swapping gears, while Mercedes-AMG’s fully variable '4Matic+' system sends drive to all four wheels, although it does have a 'Drift Mode' that effectively disengages the front axle.

With the help of standard launch control the CLA 45 S sprints from a standstill to 100km/h in four seconds flat, while its top speed is electronically limited to 270km/h.

The Emzoom Luxury has a 47-litre fuel tank and a claimed combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) consumption figure of 6.6L/100km, which gives it a theoretical driving range of up to 712km. That’s more than enough to comfortably get through a week of mixed driving.

In the real world, my trip computer returned 6.2L/100km after a mix of mostly urban driving and a longer highway run. That’s a strong result and reinforces its credentials as an easy urban runabout.

Fuel consumption on the combined-cycle test (ADR 81/02) is 8.9 litres per 100 kilometres for the CLA 45 S, while its claimed carbon dioxide emissions are 202 grams per kilometre. Both are pretty keen given the level of performance on offer.

In our real-world testing, we averaged 12.0L/100km over 270km of driving evenly split between city traffic and highways. This result was somewhat inflated by some ‘spirited’ driving but is certainly something we can learn to accept.

For reference, the 51L fuel tank in the CLA 45 S takes 98 RON premium unleaded petrol at minimum.

On the road, the Emzoom has enough power to feel spritely and capable, whether you’re darting around town or merging onto the highway. That said, the way it delivers that power at lower speeds can feel a little inconsistent. There were moments where lifting off the accelerator didn’t translate to an immediate response, with the car continuing to surge forward briefly. Which made for a few 'eek…' moments during the week.

Handling is on the sharper side for the segment. The steering and suspension are well judged, giving it a slightly zippy, eager feel through corners without tipping into harshness. Braking, however, can feel a touch spongy underfoot, which takes away from that otherwise confident set-up.

Visibility is a mixed bag. Thick pillars, a relatively low window line and a small rear view can make it feel hemmed in from the driver’s seat. Though, the blind-spot camera feed popping up on the display takes some of the guesswork out of lane changes.

Ride comfort is solid overall. It handles bumps well enough, and a longer drive proved comfortable, although there is a low level of road noise that creeps in at higher speeds.

Where the Emzoom really shines is around town. It’s easy to manoeuvre, with an 11.2-metre turning circle that makes tight streets and car parks feel manageable. The 360-degree camera system is clear and makes parking a relatively stress-free experience.

When it comes to sheer driving pleasure, the CLA 45 S is a huge step-up over its non-S predecessor.

Of course, the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine will steal all the headlines, and rightfully so; it’s the most potent unit in its class by some margin.

In reality, it absolutely slaps. Simply put, acceleration is addictive, and not just because of the outputs, but also the way in which they’re delivered.

The CLA 45 S does its best impression of natural aspiration, and I can’t help but award it an automotive Oscar.

Don’t get me wrong, performance is still strong down low (despite a hint of turbo lag), with it progressively building into, and through, a hard-hitting mid-range before reaching a knockout top end that you’ll want to revisit time and time again.

That said, it does take two to tango, and what a dancing partner the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is.

It’s almost flawless, with its gear changes stereotypically super quick but uncharacteristically buttery smooth at the same time.

Responsiveness is another strong point, although it does sometimes have difficulty recognising when the fun is over, as it can hold onto the short lower gears for a little longer than necessary.

And despite our initial fears, the CLA 45 S is still very, very vocal, with its sports exhaust system serving up plenty of aural pleasure, albeit not quite as much as the original CLA 45.

The soundtrack is booming and is complemented by plenty of pops on downshifts and the overrun as well as frightening crackles when aggressively up-shifting . But these theatrics require the Sport Plus drive mode to be engaged, which opens up an all-important exhaust valve.

Given the level of performance on offer, you’d be right to assume the CLA 45 S has a firm ride, but it’s actually better balanced than most.

The 'AMG Ride Control' sports suspension on hand consists of MacPherson-strut front and multi-link rear axles with three-stage adaptive dampers, which progressively stiffen things up.

However, all is relatively comfortable, even in the stiffest setting. In fact, only sharper edges are felt. It’s more than liveable, especially considering the benefits of the trade-off.

Speaking of which, the CLA 45 S loves to eat up corners. Handling is more or less neutral when pushing hard, at which point its 1687kg kerb weight starts to be felt.

Nonetheless, body control is very strong, partially thanks to the reinforced chassis, with only a hint of roll encountered when cornering with intent.

A lot of the credit has to go the fully variable 4Matic+ all-wheel drive system with rear torque vectoring, which provides outstanding grip, even in the poorest of conditions.

In fact, it bestows such confidence you'll want to push harder to try and find the limits of adhesion. A staggering effort.

The CLA 45 S isn’t without its flaws, though, with the electric power steering on tap good but not great.

It’s speed-sensitive and has a variable ratio, which mean it’s pleasingly light in hand at low speed and noticeably heavier at high velocity, with the latter exacerbated when playing with the available drive modes.

Either way, it’s nice and direct and provides a good amount of feedback through the wheel, but we feel Mercedes-AMG could’ve taken it even further in these two departments to really mix it up with genuine sports cars.

What isn’t half-baked, though, is the 'AMG High Performance braking system', which consists of 360 x 36mm front and 330 x 22mm ventilated discs with six-piston fixed and single-piston floating red callipers respectively.

This set-up washes away speed with ease, instilling the driver with even more confidence when tackling a winding road, while pedal feel is good. Yep, the CLA 45 S decelerates nearly as well as it accelerates.

ANCAP awarded the CLA range (excluding CLA35 and CLA45 S) a maximum five-star rating in 2019.

Advanced driver-assist systems (impressively) extend to autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, active blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, high-beam assist, driver-attention alert, hill-start assist, tyre pressure monitoring, park assist, surround-view cameras and front and rear parking sensors. Yep, you’re not left wanting here.

Other standard safety equipment includes nine airbags (dual front, front and rear side, and curtain plus driver’s knee), the usual electronic traction and stability control systems, anti-skid brakes (ABS) and brake assist (BA), among others.

The Emzoom is offered with a seven-year/unlimited km warranty which is great for the class.

Service pricing has yet to be finalised for the Emzoom and for now the service network is tiny, with only around 10 centres nationwide but you can undergo authorised repairs through places like MyCar.

Like all Mercedes models, the CLA 45 S comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which sets the standard in the premium market. Better yet, five years of roadside assistance is also bundled in.

CLA 45 S service intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first. A three-year/60,000km capped-price servicing plan is available for $3750, which is not cheap. That said, its pricing can be reduced by $750 if paid upfront alongside the vehicle.