2021 Mercedes AMG CLA35

 
 

For this week’s review we’ve gotten our hands on the 2021 Mercedes AMG CLA35. It is one of the most attainable AMGs you can get but does it live up to the Mercedes AMG reputation?

Disclosure: Mercedes Benz Canada provided me with the 2021 Mercedes AMG CLA35 for a week to test drive, and photograph. All photos in this blog post was taken by me. #MercedesAMGCLA35

ACCELERATION: 8.5/10

  • 2.0L inline-4 turbo AMG Enhanced

  • 302 HP @ 5800 / 295 lb-ft @ 3000

  • AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed dual-clutch

  • 0-100km in 4.7 seconds

  • If you want a faster version check out the CLA45 but this is more than enough for most people

BRAKING: 8.5/10

  • 106 ft to stop from 60 mph to 0

  • This is very good even though there is other versions of the CLA that can stop even shorter.

HANDLING: 8.5/10

  • Handling is sharp and steering is instant

RIDE: 7/10

  • Adaptive suspensions help with comfort but the seats are very firm which will reduce in delivering a comfortable ride when on rougher roads.

ECONOMY: 8.5/10

  • 23/29/25 MPG (City/Highway/Combined)

  • For a vehicle that can rip, the fuel economy is great imo!

CABIN NOISE: 6/10

  • Low profile tire, pumped in audio, and road noise lets in a bit too much sound into the cabin

EXTERIOR: 8/10

  • Rear bumpers look pretty strange

  • Styling looks like a coupe with the sloping rear roof

  • Vents are not fully functional

INTERIOR FOR DRIVER: 8.5/10

  • Seats are pretty firm plus they are heated and ventilated

  • Shifts are quick and exhaust sounds great even though it has some of it pumped in via the speakers

  • Center console storage is a bit small

  • I like this generation of the steering wheel with physical buttons and the rotary dials to assign custom toggles

  • Interior styling is really nice and would appeal to the younger folks

  • I like how there is still quite a bit of physical buttons. If you saw my S580 review, we may expect to see a direction towards all touch controls which is a bit tricky to work with while drive driving.

INTERIOR FOR PASSENGERS: 6.5/10

  • Headroom is pretty limited due to the sloping roofline. As someone who isn’t very tall, my head is touching

  • Knee room is pretty tight too, tall passengers wouldn't t have fun back here!

  • Seats fold down in a 40/60 fashion with a ski pass through

  • Large middle hump that could make it unpleasant to fit 3 passengers in the 2nd row

INTERIOR STORAGE:7/10

  • 12 Cu Ft

  • Power lift trunk

  • Additional storage under the load floor

  • Opening is pretty small and the power lift hinge could make it tricky getting bulky items in

OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE 2021 Mercedes AMG CLA35:

The 2021 CLA35 really gets the adrenaline going and it is one of the most attainable AMGs. Despite being an entry level AMG, it’s actually a lot of fun to drive, and feels so quick. The CLA uses the A-Class underpinnings but offers more power and trunk space, making it slightly more practical.

The CLA35 engine is capable of 302HP & 295 lb-ft torque. If you desire more power level up to the CLA45 with 382HP & 354 lb-ft. In Europe they have a CLA45S variant which is packing 415HP which is crazy for such a small car! That being said this car has plenty of power, feel is very nice and driving this car makes me wonder if I need the higher end variants. I had a blast driving it.

The CLA35 is a great option for driving enthusiast to get as their first AMG.

 
 
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