Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

The **Mercedes-Benz CLA** is a small luxury car made by Mercedes-Benz. It was first introduced in 2013. The CLA is known for its design, which looks like a four-door coupe. It shares its platform with the A-Class and the B-Class.

## First generation (C117; 2013-2019) 
The first-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA, produced between 2013 and 2019, is a compact luxury car designed as a four-door fastback coupe. It was based on the Concept Style Coupe, which Mercedes-Benz revealed in 2012 at the Avant/Garde Diaries event in Los Angeles and showcased at other events like Auto China. The CLA was built on the same platform as the W176 A-Class and W246 B-Class compact models. The production version was officially unveiled at the 2013 North American International Auto Show, with sales beginning in September of the same year. In 2017, the CLA underwent a facelift, which included updated headlights, taillights, and LED lighting features.

The CLA lineup also included a high-performance AMG variant, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45. This model featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged engine, producing up to 375 hp and 475 Nm of torque, allowing for a 0–100 km/h acceleration time of just 4.1 seconds. The AMG CLA also included distinctive styling elements like a front fascia, AMG sports seats, and a sport-tuned suspension.
## Second Generation (2019–present) 
The second-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA (C118) was introduced in January 2019 at the Consumer Electronics Show and is based on the Modular Front Architecture (MFA2) platform, shared with the A-Class, B-Class, GLB, and GLA. The C118 maintains the fastback shape and features updated design elements inspired by the larger CLS model. Compared to its predecessor, the C118 is longer, wider, and has a slightly lower height, with a 30 mm longer wheelbase.

The vehicle's underbody is nearly flat, contributing to a low drag coefficient of 0.23. The CLA uses MacPherson struts in the front and either a twist beam or multi-link rear suspension, with optional adaptive dampers. Inside, the CLA includes the MBUX infotainment system, with options for dual 7-inch or 10.25-inch displays and advanced driver assistance features such as adaptive cruise control and active brake assist.

The CLA Shooting Brake variant was launched in 2019 and offers increased cargo capacity. It has a drag coefficient of 0.26 and is not available in the U.S. or Australia. High-performance AMG models, including the AMG CLA35 and CLA45 S, are equipped with all-wheel drive, advanced dual-clutch transmissions, and specific driving modes. The CLA 250 e plug-in hybrid, available in coupe and estate forms, was introduced in 2020.

## Markets
The second-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA is sold in many global markets, including Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. and The CLA's high-performance AMG models, including the CLA35 and CLA45 S, are also marketed worldwide, with availability in regions like Europe, Asia, and North America. The CLA 250 e plug-in hybrid variant, is available as both a coupe and a Shooting Brake in select markets.

## Third generation (C178/174; 2025) 
The third-generation CLA, officially marketed as **CLA with EQ Technology**, was unveiled on 13 March 2025, firstly as a sedan. The CLA is the first model to be based on the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) platform. 

For the first time for Mercedes, the combustion-engine and battery electric models of the CLA feature identical designs for the exterior and interior, as well as sharing a model name. This marks the end to Mercedes’ strategy of entirely bespoke battery electric models being developed to sit alongside their combustion-engine equivalents, such as with the E-Class and EQE.

The battery models come with an 800-volt electrical architecture and advanced drive units with a two-speed transmission on the main drive at the rear axle. It can recharge up to  of range in just 10 minutes and fast DC charging up to 320 kW.

The Shooting Brake model was unveiled on 14 July 2025, as the first battery electric station wagon from Mercedes-Benz.

The third-generation CLA was awarded as the 2026 European Car of the Year, becoming the second Mercedes-Benz to won the European award after the Mercedes-Benz 450SE.

File:Mercedes-Benz C174 350 4Matic DSC 8536.jpg|2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4Matic (rear view)
File:Mercedes-Benz C174 250+ DSC 0675.jpg|2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+
File:Mercedes-Benz C174 250+ DSC 0676.jpg|2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ (rear view)
File:Mercedes-Benz C174 350 4Matic IAA 2025 DSC 2108.jpg|2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA 220 4Matic (ICE)
File:Mercedes-Benz X174 IAA 2025 DSC 2087.jpg|Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake
File:Mercedes-Benz X174 IAA 2025 DSC 1449.jpg|Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake (rear view)
File:Mercedes-Benz C174 IAA 2025 DSC 1829.jpg|Interior
File:MERCEDES-BENZ CLA LWB C174 China.jpg|Mercedes-Benz CLA L (China)
File:MERCEDES-BENZ CLA LWB C174 China (2).jpg|Mercedes-Benz CLA L (China; rear view)

### Exterior 
The third-generation CLA adopts Mercedes-Benz Sensual Purity design language and the design was inspired by the Concept CLA-Class previewed at the 2023 Munich Motor Show.

For the side, there are frameless doors and retractable flushed door handles. Mercedes-Benz engineers have tried to make use of additional headroom compared to its predecessor with a less of an inward curve to the side windows. All CLA models feature as standard a fixed panoramic glass roof helps to contribute for additional headroom for the rear occupants. The Shooting Brake has a lengthened roof from the B-pillar to include a full length panoramic glass roof made from heat insulated safety glass, it features 158 illuminated stars and an optional electrochromic function which changes the glass from clear to opaque.

The rear fascia has a GT-inspired design. It has star shaped LED taillights connected with a light band with coming-home and leaving-home lighting animations, gloss black rear diffuser and the numberplate is housed on the rear bumper. - marks the fourth MBUX generation, which is the first in-car infotainment system to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) from both Microsoft and Google. The MBUX Virtual Assistant based on ChatGPT4o, Google Gemini and Microsoft Bing.

The interior has the MBUX Superscreen that has a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The infotainment system features a Zero Layer mode shows the essential controls and information on the home screen, like the most recently used apps. The navigation system is based on Google Maps and the user interface from Mercedes-Benz. The MBUX Superscreen is also available with an additional 14-inch screen for the front passenger as an optional extra and the screen features eye-tracking technology to ensure the driver is not distracted. If not equipped with the front passenger screen, it is replaced with a glass panel with LED illuminated star logos matching the interior ambient lighting.

The sedan model has a boot capacity of , while the Shooting Brake model has a boot capacity of . The CLA with EQ Technology is the first Mercedes-Benz with a frunk of  since the Mercedes-Benz 130 from the 1930s.

### Safety 
The third-generation CLA features a bundle of driver assistance systems under the name MB.DRIVE which includes: DRIVE ASSIST, DRIVE ASSIST  PLUS, DRIVE ASSIST PRO, DRIVE PARKING ASSIST and DRIVE PARKING ASSIST 360. Technical details for the driving assistance systems include five radar sensors, eight cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors and a water-cooled supercomputers with regular over-the-air updates. For the first time in its segment, the CLA is available with a central airbag integrated into the driver’s seat backrest and deploys between the driver and front passenger in the event of a severe side impact.

### Technical details 
#### Engines 
## References