Car Review: 2014 Mercedes Benz CLA 250

 

For most people, buying a Mercedes is their way of letting other people know that they've made it in the world. But now, there is a Mercedes for people who don't have much money to spend. The question here is whether it's any good or not.

 

Known as the CLA, this four door sedan does look just as sexy as the other Mercedes models. From all the bulges to that sexy front grille, this car does look like it could go pretty fast. It's powered by a turbocharged four cylinder engine that packs 208-hp. Realistically, it's not very fast. It will get from 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds and then on to a top speed of around 155 mph if you're lucky. However, thanks to that powerful turbocharger, you will get a surprise when you put your foot down. For a four cylinder car, this does feel much faster than it actually is, which is a good thing.

  

  Inside, you do get the nice luxuries that other Mercedes cars have. You get heated seats both front and back. There are more plastic bits, but they don't look cheap and there are some nice hand stitched leather to add some class to the interior. The one problem is that you can't see out the back or anywhere around you except what's in front. This does get a bit annoying; almost like trying to cook a five course meal while being blindfolded. You're better off getting the blind spot monitoring system because without it, you'll probably have a massive accident.

 

 

 

The other surprising thing besides the engine is the way this car handles. A normal front wheel drive, four cylinder car has tremendous torque steer and under steer and isn't much fun to drive. This car, for whatever reason, has no torque steer whatsoever. There is a little under steer, but not so much that it ruins the fun of driving it. 

 

 

 

So if you want a Mercedes but either don't want to spend a lot of money or you're on a budget, this is definitely much better to get than a used Mercedes. You won't get the savage speed, but it won't matter because it feels faster than it really is. Plus, you get more gadgets than a used Mercedes and it feels more comfortable to drive. This is exactly what a modern, front wheel drive, four cylinder car is supposed to feel and drive like.