Mercedes-Benz CLA250+AMG Line Sport Review: The EV Mercedes-Benz Needed

When I first saw the all-new CLA at the Singapore Motorshow 2026, I wasn't immediately thinking about battery capacity, charging speeds or range; I simply thought it looked long, low and beautifully proportioned. Plus it wasn't trying to scream, "Look at me, I'm the future!"; instead, it exuded the sort of understated confidence that's becoming increasingly rare in a world of oversized grilles, unnecessary creases and LED light bars stretching from here to Timbuktu.

It also became one of the cars I was most looking forward to driving.

And now that I've finally spent several days with it, I can confidently say the anticipation wasn't misplaced. Now, the CLA250+ isn't the fastest EV on sale; it isn't the most powerful either. What Mercedes-Benz has done instead is arguably far more difficult - rather than chasing headline figures, it has focused on building a genuinely excellent electric car.

And that, surprisingly, makes all the difference.

Aesthetically Speaking

The original CLA became one of Mercedes-Benz's biggest success stories because it offered younger buyers an attainable entry into the three-pointed star. It looked like a scaled-down CLS, and carried an expensive air without demanding flagship money.

This third-generation model has a very different mission, though.

Its sleek silhouette isn't simply there to turn heads. Almost every surface has been shaped by the wind: The low nose, flush door handles, gently tapering roofline, and carefully sculpted rear end all contribute to an exceptionally low drag coefficient, allowing the CLA250+ to slice through the air with remarkable efficiency.

That efficiency matters - after all, anyone can fit a larger battery and claim a longer range. Mercedes appears to have taken the more difficult route by teaching the car to waste less energy in the first place. It's considerably harder engineering, but it's also considerably more rewarding.

The result is a claimed driving range of up to 800 kilometres. Suddenly, weekend drives into Johor, or even further north, don't seem like logistical exercises involving charging apps and contingency plans.

The Inside Story

The moment you settle into the driver's seat, one thing immediately commands your attention: The dashboard.

Unlike many modern interiors that cocoon the driver with sweeping curves, the CLA250+ adopts a more upright, architectural design. Stretching elegantly from A-pillar to A-pillar is Mercedes-Benz's optional MBUX Superscreen, transforming the entire fascia into a seamless expanse of glass without feeling visually overwhelming. It's an impressive piece of design, but more importantly, it's surprisingly easy on the eye. Even after several hours behind the wheel, the dashboard never feels cluttered or distracting; instead, it presents information with remarkable clarity, allowing the technology to complement the driving experience rather than dominate it.

The latest generation MBUX infotainment system is equally polished. Graphics are razor-sharp, menus are logically arranged and responses are almost instantaneous. Wireless smartphone connectivity, over-the-air updates and intuitive navigation all work quietly in the background, proving that the best technology is often the kind you barely notice.

Material quality is exactly what you'd expect from a Mercedes-Benz. Switchgear feels reassuringly solid, the ambient lighting remains one of the industry's benchmarks without descending into nightclub theatrics, and the overall fit and finish reinforce the premium positioning.

Practicality has also taken a meaningful step forward. The rear boot offers 405-litres of luggage space, comfortably swallowing enough bags for a family weekend across the Causeway, while lifting the bonnet reveals another pleasant surprise: A 101-litre frunk. It's not particularly large, but it's ideal for charging cables, camera equipment or the odds and ends that would otherwise roll around the main boot. Once you've lived with a frunk, you quickly realise just how useful that extra storage can be…

Technically Speaking

On paper, the CLA250+'s figures sound respectable rather than outrageous.

Its rear-mounted permanently excited synchronous motor produces 268 bhp (200 kW) and 335 Nm of torque, enough to dispatch the 0-100 km/h sprint in 6.7 seconds.

Well, one might say in today's era of 500 bhp family EVs, those numbers hardly dominate dinner conversations; but that's precisely the point.

You see, Mercedes-Benz isn't trying to win drag races between traffic lights.Instead, it's trying to build the most complete premium EV in its class.

Power delivery is beautifully linear, there's no neck-snapping theatrics designed to impress passengers. Instead, acceleration builds with such effortless smoothness that speed accumulates almost unnoticed. Before long, you're travelling considerably quicker than Singapore's speed limits are prepared to tolerate…

Beneath the floor sits an 85.5 kWh battery pack, contributing to a kerb weight approaching 2.1 tonnes. Ordinarily, that's enough mass to blunt agility, yet the low centre of gravity and rear-wheel-drive layout disguise it remarkably well.

Perhaps the most fascinating piece of engineering is something most owners will never realise exists though.

Unlike the vast majority of EVs that rely on a single-speed reduction gear, the CLA250+ uses a two-speed transmission. The shorter first ratio delivers brisk initial acceleration, while the taller second ratio allows the motor to operate more efficiently at higher speeds. The result? Isn't simply quieter motorway cruising - it plays a significant role in achieving that remarkable range.

Then there's the 800-volt electrical architecture. It allows DC charging speeds of up to 320 kW and AC charging of up to 22 kW, while an official energy consumption figure of just 15.4 kWh/100 km demonstrates that Mercedes hasn't simply built a car with a large battery.

It's built one that knows how to use every kilowatt-hour wisely.

Driving It

Around Singapore, the CLA250+ feels immediately driver-friendly.

Visibility is generally good, the steering is accurate without becoming nervous, and the suspension deals with our patchy roads with impressive composure. It never crashes over imperfections, nor does it float aimlessly; Mercedes has judged the ride beautifully.

There's one small compromise that accompanies all that aerodynamic cleverness. The door mirrors are relatively petite, helping the CLA250+ slip through the air with minimal resistance, but also providing a narrower field of view than I'd ideally like. Yes, the excellent Blind Spot Assist certainly helps, yet it also serves as a timely reminder that no amount of technology should replace a proper glance over your shoulder. Good driving habits never go out of fashion, even in an EV that feels thoroughly modern.

Out on the expressway, this CLA settles into an effortless long-distance cruiser. Wind noise is exceptionally well suppressed, refinement is superb and, thanks to its remarkable efficiency, range anxiety quickly fades into the background.

Then you discover a good stretch of winding road. Push harder and the front axle begins relinquishing grip slightly earlier than expected, introducing gentle but noticeable understeer. It never becomes untidy or alarming, but neither does it encourage enthusiastic cornering in the way some rear-wheel drive cars do.

Part of my suspicion falls upon the factory-fitted 225/40 R18 Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 tyres. They're fundamentally excellent tyres, yet they felt as though they'd been inflated with efficiency rather than enthusiasm. If Mercedes has indeed specified slightly higher pressures to reduce rolling resistance and maximise range, it would explain why the front contact patch begins surrendering grip just a touch sooner during spirited driving.

Undeniably, without pressure gauges and engineering data, that's impossible to confirm; but it's a characteristic I noticed consistently.

Oh yes - there was, however, one disappointment.

Our virtually brand-new test car emitted a faint rubber-on-glass rubbing sound whenever the front passenger's window was lowered or raised. It's almost certainly an isolated issue, but at this price point I'd expect everything to work seamlessly in the background; when the rest of the car is this polished, even the smallest imperfection becomes disproportionately noticeable.

In A Nutshell

The CLA250+'s biggest challenge isn't its engineering - it's its positioning.

The first two generations became immensely popular because they made Mercedes-Benz ownership attainable for a new generation of buyers. This new model, inevitably, occupies a more exclusive space, making it a far more niche proposition in Singapore.

Yet perhaps that was never the point; Mercedes-Benz hasn't built the CLA250+ to become its next volume seller. It has built it to demonstrate what happens when efficiency, refinement and intelligent engineering take precedence over headline-grabbing horsepower figures.

The result is a premium EV that's genuinely easy to live with: Clever packaging, exceptional refinement and remarkable 800-kilometre claimed range mean it demands surprisingly few compromises from its owner.

So perhaps the CLA250+'s greatest achievement is that it doesn't try to convince you electric cars are better than petrol cars - it simply gets on with the job of being an exceptionally good car, and lets the rest take care of itself.

Photos by Azfar Hashim (@azfar.talks)

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