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Feann Torr9 Jan 2019
NEWS

Next-gen Mercedes-Benz CLA revealed

Compact German sedan gets sharp new look and more techno doodads than ever

The all-new 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLA was unveiled at the world's biggest tech show in Las Vegas overnight, CES, and was right at home alongside the virtual reality headsets, cloud-controlled drones and AI-driven super-TVs.

Expected to be priced from about $50,000 when it arrives in Australia from August, 2019, the CLA features the usual things that car buyers want, such as an effective engine, airbags, Bluetooth audio streaming and comfy seats.

But it can also monitor your heartrate by syncing with a smartwatch, understands if you're stressed or lacking sleep and adjust the ambience accordingly, can respond to verbal requests and react to flippant gestures.

It's a taste of the future and all the new techno-goodies are wrapped up in a fresh new metal suit that says "I'm ready for business".

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The new Mercedes CLA does away with the first generation vehicle's Dame Edna eyewear-inspired brake lights for more a neutral rear-end look. The car's overall aesthetic has changed via resculpted body panels but the visual changes whisper rather than shout this is a new model – which could help resale values in the long-run.

The Mercedes-Benz CLA is touted as a style meister and although the advent of a more affordable A-Class sedan could sway a few buyers, Benz is confident the CLA will still elicit a strong.

Historically, the CLA has been one of Mercedes-Benz Australia's top-selling models, compact or otherwise.

"The existing CLA model range has outsold competitors in its segment in the past, and been second only to the number-one-selling luxury vehicle in Australia, the C-Class," said Jerry Stamoulis, Mercedes-Benz Australia's head of product communications.

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Stamoulis also confirmed there's more to come from the CLA family, and although the brand isn't talking about shooting brake (wagon) models just yet, AMG models are high on the agenda.

"The existing Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 has been one of the most popular AMG variants in Australia since its launch. There will be more news regarding new AMG models within the CLA range soon and we’re confident that these will again play a key role within our overall portfolio."

Riding on a same new platform architecture (dubbed MFA 2) as the new Mercedes A-Class, the Mercedes-Benz CLA is longer and wider than before – affording more passenger space – and features a completely redesigned interior headlined by a pair of massive 12.3-inch high-res LCD screens.

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The front-wheel drive compact luxury sedan revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) wears the CLA 250 badge and is fitted with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine (165kW/350Nm) that should give it Golf GTI-like performance – think 0-100km/h in under 7.0 seconds.

The petrol engine hooks up with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to deliver fuel economy of 6.1L/100km and CO2 emissions of 140g/km, which is decent for a conventional engine but a long way off hybrid levels of efficiency.

In future there will be similar engine and driveline offerings to the A-Class, which means a more frugal 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine for CLA 200 models, plus diesel options, all-wheel drive and, eventually, go-fast, all-wheel drive AMG versions that make lots of noise.

Stamoulis said it was too early to comment on which engine types will be offered in Australia.

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"We’ll know more at the international launch, which will occur in the second quarter of this year."

The CLA is a 'style icon' according to Mercedes but it won't have the clear air it has enjoyed since 2013 as BMW and Audi are plotting sophisticated new rivals of their own. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and the rumoured Audi A3 four-door coupe will mean prospective buyers may have choice between which German badge they like best.

Longer, wider and more aerodynamic than the before – but with slightly less boot space – the new Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class will lob in Australia with a big list of options, such as adaptive dampers, advanced LED headlights and a range of other extras.

Benz's second-gen compact sedan is longer and wider than its predecessor by 48mm and 53mm respectively. Measuring 4688mm front to rear and 1830mm wide, this external growth manifests in more interior room, most notably for front seat passengers (head room) and elbow room front and rear.

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Front and rear legroom stays roughly the same while boot space has dropped by 10 litres to 460 litres.

The extra width that the wider track (+63mm front, +53mm rear) provides adds more visual presence and bodes well for the AMG models, which should look extra stout. Lump in a slightly lower roof and Benz says the CLA not only has the much improved aerodynamics, but will also have the sportiest drive of all its new-generation front-drive compact cars – which includes A-Class, B-Class and GLA-Class.

A bigger anti-roll bar at the front and the option of adaptive damping should make it a fun entry-level luxury sedan to drive.

Improved interior concept

The new CLA has level two semi-autonomous driving technology (automatic steering, braking, acceleration) for the first time, can 'see' up to half a kilometre ahead thanks to new cameras and radars and even has a lane change assistant.

But these features are far from groundbreaking.

Where the new 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLA innovates is in its infotainment system, called MBUX (Mercedes-Benz user experience) which made its debut on the A-Class but debuts more functionality here. As well the usual touch pad, touchscreen and steering wheel inputs, occupants can control various car functions with verbal commands and now gestures.

The idea is that you can spend more time enjoying the drive or conversations thanks to an intuitive input approach, worrying less about having to search out a specific button or dial. For instance, the interior lights in the second-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA can be toggled by gesturing towards the rear view mirror.

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When the driver reaches over to the unoccupied front passenger seat, the car recognises he or she may be searching for something and illuminates the area automatically, then switches off the lights when the mad scrabbling for missing belongings ceases.

The MBUX's original claim to fame was its AI-driven voice operated system, which will learn the accent and habits of the driver, allowing them to bark commands willy-nilly, such as changing the music or setting navigation and temperature.

Anyone in the car can say "Hey Mercedes, open the sunroof" and Bob's your mum's brother! The sunroof slides open. The system has been upgraded for the new CLA and with a bit of help from a SIM card and internet connection – which will be offered in Australia later in 2019 – that can understand very specific commands. The example Mercedes-Benz gives is this:

"Find child-friendly Asian restaurants nearby with four-star rating which are neither Chinese nor Japanese."

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You can ask the Siri-like assistant "What is the fat content of avocadoes" or even rudimentary mathematical equations. The voice-recognition software is claimed to be able to focus on one voice amid in-car conversations now.

The advent of an 'energising coach' will sync with certain smart watches, such as those by Garmin or Mercedes-Benz own vivoactive 3 Smartwatch, which also makes its global premiere at CES. The car can see if you had a bad sleep or that stress levels are raised, and will even display your heart rate on the infotainment system.

Furthermore, the upgraded MBUX system can assess the driver's condition and recommend ambient lighting and audio to alleviate tension and promote relaxation on "demanding or monotonous journeys" according to Mercedes' nomenclature.

Given all these new features, it's not surprising Mercedes-Benz chose to launch the car at CES, the world's largest nerd fest.

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Overall, the cabin design is identical to that of the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class, which has just started arriving in Australia priced from $42,300 for the A 180.

Since 2013, Mercedes-Benz has sold more than 750,000 CLA-Class vehicles. The company boasts the CLA attracts a much younger average buyer than most of its models and is a strong conquest vehicle, which means buyers switch from another brand.

"Since launch, the CLA range has been an important addition to the Mercedes-Benz cars product portfolio. We’re confident the new model will again resonate with Australian car buyers," added Stamoulis.

Currently priced from just under $50,000, he conceded the new model pricing structure will go north slightly.

"Though it is too early to comment on exact pricing, we can expect an increase over the current CLA considering its level of technology and physically larger dimensions," said the Benz exec.

Stay tuned for our first drive of the new model before mid-2019.

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