{"id":34668,"date":"2026-06-11T14:57:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T14:57:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/34668\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T14:57:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T14:57:24","slug":"2027-mercedes-benz-cla350-ev-quick-review-at-least-its-efficient","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/34668\/","title":{"rendered":"2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA350 EV Quick Review: At Least It’s Efficient"},"content":{"rendered":"

The biggest car news and reviews, no BS<\/p>\n

Our free daily newsletter sends the stories that really matter directly to you, every weekday.<\/p>\n

I like small cars, and I like small luxury cars. \u201cEntry-level\u201d offerings like the 2027 Mercedes-Benz<\/a> CLA350 4Matic Electric, as we have here, or the BMW 2 Series are routinely dismissed as the lowest rung buyers can grasp to get the badge they covet. But why should only big SUVs get nice materials and pleasant design?<\/p>\n

The new CLA doesn\u2019t feel like a product carelessly tossed out to appease those of us at the floor of Merc\u2019s financial demographic. It\u2019s clear many choices were deliberated upon in its making. Unfortunately and with frankly astonishing frequency, Mercedes chose poorly for this little sedan, over and over again.<\/p>\n

Now in its third generation, the CLA is currently only available as an EV, with two powertrain options. The CLA250+ starts at $48,500 delivered, with rear-wheel drive, 268 horsepower, and 248 lb-ft of torque. The CLA350 adds a second motor on the front axle for all-wheel drive and appropriately makes 349 hp and 380 lb-ft. Strangely, it\u2019s only $2,550 more expensive than the RWD model, meaning that you could get into one of these for as little as $51,050.<\/p>\n

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\nBig fan of the Sky Blue Metallic shade on this test car. It\u2019s a $750 color. Adam Ismail<\/p>\n

This one, however, did not cost $51,050. It cost $67,155, which is a lot for a small sedan. That $16K in options includes $2,100 AMG Line and $5,850 Pinnacle Line packages, the latter adding another panel built into the dash called the \u201cSuperscreen.\u201d You hear it said a lot, but only because it\u2019s true: I haven\u2019t a clue what anyone is supposed to do with this display that they couldn\u2019t do with their phone.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d like to say you don\u2019t need it and can just skip it, but the Pinnacle Line includes some things you might actually want, like a heads-up display, digital key, and park assist. It also includes the Exclusive Line, which adds dual-zone climate control (!) and a center armrest for the admittedly cramped rear bench. And if you want a heated steering wheel\u2014which this example didn\u2019t have, by the way\u2014you need to spring for a separate Winter Package.<\/p>\n

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\nAdam Ismail<\/p>\n

So, yes, Mercedes is not afraid to nickel-and-dime anyone with their compact sedan. That\u2019s unfortunate, particularly because the CLA is very well sorted from a powertrain standpoint. Both models get an 85-kWh battery pack, and Mercedes quotes a maximum range of 312 miles for the more powerful variant. (The CLA250 can travel up to 374 miles.) This is a very efficient little EV, averaging an impressive 3.94 mi\/kWh for the duration of my loan. Of course, the 350 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque shouldn\u2019t necessarily be taken at face value, because the dual-motor CLA weighs 4,700 pounds, but it kinda scoots in a straight line.<\/p>\n

Naturally, that heft comes back to bite in the turns. Even if you switch to sport mode, which beefs up the steering weight but doesn\u2019t tweak damping, the CLA rolls and heaves when attempting any corner with a little pace. Normal driving and low-speed maneuvers are fine, with a light touch and a quick-ratio rack delivering pinpoint accuracy. But this sedan is geared for comfort and never feels confident in spirited, dynamic situations. Even the blend of regen and real braking feels mushy, making pressure modulation difficult.<\/p>\n

Inside, the CLA\u2019s a mixed bag. From an aesthetic point of view, I think the cabin is excellent. The materials all feel top-notch; the yacht-striped oak trim on my tester plays phenomenally well against the beech-brown leather and brushed aluminum accents, and even as someone who generally hates RGB anything, I have to admit that the red light emanating from the circular, turbine-like HVAC vents looks cool at night.<\/p>\n

Ditto for the electrochromic Sky Control panoramic roof\u2014a $1,050 option\u2014that can change from clear to frosted, and even alternate between stripes of both, with a couple of taps of the screen. It\u2019s really nice in there, until it\u2019s time to do something.<\/p>\n

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\nAdam Ismail<\/p>\n

The infotainment display in the CLA is so large that the right side of the steering wheel completely blocks all of its tiny UI elements along the left edge. There\u2019s no easy return for Apple CarPlay\u2014you can\u2019t say, press home a second time to call up phone projection. You can\u2019t even skip songs or change radio presets from the steering wheel in this fourth generation of Mercedes\u2019 MBUX operating system. I suppose they expect you to use voice commands for that, but do you really want to keep barking \u201cnext track\u201d every time Spotify\u2019s algorithm serves up a dud? [Ed. note:\u00a0personally, I\u2019d love to hear Adam constantly yell, \u201cnext track.\u201d]<\/p>\n

The weirdness continues when you go to top up the CLA\u2019s battery. Most EVs have one charge port, but the CLA has two: one J1172 port and a NACS port. However, if you go to use a Level 2 AC charger with a NACS plug, it\u2019ll tell you to use the other kind. At least Mercedes has quickly addressed the sedan\u2019s initial incompatibility with 400-volt DC fast chargers, which comprise the vast majority of Tesla\u2019s Supercharger network in the U.S. With an optimal 800-volt fast charger, the CLA can recharge from 10-80% at 320 kW and in as little as 22 minutes.<\/p>\n

The new CLA breaks my heart. Aspects of it, like its impressive efficiency and cabin fit and finish, feel a cut above anything else in its segment. If only they weren\u2019t undermined by a stunning lack of standard equipment you\u2019d expect and severe usability quirks. It just doesn\u2019t feel like anyone actually lived with this thing before they put it on the market, so it\u2019s hard to recommend that anyone else do, either.<\/p>\n

2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA350 4Matic Electric Specs<\/p>\n

Base Price (as tested)$51,050 ($67,155)Powertrain85-kWh lithium-ion battery | dual-motor all-wheel drive | 2-speed transmissionHorsepower349Torque380 lb-ftSeating Capacity5Curb Weight4,700 poundsCargo Volume10.3 cubic feet in trunk | 1.4 cubic feet in front trunk0-60 mph4.8 secondsTop Speed130 mphEPA-Estimated Range312 milesScore5\/10<\/p>\n

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\nAdam Ismail<\/p>\n

Mercedes-Benz provided The Drive with a seven-day loan of this vehicle for the purpose of writing this review.<\/p>\n

Backed by a decade of covering cars and consumer tech, Adam Ismail is a Senior Editor at The Drive, focused on curating and producing the site\u2019s slate of daily stories.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"The<\/p>\n

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