(Bloomberg) -- Mercedes-Benz Group AG is going through something of a reshuffle. Executives are recanting EV sales projections while also planning a near-record number of new models for the next two years that focus on a mix of combustion and electric power. C-Class and E-Class coupes are eliminated altogether in favor of a new model, the CLE Coupe, which combines elements from each of its predecessors.
I drove the 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE 450 4MATIC recently around Los Angeles and found it an elegant step forward. With a refreshed design and a hybrid powertrain underneath the hood, the CLE 450 well aligns with the times that are seeing high-end hybrids enter the spotlight as practical, powerful options for savvy consumers.
The Essentials
The CLE Coupe comes in two versions, the entry-level CLE 300 4MATIC ($56,500) and the more-powerful CLE 450 4MATIC, which has a starting price of $65,6501 but the one I tested cost $77,970 after options such as a heads-up display and high-performance tires. (“4MATIC” is Mercedes’ awkward branding term for its all-wheel drive system.)
The 450 4MATIC comes with a 375-horsepower inline-six turbocharged engine combined with a 23-hp 48-volt mild hybrid system. That beats the power output of both the C-Class and E-Class coupes, by the way. It’s part of Mercedes’ recent about-face with regard to hybrids. Chairman and Chief Executive Office Ola Källenius had initially planned to make Mercedes all-electric by 2030, but now the plan is to keep making high-end hybrids well into the next decade.
The Good
Hybrid power doesn’t necessarily equal improved fuel efficiency. The system in the CLE is good for 23 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway and 26 mpg in combined city-highway driving. That’s marginally better than the existing C-Class coupe. There’s no electric-only drive mode. Still, you can brag to all your friends that the car is a hybrid and earn “do-gooder” status on your street. That counts for something.
I’m marking down the evolved looks of the new CLE as a move on the positive side for this review, because I’m ambivalent about the jelly-bean shape of the current Mercedes-Benz design. It’s longer than its C-Class coupe predecessor, with a 112.8-inch wheelbase that equals the length of the new C-Class sedan. The entire front end looks fresher and more svelte than before, with a lowered suspension, unique flat LED headlights and a newly designed, three-dimensional radiator grille. Basically the jelly bean is stretching out a bit, gradually getting more sculpted, and this is a move in the right direction.
I like the ease of the new tech now baked into the CLE, with new native apps such as TikTok and Zoom, and Apple Music, Spotify and Tidal included, too. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard. There are gobs of driver assistance programs: active steering assist, active lane change assist, speed limit assist and a parking package with reversing camera; the last two come standard.
The CLE is the largest coupe in the midsize segment. Even the back of the car is usable: Rear passengers get additional headroom, additional shoulder room and additional knee room compared with predecessors. As a tall person, I note and appreciate the extra space.
The trunk volume is listed at 11.2 cubic feet, which also beats the earlier models. It looks big enough to fit three golf bags, by my estimation. I’m marking that as a win.
The Bad
I’m a big fan of the natural grain wood- and aluminum-pinstriped dashboard in this car. Huge. (I’m a sucker for impractical, beautiful things.) But the gleaming white leather interior of the CLE Coupe I drove attracted smudges like lead shavings to a magnet. There was no avoiding my denim leaving marks on the seat and armrests, and no one has the time to be constantly cleaning. Certainly not me. If you buy this car, opt for one of the many darker trim options in the brown, gray or black range.
If you were hoping for the sophisticated, airy look of the pillar-less door that was on the E-Class coupe, look elsewhere. I wish that design element had carried over.
If You Remember One Thing
As I say with every modern Mercedes, if the glories of the digital age are not your thing, keep moving. The interior has a 12.3-inch digital driver display and 11.9-inch driver-oriented central display. There are 64 different ambient lighting moods that come standard and extend via tracks from the center console to beneath the outer air vents. A strip of light also runs along each armrest and door to the rear cabin. The thing can turn into a nightclub, if you want it to. I like it, but if you have a splitting headache or light sensitivity, or you’re just trying to limit your exposure to screens, you won’t.
If you’re hoping for sharp steering and brakes that make you feel you can stop like Lewis Hamilton, I suggest you avail yourself of the Mercedes-AMG range. You won’t find them here. The CLE drives effortlessly, with a comfortable suspension and soft ride. It handles like Goldilocks’ proverbial porridge: not too hot, not too cold, but warmly palatable and somehow nourishing if you don’t want something spicier.
The Mercedes-Benz CLE feels fresh and modern, with new space and technology to its cabin, an updated exterior and the enhanced performance of a hybrid powertrain under the hood. It’s the latest indicator that high-end hybrids are here to stay.
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.
