Clever Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 much more than just a pretty face

AI-powered operating system takes four-door coupé to the next level of technology. The new Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 is billed as the “cleverest car in its class” due to its next level AI-powered technology. But truth be told, during its week-long stay at The Citizen Motoring, the compact four-door coupe bowled us over without the help of its “supercomputer”. For us, the clever stuff was merely the icing on the cake of a futuristic package sporting stunning exterior styling, a super modern interior and nifty electrified 1.5-litre petrol powertrain. The third-generation CLA 200 replaced both its predecessor and the A-Class sedan. As the first car to ride on the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) platform, it offers the first taste of the German brand’s next iteration of small sedans and SUVs with the implementation of the latest version of the Sensual Purity styling language. It also premiers the advanced AI-powered Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS). The changes applied to its exterior make quite a statement and complements the model’s sexy sloping roofline. Measuring 4 723mm, the new CLA 200 is 35mm longer than before, while its wheelbase increasing by 61mm to 2 709mm. Smashing good looks At the front, a classic chrome star-pattern grille features below new LED headlights which are connected by a full-width LED light bar. The grille can be fitted with an optional LED lightguide. A full-width light bar also features at the rear between new light clusters fitted with very striking three-pointed star LEDs. The new CLA 200 features retractable door handles and our tester’s rode on optional 19-inch black alloy wheels. The low-profile 225/40 R19 rubberware wrapped around the rims might not be the most practical for out pothole-ridden roads, but the wheels do look good. The Mercedes-BEnz CLA 200 features retractable door handles. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe One of the coupe’s best features is its fixed single-piece panoramic roof which takes up the entire top from the windscreen to the rear window without a central brace. It does not have a roller blind, but coated with infrared film to reject outside heat. The see-through roof makes the cabin seem like that of much bigger car. The cabin is a seriously plush place which features leather and suede seats with contrast stitching. It also has heaps of brushed aluminium trim and soft-touch panels. Superscreen takes centre stage The star of the show inside is the Superscreen which spans the width of the dashboard. It seamlessly integrates a 10.25-inch driver display with a high-resolution 14-inch central touchscreen and a third 14-inch screen on the passenger side. Space-aged round air vents with integrated ambient lighting flank the Superscreen The CLA 200 features a high-performance supercomputer with seamless over-the-air updates and real-time graphics from the Unity Game Engine. It runs the fourth generation of MBUX and serves as the first in-car infotainment system to combine generative AI agents from both Microsoft and Google. And this is where the car gets really brainy. The MBUX Virtual Assistant is powered by ChatGPT-4o and Microsoft Bing and has the ability to engage in complex dialogues, remember short-term context and reads driver emotions to adjust its responses. Through Google Gemini, the assistant also uses the Google Maps platform to answer complex navigation questions. Adding to our CLA 200’s tech fest was a head-up display with augmented reality and 16-speaker Burmester surround sound system. We have to sheepishly admit that out of all the tech, the thing we used the most was Angry Birds. This is one of three pre-installed games that can be played on both the central and passenger infotainment systems. Only functional when the car is travelling low speed, the games offer endless entertainment in heavy traffic. Screens everywhere you look. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe Legroom in the rear is more than just adequate for a compact coupé. The lack of a sunroof roller blind also helps create more head room. While down 55 litres from its predecessor, boot space is still a very acceptable 405 litres. Electric boost for Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 The coupe is powered by a mild hybrid system that adds a 48-volt electric system and 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine. It sends 120kW of power and 250Nm of torque to the front wheels via newly-developed eight-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission. These numbers might not look huge on paper, but we thought it had just the right amount of oomph. And its claimed 0 to 100km/h sprint time of eight seconds is also acceptable. It gets off the mark with very little low-down turbo lag and the gearbox is supersmooth. We did not quite manage to achieve the claimed fuel consumption of 5.4 litres per 100km. But still felt that out 7.3L/100km was very respectable. The R937 000 Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 is a very niche ride which will never be a volume seller due to it being less practical than an SUV or even standard sedan. It can cater for everyday life with the space and tech on offer, but that it is not its forté. It is meant to dazzle and does not disappoint. Both the driver and the envious onlookers. And with such a good package featuring the German quality associated with the Three Pointed Star, it’s an absolute knockout.