The all-new third-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA arrives first as an electric vehicle, with the 268-horsepower rear-wheel-drive CLA250+ and the 349-horsepower all-wheel-drive CLA350 4Matic available. The latest CLA is built upon the brand’s MMA platform, which also serves as the foundation for the upcoming generations of both the GLA and GLB. The 2026 CLA EV is set to be available for purchase this fall, with the hybrid variant expected to arrive sometime in the early months of next year. Soon, Mercedes-Benz’s base model will be the most advanced electric car the company makes. The 2026 CLA will first be an electric vehicle (EV) and then a hybrid when it goes into production. In the case of the new baby Benz, the electric model will come out about nine months before the gas-powered model. The same is true for the improved MMA platform on which it is built. The CLA is making a comeback. You’ve indeed heard a lot about the new CLA. The Concept CLA class gave a pretty good look at the style back in September 2023. The new model looks bigger and more solid than the old one, but the four-door car body and sloping roof are the same. The main reason is that the underground battery needs to be packed up. That’s why the body’s length has grown by 1.3 inches, the wheelbase by 2.4 inches, and the height by 1.1 inches. Another difference is that the greenhouse is longer and has windows in the back. There are a bunch of light-up stars in the grille area, and the front end leans a little toward the wind. The big Mercedes star in the middle is also lit up. The optional Multibeam LED headlights have DRLs in the shape of a three-pointed star that are connected by a light bar, just like the car on display. 40 clear, lit louvers link the taillights, which shine like three-pointed stars. Overview of the CLA’s Interior The three screens that run across the middle of the dashboard in Mercedes cars are called Super- instead of Hyper-, which is what the company calls its bigger screens. The trio includes an instrument display that’s 10.3 inches, a center touchscreen that’s 14.0 inches, and an available passenger screen that’s the same size. It’s too bad that Mercedes still has a four-way touch-swipe button and a touch-slider for volume on the steering wheel. The entertainment system uses a fresh version of MBUX that comes with Google Maps guidance and Gemini AI-enhanced search. MBUX, which is shown by the MB star in the top right corner, also wants to be your virtual friend. It can tell from the tone of the driver’s voice how they’re feeling and change its color to match, kind of like an in-dash mood ring. With the normal panoramic glass roof, people in the back seat can see the stars, but they don’t have a digital empath. There is no cover, but the glass is coated to block UV rays. The glass panel under the sloping top makes more space for your head. Even though there is more knee room and just enough space for a six-footer in the back seats, the raised floor (to make room for the battery) makes it almost impossible to walk around behind the front seats. There will be more upholstery colors and trim materials to choose from than normal. The first ones are made of two types of wood: one is coated paper trim, and the other is metal with stripes or mesh patterns. There are black and white two-tone seats, black and red seats, brown seats, and black seats with bright green accents. A one-of-a-kind first version has a matte-black body, black wheels that have been finished in gold, Tartufo Brown seats with gold stitching, and gold-tone trim. A Glimpse into the Powertrains Without a doubt, the 2017 CLA is the most advanced EV in the brand’s lineup. However, the first production of the MMA car was not as well-built as the EQXX advanced electric concept vehicle. We’ve already talked at length about the new CLA’s electric and hybrid drivetrains, but here we’ll just talk about the most important parts. The CLA can charge up to 320 kW thanks to its 800-volt design, which is a first for Mercedes. There is only one battery on the market right now: an 85.0-kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery with graphite. This is another first for Benz: it runs a 268-hp rear motor through a two-speed transmission to improve range and fuel economy. The optional 107-hp front motor is turned on when extra speed or grip is needed. When not needed, it is decoupled to avoid parasitic drag. One-motor models are said to be able to hit 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, while two-motor models can do it in 4.8 seconds. Even though EPA numbers aren’t out yet, Mercedes thinks the CLA250+ with EQ Technology will have a European WLTP range of 694 to 792 kilometers, which is the same as 367 to 418 miles under EPA rules. The CLA350 4Matic with EQ Technology is projected to go between 670 and 770 kilometers (354 to 407 miles) in Europe. This is the first Mercedes EV that fully uses regenerative braking. In fact, Mercedes has gone so far with it that the stop pedal and the braking system are physically separated. Only using brake-by-wire, the technology uses the pedal to tell the chips what mix of friction and regenerative braking works best. Mercedes thinks that recuperation of up to 200 kW is possible. One-pedal driving is also an option, where the driver chooses the amount of recuperation by pressing or pulling the shifter stalk. The Mercedes EV has an 800v design, a two-speed transmission, a multi-source heat pump, and a trunk that can fit a roll-aboard bag. An Upcoming Hybrid CLA The new 1.5-liter Miller-cycle four-cylinder turbocharged engine in the CLA is placed across the front of the car on the hybrid side of the ledger. The design is by Mercedes-Benz, but the engine will come from Geely. It has a generator, an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, and an electric motor with 27 horsepower. The electric motor is powered by a 1.3-kWh 48-volt battery, which lets the car run on its own in cities. There will be two kinds: one with front-wheel drive and one with all-wheel drive. There are no plans for a plug-in hybrid. When the combined version goes on sale in 2026, more information should become available. On the other hand, the CLA with battery power will be available in American stores this fall. Mercedes hasn’t said how much it will cost yet, but since this is the brand’s first car, it’s likely to be in the sub-$60,000 EV market, where it will mostly compete with the Tesla Model 3 and BMW i4.
