We know that it's great on track and that it can out-sprint a number of bespoke sportscars. But if you're going to buy a CLA 45 AMG, you're probably better off looking at a long term review, which says what it's like to live with every day, not just for a few days of fun in the sun.
British magazine Auto Express's editor Owen Mildenhall recently did a video review of the CLA 45 after living with it for six months, something very few people get to do without actually buying the car.
In short, he says that the ride is busy, which is understandable considering how low the body sits to the ground (just over 8 centimeters). In the real world, Mercedes's twin-clutch gearbox is a wonderful thing, but the all-wheel drive and turbo engine make this AMG more competent than compelling.
It's a new type of car for a new type of buyer, one who likes the badge but doesn't care as much about the heritage. If a rear-wheel drive experience is what you're after, maybe you should wait for the C 450 AMG Sport to arrive. And if the harsh suspension he talks about worries you, the GLA 45 AMG offers very nearly the same performance without the comfort tradeoff.
One of the things we found interesting about Auto Express's comment about the ride is that one of the people who commented said he just bought a CLA 45 and it's fine, better than his old 2003 M3.
The CLA 45 AMG retails for £41,420 in Britain, which is slightly more than a base Cayman. Offer your local Mercedes dealer that kind of money and he could give you a the E 350 BlueTEC saloon, the most powerful diesel in the range. Either way you look at it, the performance CLA 45 AMG demands a lot of commitment from its buyers.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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