2014 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS63 AMG 4Matic Review

The 4Matic all-wheel-drive seems to be a perfect tool for the CLS63 AMG’s nature. This may be a very fast car, but it’s still a comfy four-door and the extra traction makes it even more usable than before. This is the best part of the CLS63 AMG 4Matic.

And let’s not forget the added safety bonus. Whenever your wife objects to you buying something with this much power, you can just point to the 4Matic. She probably won’t stop the discussion, but at least you’ll have a solid case.

AMG has managed to build itself a true family identity, their cars bring the same air, so you only have to select the package. You could deprive yourself of multiple of your senses and you’d still know you’re in an AMG. That’s quite a thing.

The CLS63 AMG 4Matic is a good car. A really good one. Thus, we wish we could go on and tell you to choose it with your eyes closed, especially since Americans only get AWD from now on.

Alas, the handling setup AMG chose for its 4Matic means that the handling isn’t all that fun. This isn’t the kind of all-wheel drive that lets you feel the rear bias. Instead, it stays neutral.

While this has its obvious benefits, it does also add to the greatest problem of the CLS63 AMG. This car is brilliant at so many things that it can become boring at times. And the four-wheel drive only pushes it further in this direction.

You don’t have to actually drift the thing, it’s a CLS after all. But with the rear-wheel drive, you just felt the car as the rear became alert through the corners, whereas the feeling is missing here.

This is the point where you start searching for some special character in this segment. And you get to the Porsche Panamera. But the Mercedes CLS is ahead in terms of comfort, so the two aren’t exactly sharing customers.

Good, moving on to Italy then - if they don’t make cars with personality, nobody does. Here we find the new Maserati Quattroporte. This does a wonderful job at mixing coziness with go-fast sensations and it would be our pick of the segment. But, again, people that want German cars... want German cars, so the conclusion stays the same from the Panamera.

Actually, the closest competitor to the Mercedes CLS63 AMG 4Matic is the Audi RS7. It really all depends on what you want.

As for the pricing, the Panamera and the Quattroporte are in a league of their own, while the CLS 63 AMG and the RS7 aren't difficult to compare. The 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG comes with a MSRP of $99,500, while the S-Model will set you back an extra $7,000 (plus a $925 transportation fee).

In Europe, the CLS63 AMG starts at EUR116,203, while the 4Matic version comes with an EUR4,000 price premium. As for the S-Model, this starts at EUR131,078 - all the prices include 19 percent VAT.

When it comes to the value for money race, we'll give the CLS63 AMG 4Matic a seven.

Driving the Mercedes CLS63 AMG is like meeting the refined woman of your dreams. She’s got an air of elegance to everything she does and she knows quite a lot. Don’t ask for too much of the kinky stuff though.