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| The 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 4MATIC. |
The CLA250 is based on Mercedes' compact A-Class sedan, but the CLA is given a unique roofline and Mercedes markets it as a coupe.
Under the hood, it's a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder making 221 horsepower. It's mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission and the 4MATIC in the name refers to Mercedes' all-wheel drive system.
All that adds up to 0-60 times in the low-six-second range and EPA fuel economy estimates of 23 city/33 highway.
There are four selectable drive modes. In Sport, the CLA250 shines---always seeming to be in the right gear for rightthissecond, conquering some of my favorite winding roads in the Sierra foothills. I was looking for an excuse to go for long drives every afternoon of the week I had the car.
And I found them.
The sloping roofline does eat into rear seat headroom, and legroom back there is at a premium. The photo above shows the front passenger seat all the way back and the driver's seat set for my six-foot frame.
The base price for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 4MATIC is a surprisingly reasonable $38,650, which gets you the following as standard equipment:
- Panorama sunroof
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Bluetooth
- Power front seats with lumbar support and memory
- Split-folding rear seats
- Rain-sensing windshield wipers
- Keyless start
- Dual-zone climate control
- Mercedes me connection services (free trial)
- LED headlamps
- LED taillamps
- 24-hour roadside assistance
- Antitheft alarm
- Attention assist
- Active brake assist
- Anti-lock brakes
- Electronic stability program
- Brake assist system
- Rearview camera
Again, all that for $38,650. But it should be no surprise that the extra-cost options can change the price in a big hurry. Here's what was on our tester:
- Titanium grey/black leather interior: $1,450
- Natural grain black Linden wood trim: $325
- Multifunction sports leather steering wheel: $360
- 19-inch AMG black multispoke wheels: $800
- SiriusXM Satellite Radio with free trial period: $460
- Lowered comfort suspension: $290
- Burmester Surround Sound system: $850
- Heated front seats: $580
- 64-color ambient interior lighting: $310
- Wireless charging: $200
- Driver Assistance Package (Active brake assist with cross-traffic function, active blind spot assist, active distance assist, active steering assist, active lane-keeping assist, active lane change assist, active speed limit assist, active emergency stop assist, evasive steering assist, PRE-SAFE Plus, route-based speed adaptation, extended restart in stop and go traffic): $2,250
- Parking Assistance Package (Active parking assist, surround view system): $1,090
- Exterior Lighting Package (Active LED headlamps, adaptive highbeam assist): $900
- Multimedia Package (Navigation, navigation services including map updates for three years, MBUX augmented reality for navigation, speed limit assist): $1,150
- Night Package (High-gloss black elements: Grille trim, exterior mirror covers, window trim): $400
- AMG Line (AMG body styling, perforated front discs and MB lettering, AMG diamond-block grille): $1,950
- Premium Package (10.25-inch center display, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, auto-dimming rearview and driver's side mirrors, side mirrors with power fold-in): $1,100
With $995 destination and delivery charge, the bottom line on the window sticker reads $54,110.
No, that's not the same as $38,650, but it's absolutely on target for the look, feel and performance of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 4MATIC as equipped.
