Mercedes-Benz has finally given the CLA the range split it always felt ready for. The all-new Mercedes-Benz CLA will come to Australia with three 48-volt hybrids and two electric models, turning the compact sedan into a much broader proposition than small luxury with a pretty nose.
Mercedes-Benz Australia says orders open in the coming weeks, with pricing from $66,500 before on-road costs and dealer delivery. That buys the CLA 180 hybrid. At the other end sits the CLA 350 4MATIC electric at $91,300, which is not small change, but the specification does make the jump look rather deliberate.
The admiration is earned, within reason. The new CLA looks clean, the aero work is serious and the technology sounds expensive rather than decorative. Still, Mercedes is asking buyers to accept a screen-first future in a compact sedan, so the car has to feel clever on the road, not just clever in the showroom.
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ABOVE: All-new Mercedes-Benz CLA in hybrid and electric form.
Mercedes-Benz CLA Australian price and spec
| Variant | Price MRLP | Power | Torque | 0 to 100 km/h | Use or range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLA 180 | $66,500 | 100 kW | 200 Nm | 8.8 sec | 5.4 L/100 km |
| CLA 200 | $68,100 | 120 kW | 250 Nm | 8.0 sec | 5.4 L/100 km |
| CLA 220 4MATIC | $84,300 | 140 kW | 300 Nm | 7.1 sec | 5.8 L/100 km |
| CLA 200 electric | $72,200 | 165 kW | 335 Nm | 7.5 sec | 14.4 kWh/100 km, 470 km WLTP |
| CLA 350 4MATIC electric | $91,300 | 260 kW | 515 Nm | 4.9 sec | 14.9 kWh/100 km, 663 km WLTP |
Prices are MRLP, including GST and any applicable luxury car tax on the base model, but excluding on-road costs and dealer delivery.
The design is doing a fair share of the persuasion. Hybrid models keep the classic Mercedes grille with a chrome star pattern, while the electric cars get an illuminated grille with 142 LED star elements. It sounds like a nightclub detail until you see it. On the right colour, it gives the CLA a proper concept-car face without turning the sedan into a Christmas bauble.
The cabin follows the same idea. A fixed panoramic glass roof is standard across the range, with heat-insulating laminated safety glass, infrared film and LowE coating. Heated front seats, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging and facial recognition are also standard. The CLA 200, CLA 220 4MATIC and CLA 350 4MATIC electric add AMG Line details, including sports seats, a sports steering wheel, AMG floor mats and AMG body styling.
Mercedes is also using the new CLA to roll out MB.OS in full. The MBUX Superscreen combines a 10.25-inch driver display with a 14-inch centre touchscreen and, where fitted, a 14-inch passenger screen behind one sheet of glass. The AI voice assistant pulls in ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Bing, which sounds like a committee meeting until it works as promised. Over-the-air updates for vehicle and safety systems matter more than the buzzwords.
The electric CLA is the more interesting mechanical step. It uses a rear-drive layout, an in-house 200 kW rear electric drive unit, a two-speed transmission and an 800-volt electrical system with DC charging capability up to 320 kW. Mercedes says recuperation can reach 200 kW, allowing most braking to be handled through energy recovery while keeping a consistent brake feel.
The CLA 350 4MATIC electric adds an 80 kW front motor for all-wheel drive, then decouples that motor under light load to cut front axle losses. The headline numbers are strong for a compact Mercedes sedan, with 260 kW, 515 Nm, a 4.9 second sprint to 100 km/h and a claimed 663 km WLTP range.
The hybrids are not treated as apology grades. The 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is backed by a 48-volt battery with up to 1.3 kWh of capacity, while the electric motor sits inside a compact eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The system can drive on electric power alone at urban speeds when less than 20 kW is needed, and can recover up to 25 kW across all eight gears.
There is some proper chassis substance under the shine. All versions get steel-sprung comfort suspension, a newly developed three-link front axle and a multi-link rear axle, while the body has been shaped to a low 0.21Cd drag coefficient. A centre airbag is standard, and the electric CLA scored five stars in Euro NCAP testing in 2025.
The neat part is not that Mercedes has made an electric CLA. That was inevitable. The neat part is that the new CLA range does not make the hybrids feel like leftovers or the EVs feel like a novelty act. If the drive lives up to the hardware, this could be one of the more convincing compact Benzes in years.
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Alan Zurvas is the founder and editor of Gay Car Boys, Australia's leading LGBTQI+ automotive publication. Before launching GCB in 2008, Alan's automotive writing was published in SameSame.com.au and the Star Observer. With over 16 years of hands-on car reviewing experience, Alan brings an honest, irreverent voice to every review — championing value and innovation over brand loyalty.
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