Mercedes-Benz CLA review

Prices start at £34,535 for the petrol-powered CLA 180 and £36,035 for the 200, £39,265 for the 220d and £45,360 for the 250e, which require you to step up a trim level. More on that below.

For reference, that's more than a regular A-Class or A-Class saloon, but cheaper than the BMW 2 Series Coupe and VW Arteon. A Peugeot 508 is less (by a smidge), as is an Audi A3 Saloon (by a lot).

What’s the difference between kit?

Your base trim level is Sport Executive, which gets 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a 10.25in digital instrument display and 10.25-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, voice control, heated front seats, and Mercedes’ parking package including reversing camera. Not bad.

One up AMG Line Executive trim models get AMG bodystyling and alloys, sports steering wheel, seats and brakes, wireless charging, ambient lighting and keyless go, among other things, while AMG Line Premium adds 19-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, an upgraded sound system, and augmented reality satnav that projects directions onto a live feed of the road from a camera behind the rear-view mirror.

Top-spec AMG Line Premium Plus models get fancy multi-beam LED lights, a panoramic sunroof, memory seats and 360-degree camera. A £1,495 pack adds the rest of Merc’s latest active safety and driver assistance tech.

What’s the best spec?

Based on our experience we reckon the 220d is the pick of the bunch if you can ignore the diesel naysayers, if only for the eight-speed DCT that’s a huge improvement on the petrol cars’ seven. We’d be tempted to stick to the entry-level (but impressively well equipped) Sport Executive trim, which means you avoid the lowered comfort suspension and should ride best courtesy of the smaller alloys.