Got the CLA 200 Petrol Sport in grey colour delivered 10 days ago. Below are my likes and dislikes:
The Good
- Styling is just great, was one of the prime reasons this car was bought and as much as I preferred the 3 series as a more practical option. I have to admit it does look special. Not many cars below the 50 lakh price range spark that emotion. Another reason for this is that the CLA isn't the most practical option hence we don't see as many on our road, which makes it a tad exclusive.
- The petrol engine packs a good punch. The 2016 model also has a new Dynamic Select button which let you toggle between Eco, Comfort, Sport and also an Individual setting. Power delivery is smooth in all modes.
- The steering just feels incredible to hold. Even though this ain't no sports car the feeling gives you the feeling that you can and should push the car around.
- Interior build quality is top class. You don't find any plastics that are badly fitted or finished. I find the interior quality noticeably superior to the the BMW 3 series and X1 or even the Audi A3 and Q3.
- Extendable thigh support for front seats added in the MY2016 is a boon
- Memory seats for front driver AND Passenger! Even though this isn't that significant a feature for most, I must give this a mention because clearly for Mercedes it is a very generous move since my w222 S350d doesn't have any memory seats for the front passenger or even driver! However the S has memory seats for the rear. I have ranted about this a lot on my S-class ownership thread but I yet can't get over it because it's hard to live without it everyday!
- My dealership experience was much better this time as I did not to buy the car from Autohangar. Instead I bought it from Shaman and dealt directly with the owner who is a great guy. They had the exact color and variant I wanted in stock hence within a week all paper work was done and car was delivered as promised on my sister's birthday at midnight.
- Sunroof is huge and helps make the cabin a whole lot airier. It opens up pretty wide too. My RS5 too has a similar large roof but that only tilts up and does not open hence I am glad I don't have to live with that issue this time.
- Sports seats look great
- Rear camera quality is even better than the S-class and it tucks away when not in use to avoid it getting dirty.
The Not-So-Good
- Several features from the CBU version reviewed here as missing, such as:
No rear AC vents inspite of me getting the higher Sport model, instead there is a storage compartment as shown in the Tbhp review for the lower variant. There is no real ambient lighting in the doors nor is there in the rear seat headrest as shown in the review pic.
There is no digital climate control instead there is a manual one that is easy to use but is not what you expect from a premium sedan.
No front or rear parking sensors, pretty ridiculous.
There is no harmon kardon badging on speakers as seen in the review pics, good chance that they have omitted this too
Mercedes always manages to do most things right but cuts corner in the most illogical ways.
- The engine clatter at idle from the outside sounds like a diesel ! My driver who picked the car from the dealership was surprised when I told him it's a petrol. On the inside it is silent and sounds like a petrol when pushed but the clattered on the outside is unexpected from a petrol engine by MB.Also, there is a hint of a lag when you press the throttle from standstill.
- There is no leather, instead there is a good quality faux leather.MBIL has stopped leather on all models except the S. This is a bad move, nothing compares to the feel and smell of pure natural leather. The competition yet gives leather on higher variants.
- Spare wheel eats up most of the boot of the already small boot. The CLA's dimensions are almost at par with the 3 series yet the space on offer is way less on the interior and boot. The exterior too looks much more compact that the 3 due to the coupe styling of the CLA.
- Legroom is decent at the back but head room is terrible. 6 feet tall people will have their heads sunk in the roof. The black roof lining doesn't help either as it makes it feel more claustrophobic however opening the sunroof blind helps improve that greatly. They ought to have kept the headliner beige or light grey.
- The rear door is very small hence getting in and out of the car is not so comfortable for slightly bigger people.
- The navigation pre wiring is done but they expect you to pay 45k to get an SD card for the maps from the dealer. This sounds way too much for what it's worth. Can one buy garmin maps SD card directly and use it? Here is one option I found:
http://www.amazon.in/Garmin-City-Nav...ywords=sd+maps What's next:
- 3M has a new PPF Pro film releasing shortly, am waiting for it to arrive and have it fitted on both bumpers, mirrors and side skirts.
- 3M CR70 all around and maybe CR90 for sides if it is available.
- DC font rear number plate and front sticker.
Will post more pics soon.