AutoMercedes-Benz CLE Coupé 300 4MATIC review: dressed to thrillThe latest Mercedes Coupé offers a stunning two-door option with C-Class stylings but leaves you wanting moreWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future)T3 VerdictAs a coupé, the Mercedes-Benz CLE provides the perfect solution for C-Class buyers who want something a little sportier. There’s plenty of tech on board for most, and some nice interior touches. It does lack the luxury of an E-Class coupé though, and doesn’t get some of those new E-Class tech options, or the plug-in hybrid option.Reasons to buy+Beautiful to look at+Mild hybrid gives decent fuel consumption+Great sound systemReasons to avoid-Lacks Superscreen-Big doors-More C-class than E-classWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
AutoMercedes-Benz CLE Coupé 300 4MATIC review: dressed to thrillThe latest Mercedes Coupé offers a stunning two-door option with C-Class stylings but leaves you wanting moreWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future)T3 VerdictAs a coupé, the Mercedes-Benz CLE provides the perfect solution for C-Class buyers who want something a little sportier. There’s plenty of tech on board for most, and some nice interior touches. It does lack the luxury of an E-Class coupé though, and doesn’t get some of those new E-Class tech options, or the plug-in hybrid option.Reasons to buy+Beautiful to look at+Mild hybrid gives decent fuel consumption+Great sound systemReasons to avoid-Lacks Superscreen-Big doors-More C-class than E-classWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
The latest Mercedes Coupé offers a stunning two-door option with C-Class stylings but leaves you wanting more
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future)T3 VerdictAs a coupé, the Mercedes-Benz CLE provides the perfect solution for C-Class buyers who want something a little sportier. There’s plenty of tech on board for most, and some nice interior touches. It does lack the luxury of an E-Class coupé though, and doesn’t get some of those new E-Class tech options, or the plug-in hybrid option.Reasons to buy+Beautiful to look at+Mild hybrid gives decent fuel consumption+Great sound systemReasons to avoid-Lacks Superscreen-Big doors-More C-class than E-class
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
T3 VerdictAs a coupé, the Mercedes-Benz CLE provides the perfect solution for C-Class buyers who want something a little sportier. There’s plenty of tech on board for most, and some nice interior touches. It does lack the luxury of an E-Class coupé though, and doesn’t get some of those new E-Class tech options, or the plug-in hybrid option.Reasons to buy+Beautiful to look at+Mild hybrid gives decent fuel consumption+Great sound systemReasons to avoid-Lacks Superscreen-Big doors-More C-class than E-class
T3 VerdictAs a coupé, the Mercedes-Benz CLE provides the perfect solution for C-Class buyers who want something a little sportier. There’s plenty of tech on board for most, and some nice interior touches. It does lack the luxury of an E-Class coupé though, and doesn’t get some of those new E-Class tech options, or the plug-in hybrid option.
T3 Verdict
As a coupé, the Mercedes-Benz CLE provides the perfect solution for C-Class buyers who want something a little sportier. There’s plenty of tech on board for most, and some nice interior touches. It does lack the luxury of an E-Class coupé though, and doesn’t get some of those new E-Class tech options, or the plug-in hybrid option.
Reasons to buy+Beautiful to look at+Mild hybrid gives decent fuel consumption+Great sound systemReasons to avoid-Lacks Superscreen-Big doors-More C-class than E-class
Reasons to buy+Beautiful to look at+Mild hybrid gives decent fuel consumption+Great sound system
Beautiful to look at
Mild hybrid gives decent fuel consumption
Great sound system
Reasons to avoid-Lacks Superscreen-Big doors-More C-class than E-class
Lacks Superscreen
Big doors
More C-class than E-class
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Jump to category:Price and availabilityDesign and featuresInterior and techDrive and performanceVerdict
Jump to category:Price and availabilityDesign and featuresInterior and techDrive and performanceVerdict
TheMercedes-BenzCLE Coupé is something of a multi-tasker. This new two-door coupe sits in place of both the C-Class coupe and the E-Class coupe, bringing a little of both into its extremely good-looking form.
While four-door saloon cars, like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and C-Class, are designed for executives and families, coupés are for younger, more fashionable singles and couples. Yes, they have back seats, if you really must take passengers, but the two-door sportier design says this is all about me.
I spent a week behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupé to see how it drives and what it’s like to live with.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
How much does the Merces-Benz CLE cost?
Price-wise, the CLE Coupé starts from £46,605 on the road ($60,000 estimated in US). That’s just £1.5k more than the C-Class saloon model and nearly £11k less than the E-Class saloon. The two biggest competitors right now on the market – the BMW 4 Series Coupé and the Audi A5 Coupe – both start fractionally cheaper, especially for equivalent spec.
The CLE comes with a choice of three main engine variants, which aside from the AMG models are all 4-cylinder and all mild hybrids. The entry-level C200 has a 2-litre petrol, while the C220 d has a 2-litre 4-cylinder diesel. The C300 also has a 4-cylinder 2-litre petrol engine but with more horsepower and torque. All are paired with a 17kW battery to boost both power and fuel economy.
I tested the Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 4MATIC AMG Line Premium Plus Coupé, which retails at £60,760, which included the special Patagonia red paint but not the optional £1695 Driving Assistance Package Plus.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
What’s new?
With just the two doors, the CLE is very front-heavy, and while the rear slopes gently, it still has a shortened, flat rear. Those doors are much longer then those on the four-door models to allow easier access to the rear seats, which does make them quite heavy and needs a bit more breathing space in a car park. There are no flush door handles like on the E-Class here either.
For a coupe, the CLE does have a decent-sized boot, though not the largest of openings, due to the shape of the rear. The wide, twin exhausts on the bottom add to the sporty feel. In fact the car does sit a little lower, and in the case of the CLE 300, on its 20-inch AMG multi-spoke alloys and low-profile tyres.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Interior and tech
Inside the car, you get a cockpit more akin to some of the other two-door Mercedes, such as the SL models. The dash layout is almost identical to the C-Class here too, with a vertically mounted 11.9-inch display in the centre and a generous 12.3-inch driver display behind the wheel. There’s also a head-up display that offers both navigation and driving dynamics to keep your eyes on the road at all times.
The upholstery is finished in leather, with a choice of black, cream and tan, which extends to the top of the doors. However, the side armrests which contain the mirror and window controls have a textured plastic finish that’s designed to look like metal.
While the MBUX system here is still impressive, the layout for this screen doesn’t feel as easy to use as the larger horizontal screen in the E-Class. It’s a shame there wasn’t an option for the new Superscreen in this car, which provides an additional display for the passenger.
You do still get the new parking cameras here though, which on top of the birds-eye view, give you a three-quarters view of the car that you can then spin around the vehicle to focus on any likely obstacles when parking or navigating tight manoeuvres.
Adding the Driving Assistance Package Plus package gives you active steering control and lane changing in addition to the adaptive cruise control, bringing this up to level 2 autonomy. Even without it though, the speed limiter and cruise control help to destress those longer or busier drives. The screen provides quick access to turn off those driver safety speed warnings, which is a welcome relief, should you stray over the limit a little.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
How does it drive?
While it only features a four-cylinder engine, the CLE 300 4MATIC has plenty of poke. This model will give you up to 281hp and a 0-62mph acceleration of 6.2 seconds (the CLE 450 will give you 404hp and a 4.4sec 0-62mph). That battery adds a small burst of power pushing up that acceleration but also helps the CLE achieve its 39.3 mpg fuel economy. This mild hybrid tech doesn’t need charging – the battery takes power from the braking and coasting.
The downside is that this small battery cannot be used to power the car on its own like the Plug-in hybrid E-Class model can, so you always need that engine running. It would have been nice to see a PHEV version of the CLE in the range, though with this smaller form, the practicalities of that might not have been straightforward. Ultimately though, there has to be an all-electric coupé at some stage, and that will be incredible.
That said, one of my favourite parts of the CLE is the engine noise. In Sport mode, you get a bit extra too, pumped into the cabin for the effect. I haven’t tested the AMG version with the six-cylinder engine but I would wager that it sounds even better.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Mercedes-Benz CLE?
While the CLE is designed to replace both the C-Class and E-Class coupés, it’s clearly leaning heavily towards the more affordable of the two. That makes sense, and if you want an affordable two-door version of the C-Class, it’s stunning. Those who would have bought the E-Class coupé can look at one of the higher specced models, such as the AMG CLE 53, or the upcoming CLE Cabriolet, which looks even better.
The Mercedes CLE coupé provides that perfect middle ground for those who don’t need the practicality of a four-door saloon but equally need a bit more than a two-seater. While it costs fractionally more than some of its competition, it is arguably the better looking and is packed with tech inside.
Until we see a PHEV or a full battery electric CLE, the 350 and 450 4MATIC models are the sensible choice while giving a bit more power. I suspect that it will be the cabriolet though that will appeal to most.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
TOPICSMercedes-Benz
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