
I fell in love when I first saw the Concept CLA Class at CES 2024. This sleek all-electric car seemed to be Mercedes’ answer to Tesla’s popular Model 3 — an affordable, tech-forward EV in a sedan form-factor. But when I travelled to Germany last February to see the production CLA in person, I was disappointed with the styling.
To my eyes, the CLA with EQ technology isn’t nearly as sexy looking as the concept. Plus, since there’s also a hybrid model, the all-electric CLA is built on a shared platform, which is a recipe for compromises. Then, in early December I got to drive the CLA in-and-around San Francisco for a day. It was an eye-opening experience.