NAIAS 2013: 2014 Mercedes CLA

**ausrutherford** · 01-13-2013, 05:22 PM

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 is an entry-level "style rebel"
By Steven J. Ewing
Jan 13th 2013
Autoblog

"Style rebel." Not a term we've often heard before in the presence of a Merc, but exactly the phrase that Mercedes-Benz is using to describe its new entry-level four-door coupe sedan, the CLA. The swoopy new compact you see here is making its first appearance on the eve of the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, though it will officially debut to the public during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin that runs from January 15 to 18. Rebellious? Maybe. Stylish? Absolutely.

The CLA-Class takes the rakish sedan formula first seen on the Mercedes-Benz CLS to a smaller scale, riding on the architecture that underpins the svelte new A-Class hatchback in other markets. It's a pretty car, especially with the optional sport goodies seen on the silver car in our image gallery, and its design is actually quite efficient. Mercedes has managed to achieve a super-slippery drag coefficient of just 0.23. (For comparison, a Toyota Prius has a drag number of 0.25.)

Only the CLA250 model will be offered in the United States (until the hotter CLA45 AMG arrives, anyway), available with either front- or all-wheel drive – Mercedes-Benz is employing an updated version of its 4Matic system here that features fully variable torque distribution. Powering the CLA250 is a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder good for 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, mated solely to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The standard CLA250 rides on 17-inch alloy wheels, while models with the available sport package roll on five-spoke, 18-inch wheels.