Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe Review (2024-present)
Mercedes-Benz CLE cars for sale
4.0
Expert review
Pros
Wide engine range includes petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid
Good ride comfort
Roomy enough for four people
Cons
Not as sharp to drive as a BMW 4 Series
More expensive than an Audi A5 Coupe
Fiddly steering wheel controls
The CarGurus verdict
Provided you regard it as a grand tourer rather than an out-and-out sports coupe, the Mercedes CLE is an impressive machine. Its broad engine range, luxurious (and surprisingly roomy) interior, intuitive tech and refined driving manners all add to its appeal. Not to mention the fact it looks fantastic.
Bottom line is, if you like the idea of a Mercedes coupe then you’re likely to get on very well indeed with this CLE.
What is the Mercedes CLE Coupe?
Where once Mercedes produced coupe versions of the C-Class and the E-Class, it has now consolidated into one all-new model. It’s called the CLE Coupe (a CLE Convertible is also offered) and, according to Mercedes at least, is designed to bridge the gap between C- and E-Class. Which is to say, it offers owners of the previous C-Class Coupe with the interior space of an E-Class Coupe, while those who previously plumped for the E-Class Coupe will now benefit from the sharper driving dynamics usually associated with its smaller sibling.
The CLE is built on the same platform as both the latest generation C-Class and E-Class, and is available to buy with petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid powertrains. Its closest rivals are the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5, and like those cars if offers seating for four and a very hi-tech interior.
How practical is it?
The CLE Coupe offers more space in its rear seats than you might expect. Anybody up to six-foot tall will fit with a bit of legroom to spare, and while headroom is tight it’s far from unbearable. Rear charging ports and integrated cupholders are nice touches, although it’s worth bearing in mind that the rear windows do not open (the CLE is not a pillarless coupe in the Mercedes tradition).
Boot space stands at 420 litres, and while the access is narrow you’ll be able to fit in suitcases with relative ease. If you plan on taking your CLE Coupe on cross-continent jaunts (as well you should given its grand tourer abilities), the boot should happily accommodate your luggage. An integrated ski hatch is also potentially useful, as is the fact that the rear seat backs can be drop to increase the loadbay.
In the front the CLE Coupe offers a useful range of storage areas including two cupholders in the centre tunnel, more storage under the armrest, and a good-sized glovebox. The front seats, it should be noted, are particualrly comfortable.
What’s it like to drive?
While it might be more dynamic than the outgoing E-Class Coupe, the CLE Coupe still has clear grand tourer feel to the way it drives. That is to say it rides very comfortably, and isolates its occupants well from wind and road noise (perhaps less so on the 20-inch wheels than 19s). The car turns in to corners sharply and has abundant grip, but it stops short of feeling genuinely exciting. The variable assistance steering plays a part here, being lighter at low speed and then gaining weight as the car gains velocity. It’s predictable and accurate, but lacking in any feel for what’s happening at the road surface. As a result, the CLE Coupe is competent and quick, rather than thrilling – which is arguably just as a Mercedes coupe should be.
All engines use mild hybrid technology to boost efficiency and smoothness, and send power to the wheels via a nine-speed automatic gearbox. The range starts with 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel units in CLE 200 and CLE 220 d guises. These rear-wheel-drive models have 201bhp (petrol) or 197bhp (diesel) and will accelerate from 0-62mph in 7.4 seconds and 7.5 seconds respectively. The next step up the CLE Coupe ladder is the all-wheel-drive CLE 300 4Matic, which also uses a four-cyinder petrol engine but with a power increase to 258bhp resulting in a 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds. This is a good engine, with useful low- to mid-range pulling power, and enough enthusiasm at high revs to feel entertaining. It sounds pretty good too, particularly with the car in its Sport mode, when it pumps a bit of extra engine growl into the cabin via the speakers.
Next up is the CLE Coupe C450, which uses an inline six-cylinder engine with a healthy 380bhp for a 0-62mph time of 4.4 seconds. Rounding out the range are a plug-in hybrid aimed at company car drivers, and a performance flagship AMG version with 449bhp and a 4.2 second 0-62mph time.
Technology, equipment & infotanment
Although the exterior of the CLE Coupe appears more E-Class than C-Class in its dimenions, the interior architecture is firmly from the C-Class. In terms of interior quality, that means there are a few more hard surfaces than you might expect, although these are admittedly tucked away in places you rarely look at or touch. In terms of what you do see and feel, the CLE Coupe (just like the C-Class) feels like an extremely high quality product.
The central touchscreen is a portrait-mounted unit measuring 11.9 inches. Again, the hardware comes straight from the C-Class and looks suitably glossy. However, its software is based on the third-generation of the MBUX operating system, which is beautifully responsive, and generally easy to navigate, at least once you learn where key funtions reside within the menus. The dials meanwhile take the form of a 12.3-inch digital screen, which is fully customisable albeit via some very fiddly steering wheel-mounted controls.
In terms of equipment, there is no entry-level model as such. Instead the range kicks off with the AMG Line which includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, wireless phone charging and rather lovely 64-colour ambient lighting. Above this is the AMG Line Premium with 19-inch alloys, keyless go, a panoramic sunroof and 360-degree cameras to help with parking.
Continue up the range and you'll land on the AMG-Line Premium Plus with 20-inch wheels, upgraded seats and stereo, and a head-up display. Premier Edition and Night Package add styling and material upgrades such as Nappa leather for the seats.
Mercedes CLE running costs
In terms of pure purchase price, the CLE Coupe costs more than an Audi A5 or BMW 4 Series, but is a slightly larger vehicle. For the lowest running costs from your CLE Coupe, opt for the C200 d with its claimed average of 60.1mpg, or the plug-in hybrid model, assuming you have the ability to charge its battery on a regular basis. Of the petrol models the C200 is the most efficient, with a WLTP Combined average fuel economy of 44.1mpg. The C300 isn’t far behind at 39.8mpg, while the six-cylinder C450 managed 36.7mpg. In our tests of the C300, we managed an average of 32-34mpg in mixed driving, which seems perfectly acceptable given the performance on offer.
All brand-new CLE Coupes cost in excess of the £40,000 threshold for the premium rate of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED, or road tax), so bank on paying an additional £390 per year in VED for the first five years of the car’s life, on top of the standard rate.
Insurance groups for the CLE Coupe range from 35-43, which puts it broadly in line with equivalently powerful versions of the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5.
Mercedes CLE reliability
The CLE Coupe is too new to have any meaningful reliability data to share. The fact it borrows engines and technology from the current generation C-Class isn’t of much help etiher, because there is so far very little reliability data relating to that car, either. Mercedes as a brand, however, didn’t fare particularly well in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey, placing 24th of the 32 brands included. That puts it behind Lexus (1st) and BMW (12th), but ahead of Audi (26th).
As with other Mercedes models, the CLE Coupe comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty. This can be extended to five years at extra cost.
- The MBUX-based infotainment system uses one of the more advanced voice recognition systems on the market. Talk to the car, either using a ‘Hey Mercedes’ prompt or simply by asking it a question, and it can carry out simple commands such as changing the in-car temperature or activating the heated seats, or more complicated operations such as navigating to a particular address or point of interest. In our tests it worked extremely well.
- As with all Mercedes models, the CLE Coupe is available with a wide range of active safety systems. Some of these are bundled in an optional Driving Assistance Package Plus, which includes Active Speed Limit Assist, and Active Lane Change Assist. Just as impressive is that it takes just two prods of the touchscreen to disable these systems in conditions where they are more of a hinderance than a help (for example, disabling lane assist on narrow roads).
- No manual gearbox is offered in the CLE Coupe or Convertible. Instead all use a nine-speed automatic with the option of a manual mode using paddles behind the steering wheel.
- For motorway miles: Given just how good the CLE Coupe is at devouring motorway miles, the availability of a diesel engine makes a lot of sense. With a claimed average fuel consumption of 60.1mpg and a range from a full tank of fuel that should easily surpass 500-600 miles, the CLE 220 d is well worth considering.
- For company car drivers: A CLE Coupe with the plug-in hybrid powertrain would make for a refreshingly different (and stylish) kind of company car, with lower BIK bills than any of the purely combustion-engined models.
- For performance enthusiasts: Even with Mercedes-AMG treatment it’s hard to imagine a CLE Coupe threatening a Porsche 911 for driving thrills, but with 449bhp and a 0-62mph time of 4.2 seconds, the CLE 53 4MATIC+ should still be a thrilling ride.
- For those who like the wind in their hair: Don’t forget that all models of the CLE Coupe can also be ordered in Convertible form. We’d lean towards the C450 for its six-cylinder soundtrack.
