Mercedes-Benz has revealed its all-new CLA, the brand’s most technologically advanced EV yet.
The entry-level sedan model marks the brand’s first car on its new 800-volt Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA), which accommodates both electric and mild-hybrid powertrains.
Both will feature on the new CLA, with the electric version set to launch first. In Australia, we can expect it in showrooms in the first half of 2026, following its debut in Europe later this year.
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On the surface, the new CLA doesn't appear to depart too radically from its predecessor. It maintains much of the same silhouette and sloping roofline, albeit with slightly larger proportions, new LED headlight and taillight designs and a smattering of three-spoke Mercedes-branded running lights, including the front emblem.
Under the skin, though, the changes are immense. Mercedes’ new architecture allows for DC fast-charging rate of up to 320kW, which the brand said will replenish up to 325km of range in just 10 minutes.
Power and torque outputs vary on the two-strong EV line-up, which consists of a single motor front-wheel drive CLA 250+ that delivers 200kW/335Nm and a dual-motor all-wheel drive CLA 350 4MATIC that provides 260kW/515Nm
Both cars are powered by a 85kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, which delivers a maximum of 792km of range on the CLA250+ and 771km on the CLA 350, both of which are rated under the WLTP cycle.
Additionally, a Mercedes-developed, Geely-supplied 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine will join the line-up at a later date. It will come paired to a 1.3kWh 48-volt electric battery that will feed a small electric motor nestled in the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Inside, the CLA boasts a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, a 14-inch multimedia display and an optional 14-inch display for the front passenger. The central touchscreen will carry Mercedes’ latest MBUX operating system, which includes Google built-in and an MBUX virtual chatbot powered by Google’s AI language model Gemini.
Symbolised by a Mercedes-Benz three-star logo in the top right corner of the car, the MBUX assistant can respond to a driver’s mood during active dialogue and choose an ambient lighting colour accordingly, Mercedes said. Green is said to reflect positivity, while red/orange can reflect anger or frustration.
Additionally, there is a UV-resistant panoramic glass roof as standard and a range of optional trim materials from aluminium to open-pore wood and leather, in addition to optional synthetic and real leather or microfibre upholstery.
Pricing remains unclear for now, although it is expected to incur a premium over the outgoing CLA, which starts at $72,400, before on-road costs, $14,600 more than an Audi A3 sedan ($57,800) and $13,500 more than a BMW 2 Series ($59,900).
Mercedes has confirmed it will aim for price parity between EV and hybrid versions on the new model thanks to significant cost savings in the battery production process.
More details on the 2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA, including pricing, are expected closer to the car’s official Australian launch next year.
