[Pinz]

Originally Posted by bimmerfile

Not me.
From what I've seen the CLA45, the //M235i and the Audi S3 are all really good looking vehicles and I consider myself really fortunate for having such a selection to choose from when I replace my 1er ragtop next year.
That said, I do prefer the //M235i's "get the f*ck outa-my-way" front end design when compared to either the CLA45 or S3.

Maybe it's because here in Vancouver, Canada, I see a ton of these B-class "hatchbacks" in my rearview mirror. And the first picture looks very much like one of those:



The B 250:

[sgrinavi]

I'm not seeing how MB is going that much faster 0-60 - it's a heavier car putting out the same amount of torque. The AWD making that much difference?

Both nice cars, but I would go for the 2'er - just something about a driving a BMW that makes me smile.

[AG_e36]

In my opinion, that's one of the ugliest cars that Mercedes has ever made.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by sgrinavi

I'm not seeing how MB is going that much faster 0-60 - it's a heavier car putting out the same amount of torque. The AWD making that much difference?

Both nice cars, but I would go for the 2'er - just something about a driving a BMW that makes me smile.

AWD, DSG, more power under the curve. It will be interesting to see real world 1/4 mile trap speeds. It will also be interesting to see M235i times with and without an LSD. Don't forget that even with Haldex, the CLA45 is 4 wheel drive, compared to the M235i being 1 wheel drive.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by npina

Here is the thing, we develop this crazy appreciation / love for Bimmers... that I am always going to be a little (to not say the opposite) biased whenever we see comparisons like this one... Even when MB makes such a nice car (CLA class) and basically creates a new market segment (at least in the US) where you can now buy a loaded luxury small sedan for 30K. But... with all that said, I'll take the BMW in a heartbeat.

"Loaded" for $30k? You have to be kidding me... have you been to the Mercedes dealer? I have and I saw the MSRP of this car.

The $30k car doesn't have anything. Once you add a Premium Package and a Sport Package, the CLA 250 is up to $38k with destination. Load up the CLA250 (not AMG even) and you are up to $45k MSRP!

Plus the CLA just looks nasty in my opinion. The front is too large, the rear and wheels are too small - the proportions are all wrong. Plus it has a lot of cheap plastics and feels cheap.

[Jockey]

Originally Posted by Z K

Plus it has a lot of cheap plastics and feels cheap.

Have you been in a non-M BMW below a 5-series recently?

[PopsnBurbles]

Originally Posted by JHOOPS2

A much better shot of the rear in the exact color combo I ordered...

See that, as I said on my previous post, the CLA shines in a different color. Congrats on your incoming beautiful CLA. You can never go wrong with white. I saw a white CLA 250 today and it looked amazing!

Red is like the worst possible color for the CLA because the tail lights are too red and it blends too much.

[Beck]

CLA reminds me a little of a carp fish.

[dmboone25]

The CLA is a worthy competitor to the 2er, especially in the performance segment. But as for looks....just doesn't have the sharp lines of the M235. Much less what we will get with an M2. I see an overall 1/2 moon shape if that makes sense...and the back end looks like they pulled on it far too long.

I know looks are subjective, but you "use" the looks everyday. Doesn't always happen with the performance. So it's a big deal, at least to me.

Still a good car from MB...just not my taste at all...

[demonking]

The cla45 did not get very good reviews.

[Small Yellow]

Originally Posted by Gymkhana

id say even more !
Merc using haldex based AWD system. Its VW Golf in body of A-class.
There is no replacement for displacement they say. CLA engine is not as flexible as BMWs N55.
For example, look at 80-120 times at 4-5-6th gears %)

True... I bet there is horrendous lag with that amg engine... but I believe the 80-120 is more because of how the cars put down power? Arent AWD especially a front biased AWD slower once they hit speed where as RWD will pull harder the faster you go?

These 0-60 comparison between AWD vs RWD or AWD vs FWD makes me Most people dont realize AWD is faster to 60 and believe it is a better car because it gets to 60 faster

[Small Yellow]

Originally Posted by bradleyland

Have you been in an entry level (C-class and friends) Mercedes? Every time BMW has a drive event, I take advantage of the opportunity to drive a comparable Mercedes without having to go to a Mercedes dealer and put up with the sales people. I absolutely hate the interior in every Mercedes I've been in below the E-class. I hate everything about the way Mercedes designs their interiors with the exception of materials quality, which is still questionable in places.

• The number of buttons is just ridiculous.
• The layout of the buttons is horrible industrial design (bad grouping, bad layout, bad distinction between functions)
• The infotainment system looks like it's running on a Commodore64.
• The infotainment system is cumbersome to navigate.
• The control knob for the infotainment system has horrible haptics.
• The dash layout and integration (if you can call it that) of the nav screen is horrible.
• The miniature seat on the door for seat adjustment is gaudy.

Now maybe the new QNX system is going to rectify a lot of my complaints about the infotainment system, but I really question Mercedes' commitment and understanding of what's important in that regard. When you look at their offering just 1 year ago and compare it to iDrive, it's clear that they have a LOT of catching up to do.

I very much agree.

The new S class is amazing though. The features it has and I love how much neater it is... not that much buttons anymore.

[Kayani_1]

+1 The CLA45 AMG looks far more exciting and BMW M235i looks Ok nothing special. In past BMW looks were on par with MB. But where as MB has been taking more chances the BMW has been scared to death after the more daring cars of bangle era to design anything very exciting except for Z4 or i8. The rest were dulled down right before introduction to not offend anyone......lol.

The interior of the CLA45 AMG looks more exciting and the exterior by shrinking pics and being selective in picking bad pics of MB is not going to change the facts. The bangle era at least produced cars that everyone tried copying. Now no one is copying the bland BMW looks.

In the past you would take the bland styling of BMW like you do with the Porsche because driving experience made more then enough for it. That is getting diluted with horrendous EPS setups and overly soft suspension setups etc.


Anyways hope that M2 and M235i brings back that old magic then I can easily deal with a bit of bland styling.............


Bad pics put up on BMW web site aside it looks pretty nice to me from all angles.

Originally Posted by shatty

I understand this is a BMW forum. I LOVE BMWs. But I think you have to give credit when credit is due. The CLA45 is absolutely stunning. I love what they did with the new CLS and they passed it down to the CLA. The interior of the 1/2 and 3/4 series is boring. They have looked the same over the past few gens. The Merc is very impressive putting out that much power from a small engine. I havent driven the CLA but imo, nothing drives like a beemer. I had a 135 cab and I loved the way it drove. I drove a new 535 and X5 and I was also very impressed. I am not a fan or Mercs, never have been. But I am loving the new SL, CLS, SLK, ML, and CLA. I would take a CLS over the 6 GC hands down because it just looks better. BMW is getting boring. Same style over and over. But u cant beat the driving experience.

[WyattHerb]

Originally Posted by demonking

The cla45 did not get very good reviews.

This is something I just can't ignore. They haven't been glowing.

[Teutonic]

Originally Posted by ybbiz34

The hand-built, sand-cast 2.0L motor in the CLA45 is currently the most powerful 2.0L, 4-cylinder production motor in the world.

It's also the most powerful 2.0L, 4-cylinder production motor EVER.

And for those thinking it is "maxed out" on boost, a special "race" edition or even a "Black Series" variant are both rumored to be in the works.

Carry on.

Patience my friend, patience.

Now, MB can pull out 320 HP per litre, I wouldn't buy a such ugly car. Never.
Because for me, the beauty of the car matters.

[Teutonic]

Originally Posted by shatty

I would take a CLS over the 6 GC hands down because it just looks better. BMW is getting boring.

Wow!
I think that 6 Series is one of the most stelar cars ever built!
The interior is stuning, the exterior is just beautiful. I wish they will follow the same path in 3 and 4 series.
BMW showed again that they master the art of mixing conservatorism with modern, practical and beautiful, being original and pleasant at the same time.
CLS can't keep a candle to 6 series.

[Teutonic]

What an ugly car.
It looks like a giant put his hands on front and rear of the car and bent it. Those Ferrari wanna be nostrils on the front bumper and the feminine "buterfly" tail lights just complete the picture making it a good contestant for the "most ugliest car". Interior is terrible too, that glued Garmin and the vents....

[pikcachu]

wonder why they didn't just make a coupe instead of a modern version Frankenstein car

[scanspeak]

The CLA has very Korean styling, probably dictated by aerodynamics. Not to my taste.
The 2 is classically styled like a nice suit.

[BMW86]

Drove and finalised the order for a CLA 45 AMG today.

Performance: It's a very quick car. Acceleration is fast and smooth. Very linear power and it's readily available.

Handling: Very impressed. I've driven other merc's and AMG models and I've always felt that M cars are in another league. This car is something else. It feels very planted. I couldn't push the limits during the test drive but it felt very controlled.

Styling: The C63 is definitely the better looking car. The CLA can look awkward at some angles but I see potential in it. My 135i looks nothing like a standard 135i, so I'm sure the CLA with a nice drop and some slick wheels it will look the part.

Interior: Overall very nice cabin, steering wheel is good, recaros are great. Screen looks a bit out of place but you get over it. Gear shifter is very nice. Seems a bit boy-racer, but I have nothing against it.

Practicality: Front has plenty of room, rear is fine for 2 adults under 6 feet. Boot/trunk is decent size.

Technology: There is plenty of it, and it's all standard on the CLA 45. I was very impressed with this aspect.

Looking forward to taking delivery. I think it represents excellent value and it performed really well. Whether you like the looks or not, you need to respect the performance and handling. I'd still prefer a C63 just for the V8 sound and I love the sedan/coupe shape, but I cannot justify the price tag it entails. The CLA wins in all other areas and it offers a lot of cool technology.

I'll post some comparison photos and further comments when it arrives, but it won't be for some time. The 135i is staying though

[nenadbogar]

why would you want to adjust your seat where the door handle is? thats not a feature you use that often as a door handle

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by nenadbogar

why would you want to adjust your seat where the door handle is? thats not a feature you use that often as a door handle

Because you can see what you're doing, instead of fumbling around in a tight space under your ass? This is sort of like asking why would you want your window switches on the door, something BMW resisted for a long time. I'd guess it won't be long until BMW moves the seat controls to the door too.