Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4Matic+, more addictive than Oreos?
First drive: The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4Matic+ is bonkers and the only thing we can think about is the comparison with the tasty Oreo cookies.
Strange? No, we disagree.
But why the hell Oreo cookies? Did you know Oreo is more addictive than cocaïne and heroine? No? Now you know and if you don't believe us, Google it! In 2013, Connecticut College did research on rats and proved their point. Just sayin'.
Nearly 2 Oreo-boxes
That's the size of the engine. It ain't two Oreo-boxes of 10 times 2 pieces big, that engine! The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder produces a whopping 421 hp and 500 Nm of torque! Yes, that's more than 210 hp and 250 Nm per liter! Link that engine to the freakingly fast-shifting Speedshift DCT 8 speed gearbox and AWD launches the little 4-door coupé to 100 km/h in 4 seconds flat. Keep the pedal to the metal and you will hit 270 km/h thanks to the little "S" in its name.
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4Matic+ -really, that's the last time I'm using the full name- is a masterpiece where you can feel all the research and time the people at AMG put into the car. The car is made to be as good as the car can possibly be, with the risk of losing a little bit of character. Pushing the car to its absolute limit and going ridiculously fast is made terrifyingly easy. That's a lot of superlatives for this 2.0-liter powerhouse.
It's clear, Mercedes-AMG's emphasis has been placed on the CLA 45 S being a driver's car. Taking the shifts in your own hands when you're chasing down a Ferrari on twisty roads and hearing the exhaust popping every time you change gear. It's only noticeable when you do the shifting yourself. This generation is made quieter thanks to emission rules and yes! Asad sad thing. The whole CJ-team loved the pops, bangs, and crackles of the previous gen.
It broke my cookies!
And there are 2 things to blame for our crumbled cookies. The first being that "zero to 100 km/h" time of 4 seconds. But mainly the feeling the car gives you in that acceleration. There's one good word for it: Brutal. The CLA 45 S jumps out of the starting blocks and with every gearshift it seems to want to break your neck. Followed by a similar acceleration and again a firm gearshift. Subtle? Not for this beauty!
The second reason is somewhat less funny. The suspension -and meanly the one in the back- is really unforgiving. When you're hitting the back roads or some stunning alpine-roads, you love the feedback the CLA AMG gives you. The downside is when you are just cruising around on a bad road -and we have a lot of them in Belgium- the ride is just that little bit too firm, even in its most comfortable setting. Little FYI: the car has 6 driving modes and one of it calls itself drift. Its hatchback-brother -the A 45 S- didn't have that problem. But believe us, you will just accept that -minor- fact and will still love the little AMG. Certainly when you enjoy the differential from Magna-Steyr, think back at the Ford Focus RS, to throw the rear-wheel-drive (!) CLA into the corners. #smokescreen
512 boxes of Oreo's
That's the number of boxes -2 Oreo's in one package times 10- that will fit in the booth of the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S. With a lot of hard math, we can conclude the trunk will carry 10.240 Oreo cookies and those being more addictive than cocaïne. You get the picture. In plain numbers: 470 liters.
The interior of the small Mercedes is up there with its bigger family members. The dashboard is comparable with the bigger AMG's like the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S and AMG GT 63 S 4-doors coupe -the one Beau tested last year. It works extremely intuitive and reacts instantaneously to commands by the buttons on the steering wheel, the stroke with a finger on the touchscreen or your sensual "Hey Mercedes"-voice.
Top-notch graphics -think navigation-, swinging stereo system, and cozy seats. Just like you expect from a Mercedes-AMG. But is it enough to certify the price? We'll talk about that in a minute. But let's be honest, you could certainly use this AMG as a daily driver and have passengers in the rear if they're not too tall. It's a little 4-door coupe, what did you expect?
Black and white, just like … Oreo
From pretty much every angle the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S looks awesome! That white color, the black details -like the spoilers- and the 19-inch AMG-wheels combine to make the perfect recipe. Even when standing still the car looks like it is sliding through the wind.
Other details like the Panamericana grille and the 4 round exhaust-tips are like icing on the cake in the Oreo. You guessed correct, we absolutely adore the exterior of the car, and can you blame us? The pictures speak for themselves.
Conclusion
The time of the hot hatchback and super hatchback is in the past. It's time for the hyper hatch, it's time for the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4Matic+! If we could afford one -cause it's 83.508 euro-, we would buy one in this spec! It's lovely! So, to answer the question: is it more addictive than Oreo's? Let's put it this way, we will lose some weight.
The numbers
Engine
2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder
Power
421 hp (310 kW) and 500 Nm
Gearbox
8-speed DCT Speedshift
0-100 km/h
4 seconds
Top speed
270 km/h
Consumption at 120 km/h
8,3 l/100km
Start Price (BE)
71.632 euro
Price tested car (BE)
83.508 euro
