Mercedes-Benz CLS 220d (2021), the ultimate autobahn-cruiser?
What is the ideal autobahn-cruiser? What are the features that this car should definitely have?
Great comfort
A nice stereo
Enough safety features
Powerful enough
But most important: good fuel economy
So there are a few cars that tick all the boxes. But what if you would really want a German car? No problem! BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz will sell you whatever you want. So if you really want a Mercedes, you could get an E-class … or maybe this CLS? It looks better, doesn’t it?
The facelift
True “Car Journalism”-fans would tell me: But Kenny, you guys already tested the CLS. And yes, that’s true but that was the pre-facelift! We really get the confusion, the difference on the outside is rather discrete. On the front, there is a new and a little bit more aggressive front bumper while the grill gives you a bunch of small Mercedes-stars and at the back, a new ornamental piece under the bumper. So, you can really talk about a facelift!
But let’s be honest, it’s pretty hard to make a beautiful car even more beautiful! The beauty is also the biggest reason why someone would buy a CLS above the E-Class.
The Coupe
More beautiful than a sedan, but with that also less space in the back. So if you have kids, if you are a cab driver or if you have friends, you will probably buy an E-Class sedan or probably the station wagon. But if you don’t have any of those things, be my guest! It’s great. You feel so much more special than an average mister E. The updated CLS will also give you a bunch of technical updates. A new Mbux-infotainment system linked to a great-sounding sound system, control modules with touch-sensitive surfaces and an edited multifunctional steering wheel.
A four-cylinder diesel
Not the best engine in a Mercedes-Benz CLS but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad engine! A CLS needs the ease of a sweet six-cylinder diesel, if you ask me. But we got the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 194 hp and 400 Nm of torque. With the help of the silky-smooth 9-speed automatic gearbox, 0 to 100 km/h is dealt within 7,5 seconds and you will go on to 237 km/h. It never felt you were pushing the car over its limit '-a thing that we were scared of- and that adds to the “long autobahn-cruiser”-feeling. That brings us to another important item: the fuel economy! Mercedes-Benz talks about 4,8 liters per 100 kilometers, but with the best will in the world, we couldn’t get close. We clocked off our average consumption at 5,7 liters/100km. Still not bad!
Thanks to the smooth body of the CLS (and some good isolation), the car filters out the most annoying sounds to give the CLS a great GT character. You don’t want to hit the corners with this one do because the suspension isn’t fit for that. Even in the most sporty setting the car never gets razor-sharp as the exterior would suggest. All the more reason to confirm that Mercedes is putting the CLS in the GT world.
Conclusion
The Mercedes-Benz CLS has a right to exist, but will probably die a silent death. The former customers will probably choose the “fashion object” that is called an SUV Coupé and that’s a sad thing. The CLS is much more dynamic and finer to drive. A new Mercedes-Benz CLS can be yours for 73.568 euros. But knowing Mercedes, that price will jump up a couple of times adding the options. The night-pack, that awesome color, the decorative elements and you easily add 10.000 euros of options.
