Mercedes-Benz CLE Review 2024

Luxury. Badge identity. Style. Those are the main selling points of the Mercedes CLE Coupe, so if that’s what you’re after then pop it on your shortlist. It’s great at covering long distances in considerable comfort, surrounded by top tech and a high-quality interior.

However, if you’re after a particularly sporty drive then it might not be for you; this is more of a cruiser, and those after exhilaration behind the wheel will be better off in a BMW 4 Series. That said, the AMG performance model can be rather fun, due to its powerful engine and sharper handling.

The Mercedes CLE Coupe is also not the best choice if you’re likely to have regular rear-seat passengers, because space is tight and access restricted by the lack of rear doors.

So far, we’ve tried the Mercedes CLE 300 4MATIC, which has a 2.0-litre engine, all-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic transmission. And it’s rather good, with a decent amount of power (258PS). The large number of gears means it’s great at motorway cruising, keeping the revs low in top gear for quiet, effortless progress.

Those doing a lot of miles may also want to look at a diesel model – the Mercedes CLE 220d looks good on paper, with excellent fuel economy, but we’ve not tried it in person. If you want maximum performance, the powerful Mercedes-AMG 53 is the model to go for, which has 449PS and will hit 62mph from standstill in just 4.2 seconds. It’ll be considerably more expensive to buy and run, however.

The obvious rival to this big German premium coupe is another one, namely the BMW 4 Series Coupe, which has the edge over the Mercedes when it comes to driving fun. There’s also the soon-to-be-discontinued (in coupe form) Audi A5, which like the BMW is a touch smaller than the Merc – whether that’s good or bad is up to you. The CLE Coupe has more interior space and presence on the road, but takes up more room.

As a luxurious car from a luxurious manufacturer, the Mercedes CLE is very well put together, with fine-quality materials and generally rock-solid build quality. That said, there are a few areas that fall slightly short of what is admittedly a very high benchmark established by Mercedes of the past – a couple of areas flex and creak when pressed, which slightly detracts from the overall feeling of class. It’s a relatively minor quibble, however.

The Mercedes CLE is fitted with Mercedes’ MBUX infotainment system, which is slick and feature-packed. It will take a little bit of time to get your head around, because there are so many things it can cover, but put some time in to understand it and it’s straightforward enough to navigate. The car’s voice control system works well, too – just say “Hey Mercedes” and issue basic commands and it’ll generally carry them out well.

Most interactions are carried out through the central touchscreen, and that reacts quickly, although a few physical buttons to make quick jumps between features would be nice. Large icons make it relatively easy to switch around the system, but it’s slightly trickier than having a tactile surface to interact with on the move.

There are touch-sensitive pads on the steering wheel that can also control various elements of the infotainment, but these are less successful. We’ve found them inconsistent in their response, meaning you often have to take several swipes at them to get the desired result. Again, it’s distracting while driving. Proper buttons would be better. Overall though, this is a decent system that looks good and performs well.

There are numerous USB-C ports to plug mobile devices into, and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported. A wireless phone charger is standard across the range, as is a built-in dashcam.

Space up front in the Mercedes CLE is ample, with lots of room for even tall adults. It’s tighter in the back, which is understandable for a coupe; you’ll probably want to avoid carrying adults for any length of time, although children should be ok, save for the hassle of scrambling them (and their car seats) past the front seats to get access. Rear space is larger than you’d get in a BMW 4 Series or an Audi A5 Coupe.

There’s lots of storage space, including a roomy space under the centre armrest and a big glovebox. A closable panel below the infotainment screen houses cupholders and general storage, and there are reasonably-sized door pockets.

At 420 litres in capacity the boot is a good size for this kind of car, and the back seats fold down to house longer items if you need to. The only real drawback is that the actual opening is quite small, with the boot hinge under the rear window. Getting larger items in could require some pivoting expertise.

There are six engine choices in the Mercedes CLE, most of which use the company’s mild-hybrid system, which boosts fuel economy and performance, too. The range starts with the rear-wheel drive CLE 200, which uses a four-cylinder, 2.0-litre petrol engine producing 204PS and 320Nm of torque. That translates to a 7.4-second 0-62mph acceleration time.

Next in the lineup is the sole diesel offering. The Mercedes CLE 220 d also uses a 2.0-litre engine with 197PS and 440Nm, and has a 7.5-second 0-62mph time. Its superior fuel economy means it could be the best choice if you do a lot of longer journeys.

The rest of the CLE range is all-wheel drive, starting with the Mercedes CLE 300 4MATIC, which ekes out 258PS and 400Nm from the 2.0-litre petrol engine, giving it a 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds.

For even more power, the CLE 450 4MATIC – the most powerful non-AMG CLE – has a 3.0-litre inline-six engine with 381PS and 500Nm, which gives it a very brisk 0-62mph time of 4.4 seconds.

Only slightly faster in a straight line is the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4MATIC+, which produces 449PS and 560Nm from the same 3.0-litre engine.

In late 2024, Mercedes introduced a plug-in hybrid model, called the CLE 300 e, which combines the 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and a 25.4kWh battery. The result is 303PS and 550Nm for a 0-62mph time of 6.3 seconds. It can also drive for up to 69 miles on electric power alone, with a full battery.

All models use a nine-speed automatic transmission that we’ve found can be a bit slow and hesitant to shift. It’s generally unobtrusive at a cruise, but it’s another reason why the CLE isn’t a particularly sporty, responsive car to drive.

Soundproofing and general refinement in the Mercedes CLE Coupe is excellent, with minimal intrusion into the cabin even at motorway speeds. There’s a little bit of road noise from the large, low-profile tyres, but it’s never a big issue.

Safety organisation Euro NCAP has yet to test the CLE Coupe, but with other Mercedes cars routinely scoring the maximum five-star scores in tests, we’d be confident about its safety. Every Mercedes CLE comes loaded with the latest advanced driver safety systems, including automatic emergency braking and Blind Spot Assist. An optional Driving Assistance Plus package upgrades the blind-spot warning system to let it intervene in case of an impending crash, and also adds adaptive cruise control and Evasive Steering Assist, which helps keep the car under control during emergency manoeuvres.

The Mercedes CLE is fairly new, so there’s no real data on its reliability as yet. Mercedes as a whole has a fairly unimpressive record on reliability, and rarely troubles the top spots in independent reliability surveys.

Depending on the model, the Mercedes CLE sits between insurance groups 35 and 44 of 50. It’s a premium car, so you can expect to see that reflected in your, er, premiums.

In comparison, the Audi A5 Coupe’s insurance groups range from 26 up to 47, but that spans a number of years on sale and a wider range of models. The BMW 4 Series sits between groups 30 and 42. 

As a light goods vehicle, the Mercedes Citan is subject to the standard flat rate of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), which is currently £335 a year.

All the non-AMG versions of the Mercedes CLE come in variants of a single trim level called, confusingly, AMG Line.

The standard AMG Line car comes well-equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and ambient lighting inside, with illuminated sill panels and keyless entry. The electrically operated memory front seats are heated and climate control is standard.

Upgrade to AMG Line Premium and the wheel size is increased to 19 inches, with upgraded, brighter Digital Light headlights. There’s a panoramic, sliding sunroof included, and a 360-degree camera system for easy parking.

AMG Line Premium Plus upgrades the wheels to 20 inches, and there’s a system to treat the cabin air supply with a fragrance generator, ioniser and improved filter setup. The front seats are upgraded to include a massage function, and there’s a head-up display as well as an excellent Burmester sound system.

The top-spec Premier Edition comes with a different design of black-painted, 20–inch alloy wheels and what Mercedes calls the Night Package, which basically means the exterior trim is black instead of chrome. Inside, there’s a heated steering wheel and carbon-fibre trim elements.

The Mercedes-AMG model has two trim levels, called AMG Premium and AMG Premium Plus. AMG Premium features 20-inch wheels over grey brake callipers, a panoramic sliding sunroof and an upgraded interior with more supportive seats and a different design of steering wheel. AMG Premium Plus adds the Night Package, the upgraded Burmester sound system and the head-up display.

You can also add the Pro Performance Package to the AMG model, which adds race and drift modes for driving on track, a beefed up bodykit with a different spoiler, red brake calipers and upgraded seats.