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The Mercedes-Benz CLE is a svelte new four-seat coupe that’s also available in convertible form. Does it blend the best bits of the old C-Class and E-Class Coupe? We’ll find out in this review.
Things you'll like
- Comfortable, quiet cruiser
- CLE 450 offers strong performance and efficiency
- Lovely cabin design and cool tech
Things to consider
- High-end trims are expensive
- Not as sharp to drive as a BMW 4 Series
- Cabin quality disappoints in places
What is the Mercedes-Benz CLE?
Mercedes-Benz has had one of the broadest model line-ups of any car company for years – and just when you think it’s run out of letters, along comes another model name: CLE.
There’s efficiency behind the apparent madness, however. The CLE is Mercedes-Benz’s new two-door, four-seat coupe and convertible replacing not one, but two models: the outgoing C-Class and E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet.
Why replace two cars with one, you may ask? Well, the two-door market has been rapidly declining in the last decade, with buyers preferring not only SUVs but four-door coupe equivalents (Mercedes-Benz itself has the CLA for that).
The market for convertibles is even more stark. Sales of drop-tops were down 83% in the UK from 2004 to 2022, and continue to fall as choice of new models declines. It’s clear, then, that having a pair of similarly sized models occupying one shrinking market space wasn’t sustainable.
The CLE replaces both C and E-Class two-doors, hence the name. Although based on the latest C-Class underneath (like previous generations of the E-Class Coupe/Cabriolet) it aims to combine the sleek shape and luxury feel of the E-Class with the sportier drive and efficiency of the C-Class. Is it any good? We’ll find out in this review.
Verdict: is the Mercedes-Benz CLE a good car?
While two-door coupes are clearly a dying breed, we reckon the CLE is one of the most appealing models in Mercedes-Benz’s range. It takes the efficiency, comfort and tech of the C-Class, blends it with an appealingly sleek design and throws in some impressive upper-tier engine options – the CLE 450 in particular is lovely.
However, if you want a true ‘sports’ coupe, the BMW 4 Series is more engaging for keen drivers. As with other models from the brand we have some issues with the fit and finish, too. But, overall, the CLE is a welcome addition to the market.
Pricing, specs & rivals
Mercedes-Benz is a premium brand by definition, and while the CLE isn’t up there with the old S-Class Coupe in price it’s not exactly bargain basement, and the price range from entry-level to fully-loaded is wide.
The cheapest is the CLE 200 petrol in AMG Line form, which is priced from £46,620 in at the time of writing – a touch more than the equivalent BMW 4 Series. You’ll need a touch over £50,000 for the next trim level (AMG Line Premium) while AMG Line Premium Plus is £54,370. Top-ranking Premier Edition is £56,870.
The CLE 220d diesel commands a premium of roughly £2,500 over the base petrol and is available in the same trim levels. The flagship Premier Edition of the 220d is a little under £60,000 – a lot for the base model diesel.
The CLE 300 4MATIC ditches the base trim level, starting at £55,780 in AMG Line Premium form and topping out at £62,280 for Premier Edition. Meanwhile, the CLE 300e plug-in hybrid is priced from £60-67,000 depending on trim.
Topping the standard CLE range is the six-cylinder CLE 450 4MATIC, kicking off from £66,320 and rising to £72,820 in Premier Edition trim. But the true flagship is the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4MATIC+, priced from £73,075 and approaching £79,000 in Night Edition form.
Base AMG Line trim isn’t sparsely equipped, with 18-inch alloys, leather upholstery, wood trim, keyless entry and start, electric memory front seats and customisable ambient lighting.
AMG Line Premium upgrades the wheel size to 19-inches, while also adding matrix LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof and a 360-degree camera system, among other bits.
AMG Line Premium Plus really doles on the luxuries with 20-inch alloys, a head-up display and a high-end Burmester surround sound system. Premier Edition adds a few extra touches on top of that, but mainly AMG-specific alloy wheels and carbon fibre cabin trim.
Rivals
Wind the clock back a couple of decades and the list of competitors to the CLE would have been extensive, but there are very few four-seater coupes on the market these days. Until very recently, Mercedes-Benz would count the Lexus RC and Audi A5 Coupe as key rivals, but both of those are now gone.
With the A5 now four-door only for the foreseeable future, the only true competitor to the CLE is the BMW 4 Series. Both are similarly sized, with comparable engine choices and broadly similar pricing.
Mercedes-Benz CLE: Interior comfort, quality & technology
Anyone familiar with the cabin of the latest C-Class will feel right at home in the CLE – you just sit a bit lower, with a more steeply raked windscreen.
That, along with the shallow side and rear windows, means visibility is another sacrifice you make for that coupe design. The view forward is fine, but wide pillars and a high rear window mean you’re reliant on the car’s standard all-round sensors and rear-view camera. Similarly, no pillarless side windows (like you’ll find in older Mercedes-Benz Coupes) means a side blind spot to think about.
Aside from that, comfort is impressive thanks to supportive and widely adjustable seats. Electric adjustment, along with lumbar support, is standard across the range.
We’ve certainly no issues with the cabin design, either with plenty of chrome or high gloss finishes, detailed ambient lighting and upholstery and trim choices that give a classy air. Visually, it’s a step above what BMW offers.
However, we do wish that high-end luxury approach extended to the things you touch. Many of the chrome elements are plastic rather than metal, and it doesn’t take long to poke around and find cheaper-feeling finishes – things like the creaky bezels for the touchscreen and instrument display also disappoint. It’s far from low-rent, but Audi, BMW and Lexus all have more solid-feeling cabins.
Infotainment, sat-nav, stereo and connectivity
Mercedes-Benz continues to impress with its cabin technology. The standard 12-inch portrait-angled infotainment system can be controlled via the touchscreen itself, voice control or buttons on the left-hand side of the steering wheel.
It’s a slick system with great response times, nice graphics and plenty of features. The voice control is also one of the best systems on the market, too, although you need to consciously avoid saying ‘Mercedes’ in conversation as it will chime in. You also get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, too, but the CLE’s built-in sat-nav is a great system.
We do have some reservations, however. We like the always-visible climate controls in the lower portion of the screen, but physical controls would be easier to use still – while the touch-sensitive shortcut panel below the screen itself is fiddly and flimsy.
Even more awkward are the touch-sensitive wheel buttons, which are not only small and tricky to use on the move but can also easily be brushed accidentally while steering. If this sort of thing is a deal-breaker for you then it’s worth considering a used C-Class Coupe, which has a cabin with a much higher physical button count.
The 12.3-inch digital instrument display is smart and configurable, at least, but some of the display modes aren’t that easy to read at a quick glance.
There are four USB-C connectors within the CLE’s cabin, along with wireless smartphone charging. Premium Plus trim brings a near head-up display, augmented reality navigation directions and an impressive 17-speaker Burmester 3D surround sound system with speakers integrated into the headrests.
How practical is the Mercedes-Benz CLE?
You’re not buying a car like the CLE if practicality is your main concern, but it’s a relatively large car at 4.85m in length, 1.86m in width (excluding mirrors) and 1.42m in height. That makes it wider and considerably longer than the C-Class on which it’s based, despite the lack of rear doors.
There’s certainly no shortage of space up front, with low-slung, wide and comfortable seats allowing plenty of headroom. There are no issues with cabin width, either, so you won’t be bashing elbows with your front seat passenger.
Things certainly aren’t as generous in the back. Even with large doors that make getting out in supermarket car parks awkward, getting into the back is a bit of a squeeze – you’ll also have to wait for the electrically sliding seats to creep forwards.
Once you’ve climbed in you’ll find limited space for two, with both leg and headroom in short supply. Average-sized adults will squeeze in, but it’ll be cramped for longer journeys, while it’s a shame the CLE doesn’t have the pillarless side windows of the old E-Class Coupe to make things less claustrophobic. Overall, a BMW 4 Series is fractionally roomier inside – but not by much.
Storage and boot space
There’s a decent amount of storage in the front of the CLE, including the usual Mercedes-Benz split-folding centre armrest with a cubby space and USB-Cs underneath. You’ll also find adjustable cupholders underneath a lidded cubby in front of those, a decent dual-shelf glovebox and some acceptably sized door bins.
In the back, the lack of a need to squeeze in a third seat means a handy tray between the seats with two somewhat shallow cupholders and a small storage tray in front. There’s also a small space for phones to be plugged into USB-C ports on the back of the centre console, plus a pair of trays either side of the seats serving as door bins.
In terms of boot capacity, standard versions of the CLE offer 420 litres of space – slightly less than the BMW 4 Series but not bad overall. The opening isn’t huge, but the space is well laid-out with hooks, tied-down points and nets. Underfloor storage is good too, but in the plug-in hybrid you lose this completely and capacity drops to 290 litres.
Impressively, you also get three-way folding rear seats allowing a small through-loading space without losing the two rear seats – some SUVs don’t come with that. Of course, the seats themselves do fold also to extend the boot space.
Performance & drive: What is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class like on the road?
All versions of the CLE offer ample performance for a car of this type, even if the four-cylinder base engines aren’t exactly brimming with character and pace.
The base CLE 200 offers 204hp from a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, mated to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to improve efficiency and assist the engine in some situations under load. It’s not the most inspiring-sounding engine, and needs working to extract its performance, but it’s perfectly capable as a cruiser.
The 197hp 2.0-litre CLE 220d diesel is a rarity in the coupe class – you don’t even get diesel power in the BMW 3 Series saloon anymore, let alone the 4 Series Coupe. Its agricultural engine note is a bit at odds with the sporty looks, but its refined most of the time and is punchier low-down than the petrol.
The CLE 300 delivers a more effortless turn of pace, combining with the slick nine-speed automatic gearbox to deliver strong acceleration combined with strong cruising ability. Like the 200, though, it isn’t a remarkably smooth or pleasant-sounding unit, but it does get 4MATIC all-wheel drive for extra security under acceleration.
We’ve yet to try the CLE 300e plug-in hybrid, which uses the same four-cylinder petrol engine as the 200 combined with a 25kWh battery pack and 129hp electric motor for a combined 313hp output.
For a more luxurious feel and inspiring soundtrack you’ll want the 3.0-litre straight-six CLE 450 4MATIC. While its 381hp might not sound like much, its ample torque, all-wheel drive and responsive gearbox means it feels super strong under acceleration and makes a deeply satisfying noise. It’s also the best CLE for cruising, dipping into near-silence on the motorway with plenty of poke in reserve for overtaking.
We’ve also yet to try the AMG-tuned CLE 53, which uses a tweaked version of the 450’s engine putting out 449hp and reducing the 0-62mph time by 0.2 seconds. Unless you really must have the ultimate model, along with the aggressive styling and chassis tweaks that come with it, the 450 is probably the most satisfying blend of power and price.
Power, 0-62mph times
- CLE 200: 204hp/ 7.4 secs
- CLE 220d: 197hp/ 7.5 secs
- CLE 300: 258hp/ 6.2 secs
- CLE 300e: 313hp/ 6.3 secs
- CLE 450: 381hp/ 4.4 secs
- AMG CLE 53: 449hp/ 4.2 secs
Ride and handling
Whereas the old C-Class Coupe had a slightly sporting focus and the E-Class Coupe was more about comfort, the CLE attempts to be a halfway house between the two on the road.
Within the first few hundred yards of driving the CLE (in non-AMG form at least) it’s clear that this isn’t an out-and-out sports car. The steering is precise and direct, but relatively light, while the way the car floats over bumps gives as clear a message as any that the CLE isn’t about agility and immensely flat cornering. With even the lightest model weighing in at over 1850kg, perhaps this is no surprise.
That said, it’s keener to turn into bends than the old E-Class Coupe, and in medium-speed driving body control is good enough. Every CLE also has adjustable dampers allowing you to stiffen up or slacken off the suspension. But whatever mode you’re in the CLE always feels like a heavier, plusher, less sporting car than a 4 Series.
The upside to that, though, is ride comfort that even the most comfort-focused 4 Series can’t match. Around town the CLE soaks up sharp potholes and speed humps very smoothly, and at motorway speeds it feels no less composed than the C-Class on which it’s based. Only the largest wheel options let the occasional jolt through to the cabin.
Noise and refinement
For the most part the Mercedes-Benz CLE delivers a quiet and cosseting cruising experience. All engines are well-hushed under moderate throttle, while the sleek shape helps keep wind noise isolated better than a BMW 4 Series.
The suspension also cushions occupants from thumping potholes, but the only detraction is the tyre noise at certain speeds. It’s not intrusive, but it is there and does perhaps give the game away that the CLE has relatively humdrum underpinnings.
Euro NCAP: is the Mercedes-Benz CLE a safe car?
Euro NCAP is yet to put the CLE through its crash test paces, but it has tested the closely related C-Class. That scored the maximum five-star rating, with impressive category scores including 93% for adult occupant protection and 89% for child protection.
There’s a decent level of standard safety kit in the CLE, including the usual autonomous emergency braking and lane keeping assistance. There’s also standard blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, driver fatigue monitoring, an active bonnet to protect pedestrians in a collision and a centre airbag between the front seats.
That’s all well and good, but if you want things like adaptive cruise control and motorway steering assistance, you’ll not only need to go for high-end trim levels, you’ll also need to pay extra for the Driving Assistance Package Plus – a pricey choice when some much cheaper cars get it as standard.
Fuel economy, running costs and hybrid range
While the CLE isn’t exactly a thrifty choice to buy or lease, most versions shouldn’t break the bank when it comes to fuel economy.
Unsurprisingly, the four-cylinder diesel is the pick if you’re regularly pounding the motorways of Britain and beyond. In its most efficient AMG Line form it promises 60.2mpg on the WLTP combined cycle – and with no diesel 4 Series equivalent anymore, that’s a stand-out figure for any coupe.
By comparison the CLE 200 manages a more typical 44.2mpg – roughly the same as a BMW 420i. The CLE 300 4MATIC promises fractionally under 40mpg officially, while the CLE 350 impresses with its 36.7mpg figure. The AMG-tuned CLE 53, meanwhile, is at a relatively thirsty 30.4mpg.
The outlier is the CLE 300e plug-in hybrid. Not available in cabriolet form, it’s aimed at fleet markets – those lucky enough to get a two-door option on their company car list. With an impressive 69-mile electric range and up to 470mpg promised it has serious eco-potential, but you’ll only reap the benefits if you regularly plug in to keep the battery topped up.
While the CLE 300e’s low emissions put it in the favourable 8% company car tax band, its electric range puts it one mile short of the even more desirable 5% band which saves even more on Benefit-in-Kind.
Unfortunately, all CLE variants are subject to the ‘luxury car tax’ surcharge as you can’t get a version that costs under £40,000 new. The same is true of all versions of the 4 Series, however.
How much does the Mercedes-Benz CLE cost to insure?
As a premium coupe with some powerful engines the Mercedes-Benz CLE won’t be especially cheap to insure, but the insurance groups aren’t as high as you might think. The range starts off from group 35 for the CLE 200 AMG Line, with the 220d sitting in group 36 and the 300 petrol in group 40.
The six-cylinder CLE 450 is in insurance group 43, with the plug-in hybrid CLE 300e in group 45. Interestingly, the fastest AMG-tuned CLE53 only sits in group 44. Across the board, those insurance groups are slightly higher than the equivalent spec of BMW 4 Series, however.
Mercedes-Benz CLE FAQs
What does the Mercedes-Benz CLE replace?
The CLE serves as the replacement for two Mercedes-Benz coupe and cabriolets: the C-Class and the E-Class, aiming to offer the sporty feel of the former with the sleek design and luxury of the latter.
How much is the 2025 Mercedes-Benz CLE in the UK?
As of February 2025, prices for the Mercedes-Benz CLE start at £46,620 for the coupe and £53,030 for the cabriolet, with the most expensive variants priced at over £80,000.
How big is a Mercedes-Benz CLE?
The Mercedes-Benz CLE is similar in size to the outgoing E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet, with dimensions of 4853mm in length, 1861mm in width and 1435mm in height.
