Mercedes-Benz’s pioneering coupe-like saloon looks less bold now but counters with good road manners.
There was a time when the Mercedes-Benz CLS clearly stood out from its E-Class sibling with sleek and adventurous lines appealing to luxury car buyers who wanted a less conventional saloon.
Today, though, the line between them is seemingly starting to blur especially when comparing this third-generation CLS, as tested here on Thai roads for the first time, with the current E-class.
The banana-like profile the CLS once had is now replaced with a flatter curve, although the frameless door windows remains a distinguishing bit of it over the traditional E-Class.
Speaking of that, the Audi A7 Sportback and BMW 6 Series GT also employ such glass panes to differentiate themselves from the E-Class-rivalling A6 and 5 Series.
But while this makes sense for the A7 Sportback, it seems quite bizarre in the 6 Series GT which has been developed without the sportiness of the Audi and Merc.
But if there was one thing that truly separates the CLS from its donor vehicle, it would be no other than the angular design elements on the front and rear ends.
How long this differentiation will last remains to be seen because the CLS is the first Merc in Thailand to bear the brand’s new design language, which will reportedly be applied into future models to come (the A-Class Sedan will be next).
The less raked rear windscreen in the CLS seems to have paid dividends in the interior where six-footers won’t be complaining about their heads rubbing with the ceiling anymore.
Special thanks also go to the lowly placed seat cushions which have a similar, if not exactly the same, cocooning effect of the front ones. There’s seating for a fifth occupant, although the CLS is better used as a four-seater.
The CLS may be a three-box car ever since its inception, but practicality is made up with rear backrests that fold down in three parts to increase boot versatility and capacity.
The fascia design is essentially E-Class fanfare just made better with details like the meticulously designed air-con vents lifted from the two-door Coupe and Cabriolet.
The CLS is a nice place to be in because the overall cabin ambience is classy, modern and easy to use. The amount of perceived quality isn’t lacking at all, either. Due to its concept, the Thai-spec includes a sunroof for the AMG Premium outfit, emphasising on dark colours and brushed metal trim.
Our first outing with the CLS in Europe earlier this year was mostly highlighted with six-cylinder power and without the four-cylinder diesel, the only option for the CLS in Thailand at the moment.
Back then, we weren’t too sure whether the oil-burning 245hp 2.0-litre could serve any justice for buyers needing something more special than an ordinary-looking luxury saloon. How wrong we were.
With 500Nm of torque already being dished out at 1,600rpm, the so-badged CLS300d offers high levels of tractable performance at all times in real-world driving. It certainly feels punchier than in the 194hp E220d and almost matches the porky 630d GT’s 265hp 3.0-litre straight-six.
The CLS300d is a worthy successor to the outgoing CLS250 Bluetec, which ran an older 204hp 2.1-litre four-cylinder diesel (OM651) that is also not as refined as the newer (OM654) unit.
Performance in the CLS300d is quite impressive as an entry-level model and is possibly all you need for daily purposes, not to mention its fuel frugality.
When it comes to the driving characteristics, Mercedes has always ensured that the CLS is sportier to drive than the E-Class. This remains the case today with the CLS foregoing that excessively soft suspension setup.
And the good thing is that ride quality hasn’t really been compromised in the CLS where it feels both comfy and stable, bar some rumble from the low-profiled, mixed-sized tyres rimmed on 19-inch wheels. The cabin is also generally quiet under cruising.
You’d probably won’t feel as much differentiation when it comes to the CLS’ steering which is just what you want it to be: light and direct around town and reasonably feelsome elsewhere.
Yes, the CLS is a good car to drive with a well-sorted chassis.
To make the CLS more relevant with times, there are some driving aids like all-round view monitor, parking assist and automatic cruise control complementing the seven airbags made standard in the safety list count.
Even so, the CLS300d isn’t that cheap at just under five million baht with the 630d GT looking better on paper and in price. Hopefully, the Thai Mercedes office will considered local assembly of the CLS to help reduce the retail price.
Despite the CLS looking more mature on the catwalk now, it’s distinctively good to drive and maintains the comfort levels buyers can come to expect of helped further by a diesel that none of the E-Class dervs in Thailand use.
