2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA

The 2025 CLA 250 (second-generation C118, final model year before the MMA-based third generation) uses a 2.0L turbo I4 with 48V mild-hybrid assist rated 221 hp; the AMG CLA 35 and CLA 45 S extend the range to 302 and 416 hp.

The CLA 250's turbo four peaks at 258 lb-ft across a broad 1,800–4,000 rpm plateau.

Mercedes quotes 6.3 s to 60 mph for the front-drive CLA 250 — brisk for a base compact luxury sedan but not class-leading.

The M260/M254-family turbo four with 48V integrated starter-generator (added in the 2024 refresh) smooths start-stop restarts and fills in off-idle torque, though reviewers note a coarse, droning note when worked hard.

The 8-speed dual-clutch shifts quickly once moving, but low-speed creep and parking maneuvers still show some dual-clutch hesitation and occasional jerkiness.

4MATIC AWD is optional on the CLA 250 and standard on both AMG models (CLA 45 S adds torque-vectoring rear axle with Drift Mode), so AWD is widely available though not standard on the volume trim.

Three distinct 2.0L turbo-four outputs (221/302/416 hp) cover mainstream to performance buyers, but all are gasoline with only 48V mild-hybrid assist on the CLA 250 — no hybrid, PHEV or EV in the 2025 US CLA range.

EPA rates the front-drive 2025 CLA 250 mild hybrid at 30 MPG combined; 4MATIC drops one MPG.

EPA city rating of 26 MPG, helped modestly by the 48V start-stop system.

A strong 36 MPG highway rating for a gas luxury sedan.

EPA publishes no range for gas cars; range is derived from the 13.5-gallon tank and 30 MPG combined, which is modest because of the small tank.

EPA's annual cost estimate is inflated by the premium-fuel requirement despite decent MPG.

Premium unleaded is specified across the entire CLA lineup, including the base CLA 250, adding cost versus regular-fuel rivals.

NHTSA has not published a 5-Star rating for the 2025 CLA 250 — it does not appear in the 2025 NCAP list at all, and the 2021/2023/2024 CLA FWD and 4MATIC entries all read 'Not Rated' for overall, frontal, side and rollover.

IIHS has not crash-tested the second-generation CLA, so there is no Top Safety Pick and no US crashworthiness data for 2025; scored at the top of the 'untested' band because the same C118 structure earned a 5-star Euro NCAP result (96% adult occupant) with no known structural concerns.

Every CLA 250 gets Active Brake Assist (AEB with pedestrian detection), forward collision warning, Blind Spot Assist and Attention Assist, but adaptive cruise, active lane keeping/centering and blind-spot intervention are extra-cost Driver Assistance Package items — thin standard kit for a $44k luxury sedan.

No IIHS front crash prevention evaluation exists for this CLA; Active Brake Assist handles vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists and performed well in Euro NCAP's AEB testing, but there is no US day/night pedestrian result to put it in the top band.

Blind Spot Assist (with Mercedes' exit warning) is standard on every trim, but it is alert-only; Active Blind Spot Assist with braking intervention and rear cross-traffic coverage require the optional Driver Assistance / Parking packages.

Active Steering Assist in the optional Driver Assistance Package gives smooth, reviewer-praised lane centering, but the volume car without the package gets no steering-based lane keeping as standard.

When optioned, Active Distance Assist Distronic is a refined full-speed stop-and-go system with route-based speed adaptation and Active Lane Change Assist; held out of the top band because it is not standard on the volume trim.

No hands-free driving option on the 2025 CLA — Drive Pilot is limited to the S-Class and EQS, and the CLA's Driver Assistance Package requires hands on the wheel.

LED headlights are standard and Adaptive Highbeam Assist / Multibeam LED are available, but IIHS has never rated this CLA's headlights, so their measured performance is unverified.

The fastback 'four-door coupe' roofline brings thick C-pillars and a shallow rear window that reviewers flag for rear-quarter blind zones; a rearview camera is standard but the 360-degree camera is optional.

Two outboard LATCH positions, but the sloping roof shrinks the rear door openings and the tight rear seat makes rear-facing seats hard to fit; no IIHS LATCH rating exists for this model.

The 2025 CLA 250 (C118, final year of the second generation in the US) is a five-seat sedan, though the center rear position is a token perch.

Front headroom is competitive for a compact luxury sedan despite the standard panoramic roof.

Front legroom is adequate but mid-pack for the class.

The four-door-coupe roofline cuts rear headroom; taller adults brush the headliner and rear-door entry requires ducking.

Rear legroom is tight, among the smallest in the segment; fine for kids and short trips only.

The trunk is small for the class and has a narrow opening, partly offset by a 40/20/40 folding rear seatback.

Console bin, wireless-charging tray, cupholders and door pockets are serviceable but small; the 2024 refresh freed space by deleting the touchpad, but nothing is innovative.

Supportive power front seats with memory suit most drivers, but the rear bench is cramped and upright, and owners rate comfort the model's weakest trait.

Body control is good but the ride is firm over city pavement, worse with the optional 19-inch wheels and AMG Line.

Wind noise is well suppressed, but tire roar on coarse surfaces and a coarse engine note under load keep it behind larger Mercedes sedans.

Dual-zone automatic climate, panoramic roof and remote start are standard, but heated and ventilated front seats are optional extras and there is no rear climate zone.

The 2025 CLA 250 (final model year of the second-generation C118, gas 2.0T mild hybrid) opens at $44,400 before destination, $45,550 delivered — up from $43,250 for 2024.

Most US CLAs are sold as the CLA 250 4MATIC ($47,550 with destination); with the commonly fitted Premium Package and paint/wheel options a typical window sticker lands near $50K.

Industry estimates diverge widely: CarEdge projects only $3,708 for the CLA 250 over 5 years, while KBB's cost-to-own puts maintenance at $11,083 plus $1,623 repairs (its figure includes tires and wear items); a mid-point near $6,500 reflects Mercedes dealer Service A/B pricing on a luxury compact.

KBB projects steep depreciation for the outgoing-generation CLA — a $17,304 residual on the FWD CLA 250 and $16,288 on the 4MATIC — worsened by the all-new 2026 CLA making the 2025 the last of the old body.

Mercedes-Benz's New Vehicle Limited Warranty runs 4 years / 50,000 miles — typical for German luxury, behind Genesis's 5/60k.

Powertrain coverage runs concurrently with the 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty; there is no longer powertrain term, unlike Lexus/Acura (6/70k) or Genesis (10/100k).

No complimentary scheduled maintenance is included (prepaid Mercedes maintenance plans are an extra-cost option); buyers get Roadside Assistance for the warranty period and trial Mercedes me connect services — basic coverage only, behind BMW's 3-yr/36k Ultimate Care and Genesis's 3-yr/36k complimentary maintenance.

$50,000 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (37% retained, or about $18,500) leaves about $31,500 in depreciation. Add the projected $6,500 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $38,000 in total.

The 2025 CLA is the final model year of the second-generation C118 (2020–2025), so its hardware is mature, but Consumer Reports publishes no reliability verdict for it and the CLA line has historically sat below average in CR's predicted-reliability data. Mid-pack J.D. Power standing for Mercedes keeps it out of the bottom band.

Mercedes-Benz sits in the bottom third of Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings and last among the German luxury brands there, offset partly by a mid-to-upper finish in J.D. Power's dependability study.

No NHTSA campaign covers the 2025 CLA. The C118 generation's recall cluster (eCall software, rear camera display, brake caliper, door lock, instrument cluster) fell on 2020–2021 builds and was fixed long before this late-cycle year.

The CLA 250's 2.0L turbo four is a well-established Mercedes engine family with no systemic failure pattern. The 48V mild-hybrid starter-generator added in the 2024 refresh is newer, though, and Mercedes' dual-clutch gearboxes have a mixed record for low-speed behavior and mechatronic repairs.

The cabin looks upscale, with twin widescreen MBUX displays and turbine vents, but reviewers note hard plastics in lower zones and trim that feels entry-level for a Mercedes, especially once options push the price up.

A late-cycle build of a mature generation, so assembly issues from launch have been ironed out. Owner reviews still report scattered rattles and electronics glitches, consistent with Mercedes' middling initial-quality results.

With about 380 US dealers, Mercedes-Benz USA covers metro markets densely but thins out in rural areas. Service satisfaction is near the luxury average, behind Lexus.

Parts are plentiful because of the model's six-year run and shared MFA2 architecture, but Mercedes labor and parts prices are among the highest of any brand, and DCT and electronics work is largely dealer-only.

A 10.25-inch MBUX touchscreen is standard, sharing one glass panel with the 10.25-inch digital cluster.

The updated MBUX (touchpad deleted in the 2024 refresh) has crisp graphics and quick response, but menus run deep and the capacitive steering-wheel controls are finicky.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every 2025 CLA.

'Hey Mercedes' natural-language voice control is standard and capable; native navigation is optional rather than standard.

The base system is adequate; the optional Burmester surround system is a meaningful upgrade.

A crisp, highly configurable 10.25-inch digital cluster is standard on every trim.

MBUX receives over-the-air infotainment and map updates, but the MFA2-based CLA lacks the whole-vehicle, feature-adding OTA of the MB.OS cars.

The Mercedes me app offers remote start, lock/unlock and vehicle locate, but remote services become a paid subscription after the trial and there is no phone-as-key.

Five USB-C ports and wireless charging are standard; no household AC outlet.

Push-button start and remote start are standard; full KEYLESS-GO proximity entry sits in the Premium package and phone-as-key is not offered.

Rear camera, PARKTRONIC sensors and Active Parking Assist automated parking are standard; the 360-degree camera requires the Pinnacle package.

A head-up display is available, but only in the top Pinnacle package.

Tight rear legroom, a low sloping roof and narrow rear doors make car-seat installation and loading awkward, and the 11.6 cu ft trunk struggles with strollers.

AEB and blind-spot warning are standard, but the C118 CLA was never crash-tested by NHTSA or fully by IIHS, and adaptive cruise and lane-keeping cost extra.

Rear passengers get little space and no dedicated climate zone, and the small trunk limits luggage for four.

Compact size and a punchy turbo four suit commuting, but the dual-clutch can stumble when stopping and pulling away, and the ride is firm.

30 MPG combined is fine, but premium fuel and Mercedes consumable costs raise per-mile expense.

A compact footprint, 36.1 ft turning circle, standard sensors and Active Parking Assist make city parking easy, though rear visibility is limited.

No US tow rating and a small trunk make it unsuited to work duty.

A luxury-oriented compact with an MB-Tex interior and a below-average brand reliability record; not a work vehicle.

No onboard power outlets, tie-down ecosystem or upfit provisions.

Supportive front seats and about 400 miles of range suit highway trips, but the firm ride, road noise and optional-only Distronic adaptive cruise limit its mile-eating ability.

Optional 4MATIC helps on snowy or gravel roads, but low ground clearance, no tow rating and no outlets keep it pavement-bound.

The 40/20/40 split rear seat helps with long items, but the small trunk and narrow opening restrict bulky gear, and there is no hitch or factory roof rails.

Tidy body control and good grip make it feel sporty for a front-drive-based compact, though it lacks the balance of the rear-drive BMW 3 Series or Genesis G70.

Steering is quick and precise but light and short on feedback.

Brakes are strong and progressive in normal use, and the 48V mild-hybrid system's regen blends unobtrusively.

The mild-hybrid turbo four pulls strongly and restarts smoothly, but the 8-speed dual-clutch is jerky at low speed.

Quiet at cruise, but the four-cylinder sounds coarse and droning when worked hard.

A tight turning circle for the segment helps city maneuvering.

Low, sporty seating with good power adjustment and memory, but the low roof hampers entry, rear visibility is poor and the haptic wheel controls are fiddly.

The CLA 250 is lively and stylish with a sporty character; the AMG CLA 35 and 45 S are the genuinely fun versions.

The 2025 CLA 250 (refreshed for 2024) includes dual 10.25-in MBUX screens, LED headlights, wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, a 48V mild-hybrid powertrain and basic active safety, but heated seats, blind-spot assist, a surround camera, adaptive cruise and Burmester audio sit in option packages — rivals like the Acura Integra A-Spec and Genesis G70 include more for the money.

At $45,550 delivered for a 221-hp front-drive compact, and ~$50K as typically optioned, the CLA costs nearly C-Class money while offering less space and performance than a BMW 330i or Genesis G70 at similar prices; the badge and styling carry much of the price.

Four configurations — CLA 250 FWD, CLA 250 4MATIC, AMG CLA 35 4MATIC and AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC — span $44K to $67K with FWD/AWD choice and a genuine performance halo, but all are gas turbo fours with no hybrid/PHEV and the Shooting Brake isn't sold in the US.

Once Mercedes' US entry point, the CLA's volume has shrunk alongside the entry-luxury sedan segment and competition from the GLA/GLB crossovers; as the run-out year before the all-new 2026 model, 2025 was a modest, declining seller.

The three-pointed star remains one of the most aspirational badges in the US market, and the CLA's appeal is largely that it is the most affordable way into it — though the entry-level position dilutes some of that prestige.

Run-out 2025 CLAs have been moved with MBFS lease programs (about $469–$479/month advertised) and dealer discounting as the redesigned 2026 arrives, though national cash rebates were not consistently offered.

2025 is the sixth and final model year of the second-generation CLA (launched 2020, refreshed 2024); the all-new MMA-based third generation was unveiled in March 2025 and replaces it for 2026, so buyers get an outgoing design.

Reviewers praise the CLA's styling, MBUX tech and handling but criticize tight rear-seat and trunk space, a firm ride and pricing that approaches the larger C-Class; it rarely wins comparison tests and ranks mid-pack in U.S. News' luxury small car rankings.