Mercedes Benz CLA New Car 2014: Packed With Style, Low on Price
Mercedes-Benz's vary widely in price, but for the first time ever one of their vehicles has a list price under $30,000. Starting at $29,900 the entry-level CLA-250 might not be as flashy as an E or S class model, but it's still a Mercedes-Benz through and through.
It's important to note that that CLA-250 list price is slightly deceptive. The actual price of the car will be closer to the mid $30,000 range after you pony up more cash for the taxes and destination fees. If you decide that you want more luxurious features however, you can drive the CLA-250's price up to $45,000.
Now you may be thinking that a cheap CLA isn't really a true Mercedes-Benz. But you'd be wrong in thinking that way. The highly trusted automotive vehicle valuation company Kelly Blue Book debunks that myth. KBB's Jason Allan reviewed the car from the inside out and came away with a good impression.
Among the CLA-250's many strengths are its nicely appointed interior, sleek exterior design and room for four. Yet Allan advises that tall passengers either call shotgun or take their own vehicles for a spin. The lack of headroom isn't because the CLA-250 is the cheapest Mercedes-Benz model, yet rather because it employs a coupe-like body design. The CLA-250 also comes equipped with a peppy 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. All that power delivers up to 208 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque.
If you fancy yourself a racer you should look at the CLA45 AMG. German after-market tuner AMG turn's the CLA-250 into a brutish model at a cost. With different options installed the AMG version costs anywhere between $45,000 and $60,000. Naturally, the AMG version improves upon the 250's power plant. The engine is hand-built, signed and numbered. It's still a 4-cylinder, but the engineers and mechanics at AMG squeeze out 355 horses and 332 lb-ft of torque.
Would you ever consider buying a sub $30,000 Mercedes-Benz? Let me know in the comments section below.