What is a coupe? – a simple question with a simple answer, but Mercedes-Benz thinks that it can be applied to just about anything.
Whereas the definition of a coupe might normally apply to a Ferrari 456, Mercedes think it can also be a large 4-door sedan.
Whether we agree or not, it’s hard not to admire the understated and elegant style of the latest CLS. This car, which first appeared in 2004, was unexpectedly beautiful for an executive sedan; it had a fastback rear end and a sloping front, giving it a semicircle profile with sleek headlights and rear clusters.
Now it looks even sharper with some subtle lifts here or there to bring it up to date.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz Has A Few Tricks Up Its Sleeve
The newest design for the CLS-Class - as it is officially called – is refined and in line with the corporate style used on this generation of models, the car hasn’t radically changed though since its inception, and nor does it need to – it does what it does well.
On the official site, you can build a CLS with the Mercedes-Benz configurator from $73,000 MSRP, but for that base price, you get a few treats and a nice engine included.
In North America, the only model you can order is the 450 4Matic which nets you 362 hp but 369 lb-ft from just 1600 rpm – guaranteeing effortless progress as you sip cappuccinos from the comfort of the back seat.
This power comes from a 9-speed automatic gearbox paired with the turbocharged-3-liter straight-six engine that comes with mild-hybrid tech, powering all four wheels.
Inside, dual 12.3-inch screens combine with one of the classiest cabins and dashboard you will find short of an EQS or S-Class, and we especially like the wood effect pictured when paired with the 64-color LED ambient lighting.
It’s possible to use gestures, controlling things from the steering wheel stalks and keeping your eye on the road, which according to Mercedes; the lowered multi-link suspension's selective damping can firm up in corners, relax to tame rough roads. Optional self-leveling AIR BODY CONTROL adapts to roads and loads’.
The 2022 CLS Is Situated Between The E-Class And The S-Class, But There Are Alternatives
Competition for the CLS is wide and varied, as it is competing with both executive sedans and large premium coupes.
Cars like the BMW 8-Series currently offer different styles from the coupe, to convertible, to 4-door Gran Coupe Sedan - which might be the most accurate comparison.
BMW offers a higher-powered version of its 8-Series sedan – the M850i, which offers buyers a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 523 hp that should offer more brisk progress than the 450 4Matic in the Merc, but it costs much more than the Mercedes CLS.
For the CLS, 60 mph can be reached in 4.8 seconds, compared to the M850i’s 3.5 seconds.
Perhaps a more interesting comparison is the EQS – an electric sedan similar to the CLS with a closely-aligned styling theme.
That EV-sedan from the same company costs just over $100,000 and the basic EQS 450+ has 329 hp and 417 ft-lb but is slower to 60 mph at 5.9 seconds – presumably because of the extra weight of the batteries.
In any case, although this is an updated and refined version of a formula we already know and love (or hate) it has received some updates to the exterior and interior – particularly the beautiful screen and dashboard design – that make it feel part of 2022, and definitely not leagues behind the EQS – yet.