Mercedes-Benz CLC Sports Coupe Road Test Report

Performance

If you look at the raw figures issued by Mercedes, the CLC seems to have all the ingredients for a sporting coupe to keep a smile on its driver’s face. Unfortunately, the reality is somewhat different. The diesels – two different power ratings, 120bhp and 147bhp, from the same 2148cc unit - aren’t as refined as their counterparts in the latest C-Class: they have the unmistakable agricultural clatter, especially when you start to push on. And when you consider some of the oilburning units fitted in rivals such as the BMW 1-Series, they don’t come out of the comparison well. The petrol engines are a bit sportier, especially the 3.5-litre V6 that generates 268bhp and allows the CLC to sprint to 62mph in 6.3 seconds. That said, however, there’s something missing: there’s no excitement, no exhilaration and the car’s performance soon starts to feel a bit dated.

Ride & Handling

The ride is comfortable enough when cruising on the motorway, the CLC having no problems covering long distances at high speed. It’s pretty quiet in the cabin, too, until you option the glass sunroof, at which point you begin to notice an increase in wind noise. However, when driving on the many roads in the UK that suffer from broken surfaces, the ride’s shortcomings become more apparent: the CLC starts to shudder and jolt when it encounters potholes and ridges. And that’s before you factor in the sport suspension and anything other than the standard 16-inch wheels. The steering is also a bit of a disappointment. The addition of a variable ratio steering system on the bigger-engined models is welcome, but some of the CLC’s rivals are better balanced and feels more agile when cornering. The power steering on the other models is even more disappointing, feeling slightly vague.

Build Quality & Reliability

Despite introducing over 1,000 changes to the CLC, the car still feels dated and somewhat lacking in quality. As for the perceived quality of the new car, there are a number of indications in the car’s interior that should give Mercedes pause for thought. For example, the row of blank switches above the stereo is always a sign of an ill-conceived interior: if buyers don’t tick the options boxes they have to stare at these bits of black plastic every time they’re in the car. There are also a number of other examples of cheap plastic in the car – unforgivable for a car built by a premium manufacturer – including the backing to the seat adjustments on the door panels and the rather cheap-feeling black sliding lid over the cupholder. These wouldn’t be in evidence in an Audi or BMW.

Safety & Security

The CLC is unlikely to sell in great numbers, so it hasn’t been tested by EuroNCAP for crash safety. However, Mercedes models generally do pretty well in such tests and, as it is based on the previous generation C-Class, the CLC would likely acquit itself well in the voluntary crash tests. A good indication is that the previous C-Class scored the maximum five stars for occupant safety. As we’ve come to expect from the current Mercedes-Benz line-up, there’s a long list of standard safety equipment, including six airbags, ESP and pre-tensioners on the front seatbelts. In terms of keeping your car secure, an alarm and immobiliser also come as standard fit.

Space & Practicality

The CLC is a small sports coupe, so it’s really been designed to be the most spacious car you’ve ever sat in. However, despite that, there’s a fair bit of room inside the cabin, more than competitors from other German premium manufacturers such as the Audi TT and BMW 1-Series Coupe. Bootspace will also be sufficient for the needs of most CLC owners (who will tend to be couples at both ends of the childless spectrum). With the rear seats up, there’s 310 litres, enough for a couple of sets of golf clubs, and 1,100 litres available with the seats down. The CLC has Comand, the latest Mercedes telematics system, available as an option, which offers sat nav, CD and radio, and you can also choose the Linguatronic voice activation system, to allow you to perform many functions without having to take your hands from the steering wheel.

Ownership & Value

Starting at £19,502, the CLC isn’t cheap, but it is a bit less than the likes of the BMW 1-Series Coupe (from £21,880) and the Audi TT (from £24,925). However, it isn’t anywhere near as good as either of these rivals, so you pay your money, etc. Many of the best features are also optional, so once you start ticking those boxes, the price will soon add up, bringing the price closer to the BMW and Audi. In terms of running costs, the CLC isn’t particularly efficient, with the diesel models, for example, returning around 47-48mpg and CO2 figures of 152g/km and 156g/km (or around 170g/km with the automatic transmission), putting them in road tax Band D, meaning £145 a year (Band E and £170 for the autos). Neither are they cheap to insure, lying in groups 13 to 18, that three-pointed star making it attractive to thieves.