Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupé Review

In Malaysia's luxury coupe segment, consumer demand for distinctive design, smooth power delivery, and rich configurations is becoming increasingly clear. The 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 4MATIC Coupé (CBU), as the brand's latest entrant, directly targets users who desire the elegance of a coupe without compromising practicality. The core selling points of this car lie in the smooth driving experience offered by its PHEV powertrain, the luxurious features standardized across the range, and the design quality reminiscent of the CLS, albeit with a more compact body size. This test drive will focus on evaluating whether its performance meets the expectations of a coupe, whether its spatial practicality suffices for short trips with four passengers, and whether its features genuinely enhance daily convenience.

From a distance, the overall silhouette of the CLE 300 4MATIC Coupé maintains the sporty fastback lines characteristic of Mercedes-Benz coupes. With a length of 4850mm paired with a width of 2042mm, the car appears low and wide, exuding a sense of sportiness. The vehicle's front end features a family-style polygonal grille, with a star-patterned design inside. The chrome trim along the grille edges seamlessly connects to the LED headlights on both sides. The "eyebrow-shaped" daytime running lights within the headlights are highly recognizable when illuminated. A sharp waistline runs from the front fender to the taillights on the side of the car, while the concave design at the lower part of the doors enhances the muscular feel. The 19-inch multi-spoke wheels paired with 245/40 R19 wide tires further reinforce the sporty stance. The rear design is relatively simple, with horizontally arranged LED taillights. The strip-like light sources within the taillights echo the design of the headlights, while the dual exhaust layout below the rear bumper adds a touch of performance flair to the vehicle.

Upon opening the car door, the interior exudes a sense of luxury. The dashboard is wrapped in large areas of soft-touch materials, complemented by metal trims and piano lacquer panels, providing a refined tactile experience. The 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster and 11.9-inch MBUX central control screen together form a dual-screen design, showcasing Mercedes-Benz's latest family language. The screens boast high resolution, smooth operation, and support voice control and CarPlay connectivity. The steering wheel features Mercedes-Benz's classic three-spoke design, equipped with multifunction buttons and paddle shifters. It offers a solid grip, with chrome accents enhancing its sophistication. A standard HUD head-up display system projects essential information such as speed and navigation onto the windshield, allowing drivers to keep their eyes on the road. The front seats are equipped with electric adjustment, heating, and ventilation functions, as well as memory settings. The seat cushions are soft yet supportive, making long-distance drives comfortable. The rear seats, despite being designed as a two-seater, have slightly limited headroom due to the fastback design. For passengers around 175 cm tall, the headroom is only about a fist's width, though the legroom is adequate for short trips. In terms of storage space, the central armrest compartment has moderate capacity, the door storage slots can fit two bottles of mineral water, and the trunk offers 420 liters of storage, enough to accommodate two 20-inch suitcases. Additionally, the rear seats can be folded down in a 60:40 split to expand storage capacity.

As a PHEV model, the CLE 300 4MATIC Coupé is equipped with a combination of a 2.0T turbocharged engine and an electric motor, delivering a combined system torque of 400N·m (engine maximum torque of 400N·m, electric motor 205N·m, with specific output depending on actual driving conditions), paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. The official 0-100km/h acceleration time is 6.2 seconds. During actual driving, the involvement of the electric motor during the start-up phase makes power delivery very responsive, with almost no turbo lag. Lightly pressing the accelerator provides an obvious push-back sensation. When switched to Sport mode, both the engine and electric motor provide power simultaneously, resulting in more vigorous acceleration. When overtaking, pressing the accelerator harder prompts the gearbox to downshift aggressively, delivering power on demand. During daily driving, the gearbox shifts smoothly with almost no noticeable jolts, ensuring excellent comfort.

In terms of chassis, both the front and rear adopt multi-link independent suspension, which is tuned towards sportiness while also ensuring comfort. When driving on urban roads, the suspension can filter out most minor bumps, and vibrations are well suppressed when passing speed bumps. Entering corners, the suspension provides sufficient support, the body roll is minimal, the steering wheel is precise with little slack, and the directional accuracy is clear, giving the driver enough confidence. However, due to the inclusion of the PHEV battery, the car weighs 1855kg, which slightly affects its cornering agility during consecutive turns. The addition of the all-wheel-drive system ensures that the vehicle remains stable on slippery road surfaces and prevents wheel slip during take-offs.

Fuel consumption performance meets expectations. During this test drive covering about 150km, which included congested urban sections and highways, the average fuel consumption was 6.8L/100km. In pure electric mode, it can travel approximately 10km, making it suitable for daily commutes with short distances, effectively reducing usage costs. In terms of noise control, while wind and tire noise become somewhat noticeable at high speeds, they remain within an acceptable range, and the engine noise is well suppressed when it engages, ensuring it does not interfere with conversations inside the cabin.

Overall, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 4MATIC Coupé has clear core advantages: the PHEV powertrain is smooth and efficient, luxury configurations are standard across the range, the design aligns well with the coupe positioning, and the space accommodates short trips for four persons. Compared with competitors in the same class such as the BMW 4 Series Coupe, the CLE offers richer configurations and more fuel-efficient PHEV power. Against the Audi A5 Sportback, Mercedes-Benz boasts stronger brand appeal and a more luxurious interior feel. This car is suitable for users who value design and luxury, occasionally need to transport four people, and especially for younger individuals who love coupe styling but do not want to compromise on practicality.

In conclusion, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 4MATIC Coupé is a highly balanced luxury coupe. It combines the sporty appearance and dynamic performance of a coupe with luxurious interior features and good practicality. If your budget is around 500,000 Malaysian Ringgit and you are looking for a coupe that offers both style and substance, then the CLE 300 4MATIC Coupé is worth considering.