[POV] 2021 Mercedes CLA 35 ///AMG (306 HP) 4MATIC Test Drive 

he CLA 35 AMG is a pair of Baudoin & Lange loafers, compared with its hot-hatch sister’s pair of Balenciaga trainers. Not quite as practical, just as expensive, but significantly more stylish, and more importantly, a lot more grown up.
Mercedes-AMG is hoping that the CLA 35’s more demure appearance will win over buyers who might be a little put off by the Mercedes A35 AMG’s brutish looks. Underneath its understated exterior, however, there isn’t a whole lot that differentiates the CLA 35 from its sibling.
Adding to the regular Mercedes CLA’s already spectacular-looking interior, the CLA 35 gets plenty of racy touches, including a pair of AMG sports seats, an AMG flat-bottomed steering wheel and AMG-specific graphics for the digital instrument dials behind the steering wheel. The standard manually adjustable driver’s seat combines with plenty of steering wheel reach and rake adjustment to enable drivers of all shapes and sizes to find a comfy seating position. And, if you add the Premium Plus Pack, you get electric front seats with adjustable lumbar support and a memory function.
The CLA 35 comes with a 10.25in infotainment screen as standard, and if you add the Premium Package, the digital instrument display behind the steering wheel is enlarged to 10.25in (from 7.0in) as well. Sitting side by side, these two screens give the appearance of one giant widescreen that stretches across more than half of the dashboard. It's quite a sight - especially at night.
Under the bonnet lies the same turbocharged 2.0-litre four cylinder engine that you get in the A35, producing a healthy 302bhp and 295lb ft of torque. This power is also sent through Mercedes' well-proven 4Matic four-wheel drive system; while power is sent to the front wheels under normal driving conditions, as much as 50 per cent of the engine’s power can be directed to the rear wheels when driving enthusiastically.
If 302bhp in a relatively small car sounds like a potent combination, that's because it is. Even on cold, wet roads, the CLA 35’s claimed 0-62mph time of just 4.9sec never feels in doubt. Put your foot down and the CLA 35 simply digs in and goes, its four-wheel drive system transferring all of the engine's power to the road without a hint of wheelspin. With its neutral, predictable cornering balance and superb body control, the CLA 35 is a car that can cover ground extremely rapidly, regardless of conditions.
Switch to Comfort driving mode and the engine settles into a distant hum while you’re cruising, the gearbox swaps ratios smoothly and ride comfort is perfectly acceptable for something this sporty. There is an awful lot of tire roar, though - especially on the motorway.
Engine type: Inline 4 Turbo
Fuel Type: Petrol (Gasoline)
Displacement: 2.0 l (1991 cm3)
Power: 306 hp @ 5800-6100 rpm
Torque: 400 Nm (165 lb-ft) @ 3000-4000 rpm
Transmission: 7-speed G-DCT speedshift automatic
Layout: front engine, all wheel drive
Top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph)
Curb weight: 1515 kg (3340 lbs)
Average fuel consumption: 7.3 l/100 km (32 mpg US / 38 mpg UK)
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