Styling is exactly what we anticipated: strongly contoured power domes on a long hood, an aggressive front fascia, clean body sides and a fastback-type roofline that gracefully blends into a short trunk lid. The rear section has a rather minimalist look complete with chrome-ringed, integrated exhaust tips and a small diffuser. By the way, 10 body colours will be offered at launch.
More Space and Unique Seats
The interior of the new CLE is roomier than that of the C-Class Coupe it replaces, especially in the rear. Same thing for the trunk, which can easily fit three golf bags, Mercedes-Benz claims.
Up front, a free-standing, 12.3-inch digital driver display combines with an 11.9-inch, driver-oriented centre touchscreen in portrait format. The latter is powered by the third generation of the MBUX infotainment system including an intelligent voice assistant, similar to the 2024 E-Class Sedan. Meanwhile, the enhanced 64-colour ambient lighting, available as standard, extends from the centre console to beneath the outer air vents.
Another highlight is the pair of front seats in integral sport design, developed exclusively for the CLE. When selecting the optional 17-speaker Burmester 3D surround sound system with Dolby Atmos, each of those seats is fitted with two speakers to create an immersive music experience. Oh, and for the first time in a Mercedes-Benz, the seats are unlocked with a loop made of Nappa leather conveniently located at the upper edge of the seatbacks.
No Surprises Under the Hood
In Canada, the engine motivating the CLE is, unsurprisingly, a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder rated at 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft. of torque. It’s part of a mild hybrid setup that also includes a small electric motor (23 horsepower, 148 lb-ft.) and an integrated starter generator with 48V battery. Power is controlled by an advanced nine-speed automatic transmission and the automaker’s 4MATIC all-wheel drive system.
Globally, the most powerful engine available is the turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six. We fully expect to get an AMG model at some point, but there is no mention of it at this time.
A couple more things before we wrap this up. Compared to the sedans, the CLE Coupe is lowered by 15 mm as standard for a more dynamic appearance. The suspension is tuned for comfort, but a sports suspension is available with the AMG package if you’re looking for a stiffer ride and sharper handling. As for safety, Active Brake Assist, Adaptive Highbeam Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Traffic Sign Assist and Attention Assist are all included as standard on Canadian-spec models.
Canadian pricing for the Mercedes-Benz CLE starts at $66,375 including freight and PDI.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz knows not every driver is ready to go fully electric just yet. That’s why the German brand continues to build vehicles with internal combustion engines—like the brand-new E-Class.
The luxury marque unveiled the next generation of its popular mid-size sedan on Tuesday. The four-door will launch as part of the 2024 model year and features a refreshed design, standard hybrid powertrain options and a high-tech cabin similar to what you’d find in one of the company’s forward-thinking EVs.
Those who find Mercedes’s EVs a little too round for their liking will like the look of the new E-Class. The slick sedan has a classic three-box body with a much more defined shape than its battery-powered counterpart, the rotund EQE. Sharper lines give the vehicle an almost athletic feel, something you don’t usually get from an executive car but which really works here. The car does get some EQ-inspired touches, though. The revised front fascia features a larger grille that is connected to the LED headlights by a gloss black panel, while the rear gets new taillights with light-up three-point stars.
The automaker bills the new E-Class as a “bridge between tradition and digitalization,” and where that comes through most clearly is the leather-covered interior. The cabin looks almost identical to that of the top-of-the-line EQS sedan, except that its dashboard has just two digital displays—one tucked into the driver’s cockpit, the other atop the center stack—as opposed to the dashboard-spanning Hyperscreen. An optional third display for the font passenger is available, though.
However many screens you opt for, they’re all run by a refreshed computer system that is compatible with third-party apps, like Angry Birds, Zoom and TikTok. A selfie camera is also built into the dashboard so that you can utilize the latter two programs when the vehicle is parked. The cabin also features upgraded voice control, a Burmester 4-D surround sound system and ambient lighting that can be programmed to pulse with the beat.
The new E-Class may not be battery-powered, but it comes with one of two mild hybrid powertrains that get an electric boost from a 48-volt integrated starter generator. The E350 4MATIC features a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that can produce 255 hp and 295 ft lbs of torque thanks to its electric motor. Meanwhile, the E450 4MATIC has a turbocharged six-cylinder that can produce 375 hp and 369 ft lbs of torque with the help of its electric motor. An extra 22 horse and 148 ft lbs of twist are available to both powertrains when the temporary boost function is triggered. Both powertrains come mated to an updated nine-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels. As far as performance numbers go, all we know so far is that both versions have a top speed of 150 mph.
The sedan comes with a four-link suspension with steel springs, but a constantly adjusting air suspension is available as part of the optional Technology package. This add-on lowers the car by a half inch for better efficiency at speeds of over 74 mph. Rear-wheel steering comes standard for better maneuverability at low speeds, too.
It’s not clear when the new E-Class will go on sale, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it launch this fall when other 2024 models start to hit dealerships. We’ll have to wait until closer to its release to find out pricing, but Car and Driver suggests it will likely cost more than its predecessor, the all-wheel-drive version of which starts at $59,250 if you want all-wheel-drive.
