2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA250, AMG CLA45 Arrive at Dealerships This Fall: 2016 New York Auto Show

ATLANTA — The affordable 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA250, CLA250 4Matic and the high-performance 2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 are bound for Mercedes-Benz dealerships this fall, after a formal debut at the 2016 New York Auto Show.

Pricing will be announced closer to the launch date, but the German automaker promises the face-lifted cars will still deliver "outstanding value."

Introduced in 2014, the CLA, a so-called "four-door coupe," was a new model for Mercedes-Benz designed to attract young urban dwellers to the brand. The AMG CLA45 kicked things up a notch, delivering a performance jolt.

The most accessible Benz gets a "fresh design statement" for the new model year, the company said.

The new look, featuring redesigned front and rear bumpers, along with new light-alloy wheel designs, pits the CLA-Class against the Acura ILX, Audi A3 and Buick Verano.

The cabin of the CLA-Class gets several upgrades, including new seat covers and chrome-plated controls.

Autonomous active Brake Assist and a rearview camera are new standard features. Lunar Blue is a new metallic paint treatment.

Options on the CLA-Class include LED high-performance headlights and hands-free access, which allows the trunk lid or tailgate to be opened with a kick of the foot in the area of the rear bumper.

The powertrain in the CLA250 is a carryover 208-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine linked to a seven-speed automatic transmission.

The CLA45 gets several upgrades, including standard LED high-performance headlights.

The AMG front bumper receives a new A-wing design with front splitter inserts in matte titanium gray. An AMG Aerodynamics package is a new option. It adds a large front splitter, a black AMG lip spoiler and black accents over the simulated air outlets on the rear bumper.

The cabin gets red contrast topstitching and a new AMG trim design with a matte painted finish.

The carryover powertrain is a 375-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine linked to a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Edmunds says: This entry-level model gets a freshening to keep it relevant to young buyers just coming to the Mercedes-Benz brand.