2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA EV First Drive: A Meaningful Fresh Start

• The 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA is the company's new entry-level electric sedan.
• Packed with lots of new tech, the CLA is big a departure from past Mercedes EVs — and that's a good thing.
• The CLA will go on sale later this year with gas-powered versions to follow.

Powertrain flexibility is the right move

The 2026 CLA will arrive in the U.S. first as an EV, though a gas-powered four-cylinder model will follow sometime next year. Offering two different powertrains will certainly expand the car's appeal to a wider customer base. 

There are two versions of the electric CLA. First is the CLA 250+ — OK, it's technically "CLA 250+ with EQ Technology," but I just ... can't. Its single rear-mounted electric motor makes 268 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque. Mercedes doesn’t have an official range estimate yet, but based on estimates, I won't be surprised to see a number over 350 miles when we put it through the Edmunds EV Range Test. Mercedes-Benz vehicles have a history of overperforming on range tests, and the CLA is designed to be as efficient as possible.

If you're willing to trade some of that range for more power, the CLA 350 4Matic (with EQ Technology — sigh) is your answer. It comes with 349 hp and 380 lb-ft, courtesy of a second electric motor mounted on the front axle, giving the car all-wheel drive. The trade-off, according to Mercedes, should be about 75 fewer miles of driving range. That said, the extra oomph is enough to get the CLA 350 from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, compared to 6.6 seconds in the 250+.

Whichever version you choose, the CLA comes with an 85-kWh battery pack and a maximum charging capability of 320 kW. Filling the battery from 10% to 80% takes 22 minutes on the fastest Level 3 machines, while most Tesla Supercharger stations will take a bit longer. The CLA will be the first Mercedes vehicle to have a Tesla-style NACS charging port installed right from the factory.

A new tech experience

In addition to an AI-powered voice assistant, there's new tech all over the CLA. It starts with a big panel that spans the width of the dashboard, housing three different displays. In front of the driver is a digital gauge cluster with a reconfigurable design. In the middle is a large touchscreen that controls most of the car's functions. There's a new look to the maps, including Google-sourced information for the first time, and a huge range of third-party apps to download. Mercedes still includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, if you prefer to do things that way. A third, smaller screen is just for passengers, but my test car didn't have this optioned so I can't speak to its many entertainment features.

Some of Mercedes' tech efforts in the last few years have been overkill, but everything in the new CLA feels more purposeful and less like a novelty. This updated system is a nice step forward from a user experience standpoint. The icons are big and easy to find on the screen, and it responds quickly to every move you make. There were a few times that I got lost in menus and would've liked an obvious home button to bring me back to the main page, but I got used to it after a few tries. The biggest annoyance, though, is the lack of physical buttons to control the climate — integrating that into the screen is a step backward for sure.

Driving the CLA

On the narrow streets of Copenhagen, the CLA 250+ feels exactly the right size. It can squeeze between cars and change lanes in traffic without causing any commotion. Mercedes' little EV is a great companion to navigate peak rush hour in one of the world’s biggest cities. 

On the highway, the single-motor CLA accelerates with moderate pace, but it's by no means quick. Switching the car into Sport mode heightens the reaction time a bit and adds some fun artificial noise, but the experience is still subdued compared to other EVs this size — the super-quick Volvo EX30 comes to mind.

This is without a doubt the most comfortable CLA to date. Its cabin is much quieter than before, with very little noise from the outside world making its way inside. The suspension provides great ride quality on a variety of road conditions. Even the seats feel like a step up from older versions of the car — and you can even get massage functionality on top-trim models. 

Compared to the 250+, the CLA 350 is noticeably more potent. The extra torque is evident right off the bat, making highway passing an absolute breeze. But apart from the quicker straight-line speed, the 350 feels more or less the same as its sibling. It's at its best cruising along at city pace, not wanting to be pushed like a sports car. Mercedes will likely address your need for speed with an AMG CLA in the future.

The bottom line

The electric CLA will go on sale later this year, though it's unclear exactly when, and the gas-powered version will follow in 2026. Mercedes is waiting to announce pricing for now, but I'm hoping the company manages to keep it in the low $50,000s to start — the inevitable Tesla Model 3 comparisons will be hard to avoid. But if the pricing doesn't get too out of control, this new entry-level Benz has the potential to take off like no CLA that came before.