Used 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class Sedan Consumer Reviews
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Love this 2009 CLS550C!
This is our first MB....but not our last! What a great car!! Style, looks!!!! Everything is good except getting in and out, but I will sacrifice that for the Roofline and stealth handling. Very comfortable car! Drove to Chicago from our home in Phoenix...loved every mile!!!! I am now looking to purchase another one. A CLS63 AMG..... Great bang for the buck! This car doesn't take a backseat to any BMW, or otherwise!!
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Fine, fine machine!
Have only had it 2 weeks but I am smitten. Muscular agressive stance. Swooping lines make the car look like its going fast even when its standing still. Start the engine and hear / feel the 400 hp wanting to lurch forward. Superb performance all round. Throttle, steering and brakes are so finely tuned you can pick any point on the road and PUT the car right where you want it. Technology is highly advanced, and much easier to use than BMW's "iDrive". It handles much better than a BMW 5 series and the sound proofing is much better as well. My wife rode in the back seat of the BMW 5 series and this Benz was hands down the more comfy quiet ride.
- CLS550 SedanMSRP: $16,999514 mi away
- CLS550 SedanMSRP: $5,999607 mi away
- CLS550 SedanMSRP: $6,500677 mi away
"BENZ BELIEVER"
I purchased a silver 2008 CLS 550 w/ AMG sport package. The vehicle is excellent and is worth every penny of its 81k sticker price. I was first skeptical buying a MB over a BMW, but this vehicle has made me a "Benz Believer". 382 HP, heated and cooled seats, IPOD integration, Navigation, bluetooth, AMG appearance package, remote trunk, moonroof, leather w/ wood grain, sirius radio w/ 6 disc CD keyless go and much more. For those who want more HP opt for the CLS 63 AMG which has 507HP, but a sticker of 100k. The 5.5L V8 has plenty of HP power and torque. The CLS 550 is MB engineering and performance at its best. The vehicle takes a back seat to no BMW and is exciting to drive.
Definitely a Home Run
This car was everything I had hoped it to be. Very luxurious interior and exterior styling to die for. I have never had a car that drew so many positive comments. Women seem to love the styling. Performance for such a heavy car is amazing and really does push you back in your seat. Gas mileage although not great is more than acceptable and I hit 27 mpg on the highway --not bad. Handling is good but would like to have had an AMG handling package as an option and a AMG exhaust which has an unbelievable sound. Only had one problem and that was the rear air suspension had to be replaced. Hopefully this is not a potential issue for this car. Overall I love this car.
Best car we ever owned
Always been Audi fan but when CLS got out could not resist - and have no regrets despite rather high price tag. Starts a bit slow but then jumps like its power has no limit; holds road very well, unsurpassed comfort and attention to details, and last but not least - real head turner
Wow, I love my car
We just picked up my CLS550 at the factory in Stuttgart. What a moving experience. I cried as they drove this incredible vehicle into the delivery area. No other MB looked as classy. After reading reviews on Edmunds.com, we did the European Delivery Plan. This saved us 7% percent and we had a chance to drive it on the Autobahn for 2 weeks.(Must keep speed under 100mph for first 1,000 miles.) This car is amazing and beautiful. Everywhere we drove, people complimented us on it. The European version, CLS350 sells for about the same price in Europe, as the CLS550 in the U.S. It's well worth waiting 8-10 weeks for delivery in Dallas. I'll probably cry all over again.
Outstanding Craftsmanship, a Gem, Instant classic
I was looking for a V8 E-class when I found this car. I happened to come across it at the right price, so I took it for a test drive. I've seen this car for years and never thought I could afford one but after a couple of minutes it was a done deal. I previously owned a Volvo s60R and was all about turbo charging, but this 5.5 liter V8 has power on tap at any given moment. My vehicle has the optional AMG exhaust which has the meatiest sound on the market. It scares other drivers at full chap which is awesome. A 4.6sec 0-60 is spectacular for a vehicle of this size, at this price point. The hydraulic steering is also meaty, very well assisted but not lite. I recently drove a 2016 C300 and was surprised how woeful the electric steering was, very inconsistent assist at varying speed in slow turns. In Sport mode the chassis stiffen and you can get the car to predictably slide all 4 tires around a corner, inspiring confidence. The transmission is a little slow, but the more you drive it aggressively in manual mode, the quicker it becomes. It's just a little aggressive to get to overdrive, and downshifting can feel like turbo-lag if you haven't been driving the car hard. Still shifts are very smooth. It's also very awesome that downshift can skip gears, basically it can downshift from 5th-3rd without having to sequentially go through 4th. Make sure the transmission is in Standard mode and not Comfort mode if you want performance. Comfort mode always starts the car in 2nd. I found that out and had to get pain-killers for my neck pain. :) Parking assistance is a must if you live in the city, like I do, and have a smaller garage. The visibility can be an issue with the low roof. People talk about the entertainment center being dated, which it is, but it's very clear and I can operate it easily while driving. There is no comparison when it comes to the quality of material, but the lighter interior colors will require maintenance. I have the Cashmere interior and the steering wheel color started to wear off. I order leather color from Leather World and fixed it perfectly. The air suspension is simply wonderful and makes this car drive different from any Mercedes that has a conventional coil-over spring setup (my back started hurting when driving a CLA, and the C-class felt a little unrefined). As far as maintenance, I do a lot of my own work and the car is remarkably simple to work on, I can do an oil change in 15 minutes. When I had to take the car to the dealer for front brakes because the caliber pins were frozen and I couldn't do it myself, they only charged me $686 for pads, rotors, and new sensors. To put that into perspective, my brother-in-law has a 2015 Taurus that his dealership charged $800 for rear brakes. The car is really just a solid brick down the road. I love it to death and although I'm very much a car guy, I just can't find anything to replace it with. All hale the 5.5 naturally aspirated engine. Here is a review of my car - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QfJhAVyuOQ
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Value
Best car
I bought an CLS 550 at the end of March 09. In bought it at the Mercedes Benz of Annapolis Maryland, Great dealership. My wife and I drove it home to Chicago. It was the best driving experience I have ever had. I love everything about this car, the styling, comfort, sound system and the gas mileage was 19/27 great!!! This is my first Mercedes and won't be my last.
One of the most gorgeous cars ever!
Now, I'm a very proud owner of a real beauty, the Mercedes Benz CLS-Class. I traded in my 5-series for a new '08 CLS this week. My 5-series had very good driving dynamics, but was simply no match for this Mercedes in terms of beauty, luxury and prestige. The CLS puts an high emphasis on syle, but it also nicely blends in great performance and an acceptable level of sedan-utility. Pound-for-pound, the CLS may be more expensive than any other mass-production cars today (including its younger brother, E-Class), but for that extra that you pay, you get a chance to own one of the most beautiful cars made today.
Dream Car
Under my Christmas tree was a beautiful pewter grey MB 550. Best gift and car of my life. Can't comprehend that 90mph seems fast in this car. Feels like cruising speed. Back seat could be bigger, but I don't plan on spending much time there. So far, my adult sons don't complain too much. A head turner for sure.
Good for the family, too!
A beautiful car with a gorgeous style and power to spare! I traded in my 2003 MB CLK 320 for this car because I needed a 4-door car to travel with my two children. Room was my only concern. I am not a truck/SUV kind of a guy so I was looking for a sport sedan that would offer a backseat big enough to accommodate two carseats and a large trunk to carry my children's bike, stroller and other stuff. My CLS just does that and more since I was not expecting this much room! Very impressed. In terms of performance? An endless engine, a GREAT manumatic gearbox, superb brakes and royal comfort/quietness.
Wow!
I purchased this car after coming out of a 06 Infiniti M45 and I'm very impressed. Performance is outstanding. The car is smooth and whisper quiet at 75mph. Fit and finish is good and typical for German cars, the car feels solid. The exterior styling is so unique for MB so it's a real head turner. The interior definitely feels like a coupe. There is plenty of room for driver and font seat passenger however, this will come at the expense of anyone sitting in the rear. The Command system is a disappointment after coming from the M45. Navigation and audio controls are not as intuitive and voice activation is an option as well as bluetooth capability. Still overall I am very happy with the ca
My dream Car
I live in Chicago and found my dream car in Annapolis, they made me a deal I couldn't turn down. We drove it home the next day and I loved every minute of the drive. Comfortable, great looking "real head turner", lot of power and 26 miles per gallon. The way dash board lights up at night is like a 747.