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Quite compact, but the 2022 Mercedes-AMG CLA-Class offers generous standard equipment and an attractive fastback styling.
The 2022 Mercedes-AMG CLA-Class is a four-door sporty sedan that brings in all the AMG goodies without compromising too much on the practicality front. Priced at a base MSRP of $47,900 and going all the way to an MSRP of $55,900, this Mercedes takes forward the sporty exterior design of the regular CLA while adding more stunning exterior elements to make it stand out from the crowd.
Coming in just two trim configurations, the 2022 Mercedes-AMG CLA-Class retains the classy interior and the impressive list of techs of the older model years. The punchy turbocharged inline-4 engine will put a smile on your face and the MBUX infotainment system comes with all the relevant features. Competing with the likes of Audi S3, BMW M235i Gran Coupe, and Cadillac CT4-V, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2022 Mercedes-AMG CLA-Class.
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The iconic design from the regular Mercedes-Benz CLA makes AMG CLA-Class quite a bit sporty, while adding more modern and masculine touches, all of which adds to the aggressive design language. The AMG body styling looks perfect and the clean body lines on the hood and side profile add to the aggression very well.
The bold front fascia gets the LED headlights with neatly integrated LED DRLs and the imposing grille design. The 19" AMG twin 5-spoke wheels look excellent too. The coupe-like sloping roofline and the quirky rear-end with the LED taillights and quad-exhaust are onboard as well.
The base CLA35 trim comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine with a direct injection system, and it produces 302 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. This engine comes mated to a 7-speed AMG Speedshift dual-clutch automatic transmission and 4MATIC+ full-time AWD drivetrain as standard.
The 0-60 MPH takes just 4.6 seconds, and it has a top speed of 155 MPH. This makes the 2022 Mercedes-AMG CLA35 faster than the likes of the BMW M235i Gran Coupe and Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti. However, the 2022 Cadillac CT4-V did the 0-60 MPH in 4.4 seconds, making it the fastest of the lot.
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Like the 2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA, the interior space isn't going to excite many family buyers out there. The rear seat would disappoint the prospective buyers due to the mediocre 33.9" of legroom and 35.7" of headroom.
The rear seat space was better than all the other segment rivals and this makes them more comfortable for seating three passengers. However, the front row was quite spacious for the Mercedes. There were multiple interior storage spaces and the 11.6 cu ft of cargo capacity was better than the 10.7 cu ft of space offered by the CT4-V.
The AMG CLA45 trim is even more powerful than the base CLA35. Coming with the same 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine under the hood, the CLA45 manages to come with a more powerful tune, giving out 382 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque.
The 8-speed AMG Speedshift dual-clutch automatic transmission and 4MATIC+ full-time AWD drivetrain help to put the power down effectively too. The CLA45 could do 0-60 MPH in 3.9 seconds and the quarter-mile run in 12.3 seconds. This made it faster than the Porsche 718 Cayman, Audi TTS, and Jaguar F-Type.
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Being an AMG, the 2022 Mercedes-AMG CLA-Class isn't going to disappoint the petrolheads out there. Both the trims turned out to be impressive in terms of performance and outright acceleration and the dual-clutch automatic transmission and the 4MATIC+ AWD drivetrain are onboard as well.
There are multiple driving modes on offer, all of which alters the engine, steering, exhaust, and transmission settings. The 4-wheel independent AMG Sport suspension with McPherson struts at the front and multilink at the rear makes it a great handler and 12" AMG alloy wheels wrapped in high-performance tires are standard for both the trims too.
Fuel efficiency was not something many would consider a dealbreaker in such high-performance luxury sedans. However, with the rapidly increasing gas prices, a frugal offering does make for a better choice. Thankfully, both the CLA35 and CLA45 aren't terrible in this regard.
The CLA35 offers 21 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highways, equating to combined gas mileage of 24 MPG. However, the CLA45 offered a slightly lower 20 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highways. Both the variants get a 13.5-gallon fuel tank capacity as well.
The 2022 Mercedes-AMG CLA-Class comes filled to the brim with many advanced performance, design, luxury, and multimedia features, and that is one of the biggest selling points of this ride. The performance features like RACE and DRIFT modes, AMG Dynamic Select, AMG Sport suspension, AMG Sport Exhaust System, and direct steer makes the driving experience quite joyful.
The design features like the panoramic roof, AMG body styling, 19" AMG twin 5-spoke alloy wheels, and aluminum and brushed stainless steel accents in the cabin make the AMG CLA look very premium. The luxury and multimedia features like heated and powered seats, remote start, ambient lighting, automatic climate control, and MBUX infotainment system are onboard too.
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The 2022 Mercedes-AMG CLA-Class gets many driver-assistance techs as part of the standard and optional list. The standard features include active brake assist, emergency call service, attention assist, blind spot assist, rearview camera, crosswind assist, and adaptive braking technology.
The 2022 Mercedes-AMG CLA-Class is build with high-tensile steel and aluminum and all the basic safety features like ABS, airbags, tire pressure monitoring, and brake assist are standard too. However, this 2022 iteration hasn't been crash-tested by the NHTSA and IIHS yet.
The warranty coverage offered by Mercedes is identical to many of the segment rivals. This includes a limited & powertrain warranty coverage for 4 years or 50,000 miles. However, we wish Mercedes offered complimentary maintenance coverage with the 2022 Mercedes-AMG CLA-Class.
Nevertheless, Audi S3 and BMW M235i Gran Coupe offered almost identical warranty coverage. In comparison, it was the Cadillac CT4-V that turned out to be the best of the segment in terms of warranty coverage, as it offered a better powertrain warranty and complimentary maintenance for the first visit.
The MBUX 10.25" touchscreen infotainment system is present on both the CLA35 and CLA45 trims, and it comes with most of the connectivity and entertainment features as standard. This includes voice recognition, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, touchpad controller, steering-mounted controls, and USB connectivity.
If you get some of the optional packages on offer, you get more features like MBUX interior assistant, MB navigation, augmented video for navigation, in-car wi-fi, and AMG head-up display. The 10.25" digital gauge cluster display is standard, and you could opt for the impressive Burmester surround sound system if you are an audiophile.
Mohith is our in-house motorcycle mechanic and automotive geek. He loves riding and driving at the limits, and you would frequently notice him on racetracks at the weekends. Mohith is someone who would redline anything that comes with a motor - even our office lawnmower. He often does cross-country road trips in his trusted 300ZX and you could find him riding his CB750 quite often through the streets of Pasadena as well as on the Moore Motorsports racetrack.