The CLA is the smallest sedan exponent of the new design direction adopted by Mercedes-Benz. It’s basically a distilled down CLS, meant to look as rear-wheel drive as possible given the A-Class platform constraints, as well as the traits of the aforementioned new look.
I’m not going to talk out about it being successful or not, but I will say that the shape does perhaps look a bit out of place shrunken this small, especially when you see the car in person – the new C-Class and S-Class both look more natural. It still has unusual lines to be observed, and in order to make deciphering their role/significance easier, Mercedes has uploaded a selection of videos full of insight from the design team that drew them up.
What they have managed to achieve masterfully is to make the car look posh and expensive, though the bigger wheels are mandatory in order for it to be fully realized. That says a lot about those for whom this is aimed, and what they feel is important in a new car (or don’t, rather).
By Andrei Nedelea
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