Preview: 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA Is a Showcase for the Latest Tech

An all-electric version comes first, followed by a hybrid

By Keith Barry

The new 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA is actually two different cars. The EQ Technology model is an all-electric sedan with a long driving range, the latest fast-charging technology, and optional all-wheel drive. The hybrid model pairs a gas engine with a new electric motor and transmission for maximum efficiency. Both are available with front- or all-wheel drive.

It’s an evolution for the automaker in more ways than one. Usually, Mercedes-Benz debuts new features on the flagship S-Class and lets them trickle down to less expensive models. This time, the automaker expects the advances that premiere on the CLA to percolate through the lineup. That means when we purchase and test electric and hybrid CLA sedans of our own, we’ll also be evaluating the future of the entire brand. 

Those developments include the two new powertrains, a new fourth-generation MBUX infotainment setup, and a cloud-based and AI-integrated MB.OS software setup that lets owners download over-the-air updates to improve vehicle functions, including driver assistance systems. 

Impressive range claims and the ability to plug in at Tesla Superchargers mean that the CLA could be a serious competitor to the top-selling Tesla Model 3. But we’ll reserve any judgment until we have a chance to interact with the CLA’s dazzling touchscreens and sit in what appears to be a cramped back seat.

What it competes with: BMW i4, Polestar 2, Tesla Model 3 (CLA EV); Audi A3, Acura Integra, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe (CLA Hybrid)

Powertrains: 268-hp electric motor and rear-wheel drive (CLA 250+ with EQ Technology), 349-hp electric motors and all-wheel drive (CLA 350 4MATIC with EQ Technology). Hybrid details TBA.

Price: $50,000-$68,000 (estimated)

On sale: Fall 2025 for the EV; 2026 for the Hybrid

Final assembly point: Rastatt, Germany

Like many new vehicles, the CLA’s LED rear lights feature optional animation.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

CR’s Take

Where the last CLA was a disappointing, less practical version of the now-discontinued A-Class sedan, the new model is a showcase for the brand’s new electric vehicle technology and hybrid setup. It’s also a preview of future electric and hybrid Mercedes models, including new electric crossovers. To help make public charging more convenient, the CLA smartly includes both a NACS port for fast charging at Tesla Superchargers and a J1772 Level 2 port. We’re looking forward to testing out just how impressive the EV’s range is and what kind of fuel savings the hybrid offers. We’re also heartened by the fact that Mercedes is abandoning the polarizing, bulbous design language of its earlier EVs.

But we can’t help but wonder whether the CLA will continue to disappoint owners with its overall physical design and confusing controls. The CLA is Mercedes’ smallest sedan, and the last one we tested had a remarkably cramped back seat, and its screens, buttons, and knobs were tricky to operate. Although the new model is longer, wider, and taller, Mercedes’ measurements show that the back seat somehow offers less elbow, shoulder, and legroom than its predecessor. And the new infotainment system looks slick, but Consumer Reports’ testers have had nothing but frustrating experiences with Mercedes’ latest multiscreen setups.

Outside

The new CLA is longer, wider, and taller than the current model. LED light bars run across the front and rear. Unlike the egg-shaped EQE and EQS, the CLA has a more traditional sedan profile. But it comes with retractable exterior door handles, which add a potentially frustrating point of failure. Special editions, including the Night Package and AMG Line, change the color and amount of exterior trim.

Mercedes says the hybrid and EV models will be nearly indistinguishable. The only real difference is that the hybrid model will get a traditional grille trimmed in chrome, while the EV will have a more futuristic LED-laden front end.

EVs will have a small “frunk” front trunk under the hood, a feature that current Mercedes EVs lack.

The grille is the only major visual difference between the hybrid and EV versions of the CLA.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Inside

The interior is dominated by an evolution of the multiscreen concept that Mercedes has been using for about five years now. There are only a few physical controls—most tasks will require swiping and tapping. The CLA appears to use the same complex touch-sensitive steering wheel controls that we’ve found maddening in other recent Mercedes vehicles. Overall, we fear that the setup will be distracting and take a driver’s eyes off the road for too long. A Superscreen that includes a touchscreen for the front passenger is optional.

The optional Superscreen that dominates the CLA’s interior isn’t as curved as the Hyperscreen in the EQS, but it’s still dazzling.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Every CLA gets a fixed glass sunroof that spans the entire length of the vehicle’s roof. There’s no physical shade to block light from coming in, but Mercedes says it’s covered in a film that blocks heat and glare.

The company says the CLA will include several AI-powered systems, including an audio app featuring virtual DJs you can interact with.

The latest version of MBUX automatically moves frequently used icons front and center, and gives users more options to configure the screen.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

What Drives It

Mercedes says the CLA was designed from the beginning to be an electric vehicle. The all-electric CLA with EQ Technology goes on sale first, and we know the most about it so far. It’s an all-electric design that comes with both a J1772 charging port for Level 2 charging and a NACS port for DC fast charging. 

The CLA 250+ with EQ Technology is a rear-wheel drive version with 268 horsepower that the automaker says can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds. The all-wheel-drive CLA 350 4Matic with EQ Technology gets a second electric motor and is good for 349 horsepower and a 4.8-second 0-to-60-mph sprint. 

Mercedes says that the CLA 250+ will get up to 492 miles on a charge and the CLA 350 4Matic will get up to 479. But those numbers come from an optimistic range test protocol that’s not used in the U.S. We expect the real-world range to be closer to 350 miles, which is still extremely impressive. The CLA is built on an 800-volt architecture, which allows for a seriously quick 320 kW maximum DC fast-charging rate. On paper, it could be among the fastest-charging EVs on the market.

Every electric CLA gets an 85-kWh lithium-ion battery and bidirectional charging capabilities. In other words, it can provide a battery backup for your house when the power goes out. 

One cool feature: Drivers will be able to reserve a spot ahead of time at Mercedes-operated EV charging stations. We can see this reservation concept rolling out across other EV charging networks. MB.OS can also plan charging stops along a navigation route using Google Maps.

The hybrid CLA goes on sale later. It has a new 48-volt hybrid setup that combines a 1.3-kWh battery, an electric motor, a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and regenerative braking for improved fuel efficiency and electric-only driving at city speeds. The eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and electric motor are integrated into a single unit, which Mercedes calls eDCT. More information about the hybrid—such as total system horsepower and fuel economy numbers—will be available closer to when it goes on sale.

Safety and Driver Assistance Systems

The CLA gets eight cameras, five radar sensors, and 12 ultrasonic sensors that power all the usual active safety features. It also comes standard with adaptive cruise control. Buyers can opt for lane centering assistance, automatic lane changing, surround-view cameras, and parking assistance. We will be sure to evaluate these features in our extensive tests of advanced driver assistance systems.

Perhaps the most interesting feature is the ability to remotely update active safety and driving assistance software, the same way that Tesla sends out software updates for its Autopilot system. That way, tomorrow’s drivers aren’t stuck with software that’s state of the art for 2026. But we would be surprised if these updates are free.

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