New Mercedes-Benz CLS 250 CDI first drive, review

What is it?

This is the facelifted version of Mercedes-Benz’s swoopy four-door coupé. Yes, the car got a minor update last year as well but the visual and mechanical changes are more far-reaching this time around. At the same time, the CLS has become a fair bit cheaper to buy too. So, there’s plenty to talk of. Let’s go one by one, shall we?

It’d be an injustice to start any CLS review without a word on the styling first. Because this car is plain and simply as sexy as they come. It's wide, low and still stands out for its ‘sportscar with four doors’ design. There are quite a few new bits to tell you this is the 2015 model year car too. The new grille, for instance, is noticeably more rounded, features a single slat (earlier CLS’ used to feature two-slat grilles) and comes embellished with an elegant diamond-pattern mesh. The restyled bumper serves to tidy up the front too and, if you notice, no longer houses auxiliary lamps; all frontal illumination is taken care of by the new LED headlights. Each headlight comprises 36 LEDs of which 24 automatically (and constantly) adjust the lighting pattern to maximise coverage without dazzling drivers of oncoming cars. Clever as the system behind them is, the sci-fi headlights also look rather attractive. In terms of design, there’s nothing different at the sides and rear to report. Still, the surfacing on the doors, the frameless doors themselves and the stretched-out tail continue to look really special.

Within the cabin, the most noticeable change is the larger, new screen for the infotainment system. The tablet-like screen (something seen on all newer Mercs) does sit awkwardly atop the dash (again, something common to newer Mercs) but offers lots more in terms of functionality. In addition to satellite navigation, a handy 360-degree camera and Bluetooth telephone feature, the system can also connect to the internet using your paired phone’s connection. You can open web pages and log in to social networking sites while the car is stationary – a good way to kill time on long traffic halts. The system also allows you to stream music from internet radio channels on the go which helps make the most of the 14 fantastic-sounding Harmon Kardon speakers scattered across the cabin. However, the dial-operated COMAND online infotainment system isn’t the most intuitive to use and can be frustrating to feed commands in to.

The rest of the dashboard is the same as before and remains beautifully finished with perhaps a button too many on its centre console. As before, front seat comfort is good but the low roof means the windows are small, ingress-egress requires some flexibility and headroom isn’t in abundance. The last bit is more pronounced in the back, marking the CLS down as a car for the chauffeur-driven. Those who choose to be ferried around in one will still like the elegant manner in which the centre console extends into the back and divides the rear section into two defined zones.