MERCEDES-BENZ

The Mercedes CLA hybrid is a German car with one foot in China and the other in France

The CLA is nothing new for Mercedes, but the latest generation of the model is by far the best CLA in the brand's history, with emphasis on the electric versions. However, to put more affordable versions of the CLA in the hands of customers, the German manufacturer has designed proposals with hybrid gasoline engines, such as the CLA 180 and CLA 220, which promise better prices and (slightly) more moderate fuel consumption.

The curious thing is that many customers may be surprised by the fact that the hybrid mechanics of this German D-segment sedan, which is 4.72 m long (only 7 cm shorter than the C-Class), has very little or nothing German about it. In reality, the 1.5 turbocharged engine – which has four cylinders and 1499 cc – is actually produced by Horse Powertrains, the company created by the Renault Group for its combustion engine division, which also serves hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, a joint venture in which the Chinese company Geely (owners of 10% of Mercedes and 50% of Smart) also owns 45%, the same as the French manufacturer, with the Saudis from the oil company Aramco owning the remaining 10%.

These 1.5 Turbo engines, in addition to belonging to Horse, are not among those manufactured by Renault in Europe or outside of it, being instead produced by Geely in China, at least according to the Chinese press. The 1.5-liter turbocharged and electrified mild hybrid engines are designed according to Mercedes specifications and are already in compliance with future Euro 7 European standards, intended for use in the CLA 180, 200, and 220, and are expected to power other models from the manufacturer as well.

This German engine with Chinese and French accents delivers between 136 hp (in the CLA 180) and 190 hp (in the CLA 220), characterized by having a higher than normal compression ratio (12:1), operating according to the Miller cycle, the best for extracting more power from turbocharged combustion engines, without however giving up the attempt to reduce consumption and pollutant emissions. The power unit uses an aluminum head and block, coated with materials such as Nanoslide in the friction zones of its interior, to increase resistance and reduce friction and power losses due to heating.

The electric component of the 1.5 turbo mild hybrid is based on a 48V electric motor that delivers 30 hp (and a respectable 200 Nm of torque), powered by a lithium-ion battery with a gross capacity of 1.3 kWh, a battery more in line with a full hybrid than just a mild hybrid. This is especially true since Mercedes claims the CLA can travel short distances in the city (up to 96 km/h) purely in electric mode, being able to recharge the battery with power outputs of up to 25 kW during acceleration and braking.

Once installed in the CLA 180, the 1.5-liter engine delivers 136 hp and 200 Nm of torque, which, combined with the additional 30 hp from the electric motor, allows for a total of 156 hp and 280 Nm of torque. According to the manufacturer, this is enough to achieve a top speed of 218 km/h, a 0-100 km/h time of 8.8 seconds, and fuel consumption of just 4.9 l/100 km. Again, these are more typical fuel consumption figures for a full hybrid than a mild hybrid. Once fitted to the CLA 220, the 1.5-liter engine increases power to 190 hp, which, combined with the same 30 hp EV motor, reaches 211 hp and 380 Nm of torque. These figures explain the 240 km/h top speed and 0-100 km/h time of 7.2 seconds, with a fuel consumption of 5 l/100 km.

The CLA 180 is offered in Portugal for €48,250, while the CLA 220 demands €51,300, prices that place this mHEV too close to the 100% electric versions. The CLA 200 EQ is offered for €49,450 (224 hp, 58 kWh battery and a range of 535 km), while the CLA 250+ EQ is available from €56,200 (272 hp, 85 kWh and a range of 790 km between charges). The most powerful electric CLA is the 350 4Matic EQ, the only one with a motor per axle and a price of €60,750 (354 hp, 85 kWh and 769 km between charging visits).