First Drive: Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class 250 CDI

By P S Balakrishnan

1 mins read

Published on June 6, 2015

Highlights

The Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class is in a class of it's own. This is the original 4-door coupe now in its second generation since 2010. The car now gets its last tweak before the company starts to think about a generation change that is likely around 2017. And that includes getting the diesel engine to Indian buyers at last. The CLS Class now gets the same engine as the E 250 CDI sedan and the ML 250 CDI SUV. So really we were not looking for any major surprises here in engine performance terms anyway. The new four cylinder diesel heart of the CLS does offer a bit punch out on the highway, 201 bhp on offer but the peak torque kicking in as low as 1600 rpm does make the car feel more powerful. But it doesn't feel very refined as it does get a bit noisy even you floor it. The seven speed automatic gearbox has been tweaked to mate with the new 4 cylinder engine and does offer quick and precise gear shifts. Of course, you do get an optional 'Sports' mode for a bit more fun and you do get paddle shifters for a sporty feel. We got unlucky with some rain on the highway but the car's comfortable ride quality made up for the messy roads! The CLS has an adjustable air suspension standard, which keeps things smooth too. The car's steering offers great feedback and is extremely precise, which adds to the driving fun. This new facelifted 2015 car with the new diesel engine does get subtle styling changes especially in the front. Not that this car needed to any bit more attractive. The beautiful black diamond radiator grille and the multibeam LED Daytime Running Lights are some of the new additions. But where the car takes your breath away is from the the side, where the swooping coupe roofline gives the car its character and you do something similar on the new CLA as well. Well to be fair that's where the CLA got the idea frankly! The cabin of the new CLS is rather plush with a 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and the new Cloud-based applications available for the COMAND infotainment system. And that includes the NDTV app by the way. The transmission tunnel in the rear means this is exclusively a luxurious two-seater at the rear. The new CLS 250 CDI is imported as a Completely Built Unit or CBU and has been priced at Rs. 76.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).