Mercedes-Benz CLE Review

The CLE is Mercedes’ answer to a problem of its own making. Where it once offered both a C-Class Coupe and an E-Class Coupe, it now rolls those ideas into one car. The result is something that sits between the old two in spirit, but closer to the E-Class in size and road presence.

That gives the CLE an unusual position in the market. It is larger and more substantial than a BMW 4 Series or the old Audi A5, but it does not quite stretch into the more expensive grand-tourer territory occupied by the BMW 8 Series or Lexus LC. In practice, that is not a bad place to be. The CLE feels like a grown-up, premium two-door rather than a compact sports coupe pretending to be one.

The styling helps. The CLE has the proportions and presence buyers want from a Mercedes two-door, with a long bonnet, clean surfacing and just enough visual drama without becoming fussy. It looks expensive and has a bit more occasion than the saloons it effectively replaces.

Inside, the relationship with the C-Class is clear. The dashboard design and infotainment setup are familiar if you have driven other recent Mercedes models, and the overall impression is modern and suitably premium. There are still a few trim pieces that do not feel quite as rich as you might hope at this price, but the cabin gets plenty right in terms of comfort, design and technology.

The real appeal, though, is how the CLE goes about its job. This is not a sports coupe in the traditional sense. It is a relaxed, easy-going two-door that majors on comfort, refinement and style. That means it will not tempt keen drivers away from a BMW 4 Series, but it will make a lot of sense for buyers who want something elegant, quiet and easy to cover miles in.

The sweet spot is the CLE 220 d AMG Line Premium. That might not be the most glamorous answer, but it suits the car extremely well. The diesel’s strong economy, effortless mid-range pull and relaxed nature all fit the CLE’s character better than chasing outright pace for its own sake.

There is a lot to like about the CLE 200 petrol, especially if you mainly do shorter trips or simply prefer petrol refinement, and it still has enough performance for everyday use. But the CLE is a car that feels built for long journeys, and the 220 d leans into that more convincingly. It should also be the cheaper car to fuel if you spend a lot of time on the motorway.

In trim terms, AMG Line is generous enough, but AMG Line Premium feels like the better fit for the car’s price point and image. It adds useful convenience kit and lifts the sense of occasion without becoming excessive. Premium Plus and Premier Edition cars are harder to justify unless you specifically want every extra. The CLE works best when it feels like a well-equipped luxury coupe, not when it starts drifting too far into over-specified territory.

The Mercedes-Benz CLE range starts at £47,675 for the CLE 200 AMG Line and rises to £60,325 for the CLE 220 d Premier Edition. That places it firmly in premium territory, but that is exactly where Mercedes wants it.

At the lower end, the CLE already feels expensive compared with a mainstream two-door or saloon, but it is not out of line with what buyers in this class are considering. The issue is more that once you move up the trim ladder, the price rises quickly for a car that is ultimately about comfort and style rather than sports-car excitement.

There is still value in choosing carefully. The AMG Line and AMG Line Premium versions feel like the strongest buys because they deliver the look, the key equipment and the premium atmosphere without taking the CLE into slightly overblown territory. Higher trims add desirable features, but not necessarily features that transform the ownership experience.

It is also worth being clear about tax. Every current CLE sits well above the £40,000 Expensive Car Supplement threshold for petrol and diesel cars. That means all versions will attract the extra VED charge during the surcharge period, which is worth remembering if you are comparing monthly running costs with something less expensive on paper.

The most obvious rival remains the BMW 4 Series. It is still the one to buy if driver enjoyment sits high on your list, because it has sweeter steering and a more engaging chassis. The Mercedes counters with better ride comfort, a more soothing long-distance character and a slightly grander sense of occasion.

The old Audi A5 has effectively exited this part of the market in this form, which leaves a gap the CLE is well placed to exploit. Audi buyers now have to think a bit differently, while the Mercedes still delivers the classic premium German two-door formula in a very recognisable way.

If you are willing to spend more, the BMW 8 Series and Lexus LC offer a more overtly special sense of occasion, but both move the conversation into a different price bracket. The CLE’s trick is that it gives you a lot of the same visual appeal and long-distance refinement without becoming quite so extravagant.

Within Mercedes’ own range, the CLE Cabriolet is the obvious alternative if you want the same idea with the roof down. But for many buyers, the fixed-roof version will remain the better-looking and more rigid-feeling choice.

For a two-door car, the CLE is more usable than you might expect. Front-seat space is generous, and even taller occupants should have no trouble getting comfortable thanks to the wide range of seat and steering adjustment. The seats themselves are a real strength, offering excellent support over long distances without feeling overly firm.

The rear seats are naturally more of a compromise. There is enough room for children or shorter adults, and more space than you will get in some rivals, but access is the bigger issue. As ever in a two-door car, getting into the back is more awkward than the actual space once you are there. Regular rear-seat use is possible, but it is not what the CLE is best suited to.

The boot is a useful size for this kind of car at 420 litres. That is enough for a weekend away or a decent amount of luggage, and the rear seats fold down if you need to carry longer items. The drawback is the opening itself, which is narrower than the figure suggests because of the body shape and hinge arrangement. It is workable rather than ideal for bulky loads.

Cabin storage is decent. There is useful space under the centre armrest, a good glovebox, cupholders under the centre section and reasonable door bins. So while nobody is buying a CLE as the family workhorse, it is not nearly as compromised as some more overtly style-first two-doors.

The Mercedes-Benz CLE measures 4,850mm long, 1,861mm wide and 1,423mm high. That makes it a sizeable two-door, and you do feel that on the road.

It has more presence than a smaller compact coupe, which suits the car well. It looks substantial and properly premium, but it also means the CLE takes up more room than something like a BMW 4 Series. The trade-off is worthwhile if you want the extra sense of occasion and the slightly roomier cabin.

The CLE uses Mercedes’ latest MBUX infotainment setup, and on the whole it is one of the better systems around. The central touchscreen is bright, clear and easy enough to navigate once you have spent a bit of time with it, while the digital driver display keeps the cabin feeling modern and suitably high-tech.

Voice control works well too. Mercedes remains one of the better brands when it comes to this, and the “Hey Mercedes” system is genuinely useful for simple tasks rather than feeling like a gimmick.

The weak point is the control method around it. Too many interactions are touch-based, and the touch-sensitive steering-wheel controls are particularly frustrating. They look neat, but they are not as intuitive or as reliable as proper buttons. This is one of those areas where Mercedes has prioritised clean design over ease of use, and not entirely to the car’s benefit.

Still, the underlying tech is strong. Wireless phone charging, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and plenty of USB-C ports all help, and the overall digital experience is good once you are familiar with it.

Material quality is strong overall. The CLE looks and feels expensive in the areas that matter most, with good upholstery, smart trim finishes and a general sense that this is a properly premium product.

The issue is that not every part of the cabin feels as rich as the best bits. Some lower areas and smaller details do not quite deliver the same tactile satisfaction you might expect from a Mercedes two-door at this money. It is not enough to spoil the experience, but it does stop the CLE from feeling quite as impeccably made as older Mercedes coupes often did.

AMG Line trim works well visually, giving the cabin enough sportiness and visual interest without overdoing it. Higher trims add more luxury flavour, but the fundamentals are already there from the lower versions.

The current mainstream UK range is built around two engines. The CLE 200 uses a 2.0-litre turbo petrol mild hybrid with 204PS, while the CLE 220 d uses a 2.0-litre turbo diesel mild hybrid with 197PS. Both are rear-wheel drive and both use Mercedes’ nine-speed automatic gearbox.

The petrol CLE 200 gets from 0-62mph in 7.4 seconds, which is more than enough for everyday driving. It feels smooth and reasonably eager, but never especially urgent. The diesel CLE 220 d is almost identical on paper at 7.5 seconds, yet in everyday use it feels more effortless thanks to its stronger torque delivery.

That means there is no truly slow version of the standard CLE, but equally no version that feels especially exciting. The drivetrain choices are well judged for the sort of car this is, even if they do not turn it into a sports coupe.

The CLE feels most at home at a relaxed cruise. The ride is one of its best qualities, thanks in part to the standard adaptive dampers, which do a very good job of smoothing out rough surfaces and keeping the body nicely controlled. It is a comfortable car to cover distance in, and that is really its defining dynamic trait.

The steering is accurate and well weighted, but it does not deliver much in the way of feedback. That sums the car up. It is tidy and secure through bends, but not especially interactive. You can press on if you want to, and the CLE does not embarrass itself, but it does not actively encourage you to do so either.

The nine-speed automatic gearbox fits that laid-back character. It is smooth when cruising and generally unobtrusive, though it can feel a touch hesitant if you ask for a sudden downshift. Again, that reinforces the sense that the CLE is a grand touring two-door rather than a sharp-edged driver’s car.

Refinement is excellent. Wind noise is kept well under control, road noise is low for a car on large wheels and the whole cabin remains calm and relaxed at motorway speeds. That makes the CLE especially easy to recommend if your driving tends to involve long-distance travel rather than early-morning B-road heroics.

The Mercedes-Benz CLE achieved a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating in 2025, with strong scores across the main areas of adult and child occupant protection.

Standard safety kit is generous, too. Every CLE gets the usual modern driver-assistance technology, including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot assistance and lane-related safety systems. Mercedes also offers a more advanced assistance package that adds features such as adaptive cruise control and additional intervention capability.

So although Euro NCAP had not yet tested the car when the original review draft was written, it has now secured the full five-star result you would expect from a modern Mercedes.

The diesel is the obvious economy choice. The CLE 220 d returns up to 60.2mpg officially, which is strong for a large premium two-door and makes it the version that best suits frequent motorway mileage.

The CLE 200 petrol manages 43.5mpg officially. That is respectable enough, but the diesel makes the stronger case if you do the sort of distances this car feels built for.

Real-world results will always vary, but the basic split is straightforward. Petrol is the quieter and simpler short-trip choice, diesel is the long-distance money saver.

Mercedes provides a three-year warranty, which remains fairly standard for the premium class but looks modest next to some mainstream brands now offering longer cover. As with most new Mercedes models, the first service is typically due after one year or 15,500 miles, whichever comes first.

That should keep the ownership pattern straightforward, even if Mercedes dealer servicing is unlikely to be especially cheap. This is still a premium car, and the maintenance costs are best approached with that in mind.

Depending on version and trim, the CLE sits in insurance groups 35 to 44. That is very much in line with what you would expect from a premium two-door Mercedes, but it is still worth factoring in if you are stepping up from something more mainstream.

The diesel does not offer a huge insurance advantage over the petrol, so the choice between them is better driven by mileage and fuel costs than by premiums.

For 2026 to 2027, the standard annual VED rate after the first year is £200. Because every current CLE sits above the £40,000 threshold, all versions are also liable for the Expensive Car Supplement.

That means an extra £440 a year for five years from the start of the second licence, leaving most owners looking at £640 a year during that period.