Mercedes CLA vs C-Class – which is best?

Their appeal is clear, and inside you’ll be wowed by the fantastic screens and plush materials. And buying a used example means you get to enjoy the Mercedes quality for less.

We’re mainly comparing the saloon versions of these cars here, but the CLA is also available as a Shooting Brake – an estate that places style above outright load-lugging capacity. The C-Class comes as a conventional estate model with a big boot, and the previous-shape car also came as a coupe and a convertible.

Mercedes CLA vs C-Class compared

Styling

There are clear similarities between these cars, as both get a low nose with pointed headlights, a wide grille and ‘powerdomes’ on the bonnet. It’s a similar story at the back, with both cars having triangular tail-lights that stretch across the bootlid.

The main difference is in the side profile. Whereas the C-Class has a conventional three-box saloon shape, the CLA is sleeker and lower.

Interior

You’ll spot more of a difference inside, because each car gets its own dashboard layout. As the CLA is based on the A-Class, it gets that car’s interior with the two screens side by side on top of the dash. Beneath the backlit circular air vents are some actual buttons for some of the climate control functions. Cars built before 2023 get buttons on the steering wheel and a trackpad to control the touchscreen, but lower-spec versions have a small driver’s screen. CLAs built since then have big screens as standard, but more touch panels on the wheel and no trackpad.

The C-Class has smaller air vents and a much larger touchscreen with a portrait orientation. The touchscreen has swallowed up the climate controls and, although they are always in place at the bottom of the screen, they’re not quite as easy to use on the move as the CLA’s switches. Once you’ve figured out where everything is on the touchscreen, it’s quick to respond and looks super sharp.

Dimensions and practicality

You might expect the C-Class to be much more practical than the swoopy CLA but, in some respects, that’s not the case. The C-Class is noticeably better than the CLA for both rear legroom and headroom, and it’s a better choice if you’re regularly going to be carrying adults in the back seats.

However, it’s surprising to find that the CLA offers more boot space than the longer C-Class. The difference is only five litres for petrol models, but it’s much more pronounced for plug-in hybrid models for some reason. What’s more, the CLA Shooting Brake offers 505 litres of boot space versus 490 for the C-Class Estate, even though the CLA is meant to put style above practicality.

Engines

The CLA comes with a couple of less powerful engines than the C-Class, helping to keep it cheaper to buy and to run. Powering the CLA 180 and CLA 200 models is a 1.3-litre petrol engine, with either 136hp or 163hp – which are just enough to get the CLA up to speed swiftly. There are also 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines in the CLA 250 and CLA 220d, and the CLA 250e plug-in hybrid that can travel around 40 miles on electric power.

Entry-level C200 models of the C-Class get a mild-hybrid 1.5-litre petrol engine with 204hp, while C220d diesels have a 197hp 2.0-litre lump. There are higher-powered C300 and C300d models, too, which drop the 0-62mph time to around six seconds (down from around 7.5 in the lower-power models).

Both the CLA and C-Class have two fiery AMG versions, all of which have a 2.0-litre petrol engine and four-wheel drive. These prioritise performance over fuel economy, so are great choices for keen drivers.

Value

The CLA is generally cheaper than the C-Class, but on the surface it offers much of the same qualities as the C-Class – posh interior, powerful enough engines, just enough space for four adults and that three-pointed star badge on the bonnet. All of which makes the CLA look better value than the C-Class.

Which is best?

You’d unlikely to be disappointed if you bought the C-Class – it’s a great car that’ll soak up long motorway journeys without a hint of complaint. And it’s the much better choice if you’re taking three adult mates along for the ride.

But the CLA comes across as more than the sum of its parts. While it is a Mercedes A-Class underneath and some of its engines are sourced from Renault, it still feels like a premium offering with all the impressive tech and materials you’d expect. And because it’s just as practical for luggage as the C-Class, while being cheaper, it’s the one we’d pick.

Shop used Mercedes C-Class and used Mercedes CLA cars for sale, or read our Mercedes reviews.