The verdict: In its base form, the CLE300 coupe is a swift, silent, comfortable touring machine with a dash of two-door style.
Versus the competition: In a shrinking pool of two-door options, the CLE delivers on style and comfort while priced a bit more than its competitors — but it holds up well against the Audi A5, BMW 4 Series and Lexus RC.
It used to be that two-door coupes were the ultimate style statement — they’re less practical than four-door cars, so to own one meant you made a conscious choice to emphasize looks over utility. But people aren’t making that choice as often these days, so automakers are simply not building them anymore, and Mercedes-Benz is the latest automaker to shrink its two-door lineup. It had six two-doors in the showroom for the 2020 model year: C-Class, E-Class and S-Class coupes and cabriolets, the SL-Class, the AMG GT and the SLK. Now? Just two remain, including the new-for-2024 CLE coupe and convertible. This new model is meant to combine the old C-Class and E-Class coupes into one vehicle that straddles the size and mission of the two. It’s basically Mercedes-Benz saying, “If you still must have a two-door luxury coupe, and you don’t want to shell out for the smaller SL or AMG GT, well, here’s one for you. Take it or leave it.”
So, should you take it or leave it? That’s what we’re here to find out.
Related: 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe and Cabriolet: 2 Become 1
The ‘Tweener Coupe
The 2024 CLE is a two-door coupe or convertible based on a combination of C-Class and E-Class parts and concepts. Much of what is visible on the CLE looks like C-Class equipment, including the interior displays, layout and more — but in terms of size, the CLE is actually longer than the mid-size E-Class coupe it replaces. In the looks department, it combines several elements, such as the C-Class’ front styling with the E-Class’ full-width rear taillight panel. Overall, it’s a more traditional look than we’ve seen on some of the latest Mercedes products, but then, this is a more traditional product for a more traditional buyer. It stands to reason that it’s going to look a bit less wild.
Under the hood is a choice of two powertrains (for now). The CLE300 comes with a 255-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels. Upgrade to the CLE450 and you get a 375-hp, turbo 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder instead. Both use 48-volt mild-hybrid systems, adding in up to 23 hp of on-demand electric boost, according to Mercedes, but you’d never know it from driving them. If you really want more power and performance, a CLE53 is available, and though unconfirmed for the U.S. as of this writing, a CLE63 S is coming from the AMG tuner division of Mercedes later in 2024.
My test vehicle for this introductory drive was a CLE300, so the turbo four-cylinder making 255 hp and 296 pounds-feet of torque is what we got. Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel-drive system is standard on the CLE with every powertrain, so we had that added traction, as well.
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A Familiar Cockpit
Settled into the cockpit, you’re reminded why coupes have fallen out of favor: Using one is a compromise. There’s less headroom thanks to that swoopy roofline, and given the glass moonroof that cuts into headroom even more, that can be an issue for taller drivers. The rest of the interior feels straight-up C-Class — the dash, the squarish multimedia system screen with the latest MBUX multimedia system and touchscreen climate controls, the terrible touch-sensitive steering-wheel buttons. It all looks very familiar, as we’ve seen it on a few vehicles now. It’s attractive and has some nice details, such as the climate vents and the big, reconfigurable digital gauge cluster. The MBUX system does become more familiar and easier to use the more you live with it, but we still prefer actual buttons and knobs for frequently used things, like radio volume.
The dash might be C-Class-derived, but the front seats are unique to the CLE, and they’re a little odd. While fully power-adjustable in a multitude of ways, they feel a little flat against the back. The front seats do have more legroom than either the old C- or E-Class coupes, but the backseat splits the difference between the two, according to the numbers provided by Mercedes-Benz. Entering and exiting those backseats is as easy as can be, with power-actuated front seats that move when the leather strap atop the seatback is pulled. There’s a decent amount of cargo space in the trunk, as well, and the backseats fold down for even more space.
There’s not a lot of standard equipment in the interior, but it does include some things like the aforementioned adjustable seats, a 17-speaker Burmester sound system and a panoramic glass roof. My test model was optioned up with nearly $13,000 in options, including things like ventilated seats, a head-up display and some styling packages. The base price for a CLE300 coupe is $57,650 (the CLE300 cabriolet starts at $65,500; prices include destination fee) — but the price as tested for my example was $70,220. That’s steep for this model, which is the base variant — opting for the even more expensive CLE450 brings a lot more content, some self-driving features, a more opulent cabin and a bigger, more powerful engine.
The Driving Experience
For $70,000, how’s the experience? Not bad at all, as it turns out. The CLE300 is most definitely tuned for comfort over sport, which also tracks with the intended customer — nobody getting this base trim is expecting a roaring sports machine, and that’s fine. There’s some pronounced body roll in corners, but the ride quality is sublime even with its low-profile tires. There’s no air suspension in the CLE300, and the steel suspension is tuned toward soft and compliant over firm and sporty. Not everything has to be a sports car, and there’s certainly a place for the idea of a personal luxury coupe being more comfortable than aggressive.
In fact, that’s kind of an idea that’s been pushed aside by automotive reviewers in recent decades: Everything has to supposedly be capable of tackling the Nurburgring. This specific model isn’t meant to; it’s meant to be a swift, silent, comfortable touring machine with a dash of two-door style. In that mission, it succeeds.
But it’s fairly numb in a number of ways. The steering is heavily boosted but direct, and the brakes lack feedback. It’s very, very quiet in the cabin at speed, and even hard acceleration doesn’t generate much engine noise. Highway trips feel like calm, easygoing situations meant to put you at ease. For the entry-level trim of this model, there’s a lot of luxury feel and content in here. Only under acceleration will you really notice that there could be a little more grunt. The powertrain is also painfully slow to respond to inputs even in Sport mode — throttle inputs are muted and result in a half a second at least between a stab of the go-pedal and forward motion, and the transmission takes its sweet time to kick down a gear or two. The CLE300 isn’t slow, but with an estimated 0-60 mph time of 6.2 seconds, it’s not all that quick by today’s standards. The CLE450 supposedly shaves two full seconds off that time, which is properly quick. But if speed isn’t your goal, the four-banger will do just fine.
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- 443-HP 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE53 Coupe Revealed
- 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Review: Luxury Always Changes
Does It All Work?
Frankly, I’m just happy there’s still a coupe like this in the Mercedes-Benz lineup. The idea of replacing the C- and E-Class coupes with one model isn’t new (Mercedes used to have a CLK coupe in the lineup for years), and with the CLE300 catering to buyers with C-Class budgets and desires and the CLE450 going after E-Class intenders, differentiated by equipment and options, the CLE-Class spans a good range of potential buyers.
The CLE300 is stylish, comfortable and well equipped, exuding more “calm” than “crazy,” and that’s not really a bad thing. I’m just curious to see if the typically older, more traditional coupe and cabriolet buyers are going to be happy with Mercedes’ tech-happy multimedia and climate controls, or if this is going to cause some generational heartburn.
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