Mercedes-Benz has begun taking orders for three different and never-before-announced hybrid variants of its CLA saloon coming in FWD and AWD flavors. All cars boast superior fuel economy compared to their non-electrified counterparts and start from €46,243 in Germany.
The hybrid powertrain features Mercedes’ latest 1.5-liter, FAME-series, Miller-cycle, turbo four-cylinder engine. It works in tandem with an 8F-eDCT eight-speed dual-clutch transmission created specifically for hybrids and receives assistance from a small-time electric motor built into the drivetrain.
The e-motor churns out its usual 30 PS (30 hp / 22 kW) and 200 Nm (148 lb-ft) of torque, so it mainly assists with starting the main engine and helps the car get a quick start. A 1.3-kWh lithium-ion battery supplies the power and recharges automatically, but is too small for all-electric driving.
The engine specs differ from version to version. Starting with the affordable CLA 180, it gets only 136 PS (134 hp / 100 kW) and 200 Nm (148 lb-ft) of torque from its petrol component, and is capped at just 156 PS (154 hp / 115 kW) and 280 Nm (207 lb-ft) in hybrid mode. No wonder sprinting from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes a sluggish 8.8 seconds to complete.
Next up the line is the CLA 200, which bumps up the hybrid output to 184 PS (181 hp / 135 kW) and 330 Nm (243 lb-ft) of torque. It concludes the sprint exercise in eight seconds flat and goes further down to 7.9 seconds if you opt for all-wheel drive.
Last but not least, the LCA 220 enjoys 211 PS (208 hp / 155 kW) and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque, allowing it to get to the highway speed in 7.2 seconds, or 7.1 with AWD. The top speed varies from 218 to 240 km/h (135–149 mph) depending on your chosen spec.
Appearance-wise, the hybrid CLA is largely identical to its EV counterpart, with minor differences. For one thing, it has a distinct faux grille with a horizontal chrome bar on it and built-in contour backlight.
