Look out Tesla Model 3! 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA arrives with advanced tech and 792km range
The all-new 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA has been fully unwrapped with benchmark range claims ahead of its Down Under debut in the second half of next year.
The first car to ride on Benz’s all-new MMA platform, the second-gen Mercedes CLA will be offered first with all-electric power or with a mild-hybrid powertrain to follow.
Opt for the base CLA 250+ with EQ Technology (the new suffix that indicates it’s an EV) and you get a single rear motor that produces a healthy 200kW and 335Nm.
READ MORE: Benz wins the comp for longest name! Meet the ‘Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology’, coming with advanced EV tech to beat the BMW iX3, Audi Q6 e-tron and Porsche Macan EV
READ MORE: Mercedes-Benz changes direction on EVs! EQS and EQE set for the chop to be replaced with battery-powered variants of the C-, E- and S-Class
READ MORE: Revolutionary! Mercedes-Benz solar paint could mean Australians never have to plug their EVs in again
Combined with an 85kWh nickel manganese cobalt battery it provides a long range up 792km on the WLTP range, plus a brisk 6.7 seconds 0-100km/h sprint.
A second all-wheel drive electric Benz sedan, called the CLA 350 4MATIC with EQ Technology, ups power to 260kW and 515Nm of torque for a far-quicker 0-100km/h dash of 4.9 seconds. Impressively, the range only drops off to 771km on a full charge.
Boosting efficiency, both versions bag a novel two-speed transmission, while DC fast-charging is rated up to 320kW. There’s also an 11kW AC on-board charger.
Later on, cheaper EV versions of the CLA range will arrive that will get a smaller 58kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery.
For those sticking with petrol-power, the CLA comes with an all-new turbocharged 1.5-litre turbo petrol combined with a 20kW e-motor that is neatly packaged within a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Hot AMG versions are expected later.
Inspired by the 2023 Concept CLA, the new Benz sedan comes with a full-width LED daytime running lamp, an illuminated grille, pop-out door handles and front and rear lamps with star-shaped graphics.
Like the last generation, the new CLA remains a four-door coupe and grows in size in all dimensions. It measures up at 4723mm long (+35mm), 2021mm wide (+22mm) and stands 1468mm tall (+29mm) with a 2790mm wheelbase (+61mm).
The latter should provide more cabin space, although boot space is now 405 litres – down 51 litres – although the EV versions come with a useful 101L of space in a frunk.
Inside the cabin there’s an option of an MBUX Superscreen that combines a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with a large 14-inch infotainment screen and a further 14-inch passenger touchscreen that are all housed behind a single glass screen.
Below the screen are some shortcuts, although the design suggests a lack of physical buttons and a minimal theme, with large storage space found beneath the centre console.
Australian pricing and full specification will be released next year closer to the 2026 Mercedes CLA’s official debut.
