Mercedes went with a four-cylinder arrangement for this new entry-level engine because of the smoother and quieter characteristics that come from its inherent better balance compared with a three-pot - and that decision is largely vindicated by its composure in normal running.
When the petrol engine takes over from the electric motor, it does so quietly and subtly, with no perceptible driveline shunt and only the faintest increase in noise. So too is the accelerative response at low speeds essentially the same irrespective of whether it’s consuming petrol or electrons. Power take-up is smooth, progressive and predictable either way, and there’s no tiresome jabbiness or step-off recoil to contend with.
Probe a bit harder, though, and it’s not hard to uncover some of the new engine's rougher edges.
The lower-powered CLA 200 felt short on pep under heavy loads, working a bit harder than you would expect to reach motorway speeds and needing to drop several cogs to maintain a decent lick up a steep hill - which meant that the engine note did become a bit strained and thrashy at times, denting the premium sheen.
No petrol CLA comes with paddle shifters, but you can manually shift up and down by pulling and pushing the drive selector stalk, which feels contrived and unnatural but does at least give you some control over the ratios - which is a boon when the auto 'box is unwilling to shift up and the engine starts sounding particularly aggravated.
The CLA 220 brings a slight but tangible increase in grunt, which helped to make the CLA feel more like the downsized executive mile-muncher it wants to be, but all the same it feels like there’s plenty of head room for Mercedes to add some pokier variants that feel a bit more relaxed and effortless when you wind them up.
Happily, the engineers quietly admit that while the MMA platform can’t take anything larger than the new 1.5 (whose compact, square footprint makes it not much heftier than the CLA EQ’s electric motors), there is scope to squeeze more power out of it.
