For starters, the new CLE we tested in 450 4Matic guise represents excellent value for the money. Under its hood sits a great powertrain, a gas-fired mild hybrid inline-six setup good for 375 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, the same powertrain we appreciated in the Mercedes-Benz E450 sedan and E450 All-Terrain wagon also tested as part of our 2025 Car of the Year competition. The new car is roughly the same size and shape as the old E-Class coupe, and it has similar proportions, but it’s updated with more aggressive contours and detailing; we particularly like the hard creases over the wheel arches. For a two-door, it also offers smart packaging of the first and second rows, providing four livable seats.

The CLE’s interior wasn’t quite a merger of equals, however. With massive air vents over a screen on the dashboard, the layout is more reminiscent of the existing C-Class, which doesn’t quite hold up to the otherwise E-Class appearance and pricing; in contrast, the new E-Class gets an up-to-date interpretation of Mercedes’ interior design as well as more screen real estate. Less digital acreage fits this car’s sportier, more driver-focused mien, and it’s a very luxurious place to be, but against our criteria we can’t say that it necessarily advances the art of design. We all loved the super-stylish red and black color scheme in our test car, though.

2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class COTY Review: A Successful Merger?

The new mashup of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and E-Class coupes into one CLE body is familiar yet fresh.Justin WestbrookWriterWilliam WalkerPhotographer

Nov 19, 2024

Pros

• Winning powertrain
• Good base value
• Satisfies an enthusiast niche

Cons

• No RWD model
• A lot of the C-Class interior
• Slower than the E-Class sedan

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz CLE coupe is brand new yet still represents a significant compromise. The German automaker recently took a step back and reconsidered its massive collection of coupes and convertibles, axing several models but finding room to amalgamate the former C- and E-Class coupes into the luxurious new CLE, which offers an interesting mix of both cars it attempts to replace. Did the gamble pay off?

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For starters, the new CLE we tested in 450 4Matic guise represents excellent value for the money. Under its hood sits a great powertrain, a gas-fired mild hybrid inline-six setup good for 375 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, the same powertrain we appreciated in the Mercedes-Benz E450 sedan and E450 All-Terrain wagon also tested as part of our 2025 Car of the Year competition. The new car is roughly the same size and shape as the old E-Class coupe, and it has similar proportions, but it’s updated with more aggressive contours and detailing; we particularly like the hard creases over the wheel arches. For a two-door, it also offers smart packaging of the first and second rows, providing four livable seats.

The CLE’s interior wasn’t quite a merger of equals, however. With massive air vents over a screen on the dashboard, the layout is more reminiscent of the existing C-Class, which doesn’t quite hold up to the otherwise E-Class appearance and pricing; in contrast, the new E-Class gets an up-to-date interpretation of Mercedes’ interior design as well as more screen real estate. Less digital acreage fits this car’s sportier, more driver-focused mien, and it’s a very luxurious place to be, but against our criteria we can’t say that it necessarily advances the art of design. We all loved the super-stylish red and black color scheme in our test car, though.

On the road, the cabin is noisier than the E-Class’, and there’s a little more chop, wheel slap, and tire noise over uneven surfaces than we’d like, especially in Sport mode. And Comfort mode feels too soft, leading to bounding on freeways. The relatively short wheelbase doesn’t help in terms of body pitch, either. Many judges also complained of squidgy brake feel; the binders don’t really grab until later in the pedal travel, at which point they come on hard. An owner might get used to it, but it makes the driver’s transition between street driving and canyon carving something less than seamless.

Overall, the CLE feels naturally inclined to be a tourer more than anything, yet some of its tuning choices reveal a split personality that never fully resolves into a fully cohesive whole. We also can’t help but regret that the CLE lineup doesn’t offer any rear-drive variants, which could up the fun factor, as well as the fact that we were unable to sample four-cylinder or AMG versions or the CLE cabriolet. The CLE is an excellent car, but it lacks the final measure of harmony and balance it would need to capture our ultimate prize.

This review was conducted as part of our 2025 Car of the Year (COTY) testing, where each vehicle is evaluated on our six key criteria: efficiency, design, safety, engineering excellence, value, and performance of intended function. Eligible vehicles must be all-new or significantly revised.