The new-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA has landed in Australia, with orders now open for the German brand’s all-new mild-hybrid and electric sedan.
Priced from $66,500 before on-road costs, the third-generation CLA introduces an all-electric powertrain to the nameplate for the first time, enabled by the shift to the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA). It shares this with the new-generation Mercedes-Benz GLB.
Deliveries of 48V mild-hybrid CLAs will begin in June, with electric versions to follow in July – the latter priced from $72,200 before on-roads. That’s cheaper than the entry point for the previous-gen CLA, which was $73,200 before on-roads for the petrol-powered CLA200.
The CLA features steel-sprung ‘comfort’ suspension incorporating newly developed three-link front and multi-link rear axles. The sedan has also grown, with its wheelbase stretched by 61mm and its overall length rising by 43mm.
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Mild-hybrid versions use a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a 1.3kWh lithium-ion battery. Power and torque vary across the mild-hybrid range, from as low as 100kW/200Nm in the CLA180 to as much as 140kW/300Nm in the all-wheel drive CLA220.
Mercedes-Benz says the new CLA’s mild-hybrid system provides torque assistance across the rev range and can recuperate energy to improve efficiency. The electric motor and inverter are integrated into a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
At urban speeds or when less than 22kW is needed, mild-hybrid CLAs can run exclusively on electric power.
The ‘CLA200 electric’, meanwhile, combines a 120kW electric motor with a two-speed transmission at the rear and supports DC fast charging of its 58kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery at up to 200kW.
A standard DC converter enables the use of 400V chargers, and the WLTP driving range is quoted at 470km.
The CLA350 4Matic adds an 80kW front electric motor for all-wheel drive. The electric motor can decouple under low load to optimise range, and it’s powered by an 85kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery for a maximum range claim of 663km. The maximum DC fast-charging speed is 320kW.
The CLA range comes standard with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system running the new-generation Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS). There’s also an AI-powered voice assistant integrating ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
A 14-inch passenger display is optional, allowing occupants to watch Netflix and Disney+, and forming the complete ‘MBUX Superscreen’.
Pricing
|
Model |
Price before on-roads |
|---|---|
|
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA180 |
$66,500 |
|
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA200 |
$68,100 |
|
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA200 electric |
$72,200 |
|
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA220 4Matic |
$84,300 |
|
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA350 4Matic electric |
$91,300 |
Drivetrains and Efficiency
|
Specifications |
CLA180 |
CLA200 |
CLA220 4Matic |
CLA200 electric |
CLA350 4Matic electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Engine/Drivetrain |
1.5L 4cyl turbo-petrol 48V MHEV |
1.5L 4cyl turbo-petrol 48V MHEV |
1.5L 4cyl turbo-petrol 48V MHEV |
Single-motor electric |
Dual-motor electric |
|
Battery |
1.3kWh li-ion |
1.3kWh li-ion |
1.3kWh li-ion |
58kWh LFP |
85kWh NMC |
|
Engine outputs |
100kW / 200Nm |
120kW / 250Nm |
140kW / 300Nm |
– |
– |
|
Peak system outputs |
– |
– |
– |
165kW / 335Nm |
260kW / 515Nm |
|
Transmission |
8-speed dual-clutch auto |
8-speed dual-clutch auto |
8-speed dual-clutch auto |
2-speed |
2-speed |
|
Drive type |
Front-wheel drive |
Front-wheel drive |
All-wheel drive |
Rear-wheel drive |
All-wheel drive |
|
Tare mass |
1622kg |
1658kg |
1718kg |
2045kg |
2135kg |
|
0-100km/h (claimed) |
8.8s |
8.0s |
7.1s |
7.5s |
4.9s |
|
Fuel economy (claimed) |
5.4L/100km |
5.4L/100km |
5.8L/100km |
– |
– |
|
Fuel tank capacity |
43L |
43L |
51L |
– |
– |
|
Fuel requirement |
95-octane premium unleaded |
95-octane premium unleaded |
95-octane premium unleaded |
– |
– |
|
CO2 emissions |
122g/km |
122g/km |
131g/km |
– |
– |
|
Energy consumption (claimed) |
– |
– |
– |
14.4kWh/100km |
14.9kWh/100km |
|
Claimed range (WLTP) |
– |
– |
– |
470km |
663km |
|
Max. AC charge rate |
– |
– |
– |
11kW |
11kW |
|
Max. DC charge rate |
– |
– |
– |
200kW |
320kW |
|
Unbraked towing capacity |
750kg |
750kg |
750kg |
750kg |
750kg |
|
Braked towing capacity |
1600kg |
1800kg |
2000kg |
1500kg |
1800kg |
|
Emissions standard |
Euro 6 |
Euro 6 |
Euro 6 |
– |
– |
Dimensions
|
Dimensions |
Mercedes-Benz CLA |
|---|---|
|
Length |
4723mm |
|
Width |
1855mm |
|
Height |
1463mm (mild-hybrid) 1468mm (electric) |
|
Wheelbase |
2790mm |
|
Cargo capacity |
405L 101L (under-bonnet storage, electric only) |
Servicing and Warranty
Mercedes-Benz Australia backs its range with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Servicing for all CLA models is required every 12 months or 25,000km, whichever comes first.
|
Servicing and Warranty |
Mercedes-Benz CLA |
Mercedes-Benz CLA electric |
|---|---|---|
|
Vehicle warranty |
5 years, unlimited kilometres |
5 years, unlimited kilometres |
|
High-voltage battery warranty |
– |
8 years, 160,000km |
|
Roadside assistance |
5 years |
5 years |
|
Service intervals |
12 months or 25,000km |
12 months or 25,000km |
|
Capped-price servicing |
Prepaid service plans |
Prepaid service plans |
|
Service costs |
$3425 (3 years) |
$2455 (3 years) |
Safety
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA has yet to be crash-tested by ANCAP and is therefore unrated. It did, however, earn a full five-star safety rating in testing conducted by Euro NCAP in 2025.
|
Category |
Mercedes-Benz CLA (Euro NCAP) |
|---|---|
|
Adult occupant protection |
94 per cent |
|
Child occupant protection |
89 per cent |
|
Vulnerable road user protection |
93 per cent |
|
Safety assist |
85 per cent |
Standard safety equipment highlights:
- 8 airbags, incl:
-
- Driver
- Passenger
- Driver’s knee
- Front-centre
- Side
- Adaptive cruise control
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver attention monitoring
- Lane-keep assist
- Safe exit warning
- Surround-view camera
- Tyre pressure monitoring
Standard Equipment
There are four grades of the new CLA available in Australia.
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA180 equipment highlights:
- Mild-hybrid powertrain
- Comfort suspension
- 18-inch AMG five-spoke black alloy wheels
- Tyre repair kit
- Automatic LED headlights
- Illuminated front grille
- LED tail-lights
- Full-width front and rear light bars
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Power-folding, heated side mirrors with position memory
- Panoramic glass roof
- Sports steering wheel
- Comfort seats
- ‘Artico’ synthetic leather upholstery
- Power front seats with lumbar and position memory
- Heated front seats
- 10.25-inch digital instrument display
- 14.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- DAB+ digital radio
- Bluetooth
- AI-powered voice assistant
- Wireless phone charger
- Facial recognition
- Single-zone climate control
- Interior ambient lighting
- Black headliner
CLA200 adds:
- Electric option (rear-wheel drive)
- AMG Line exterior styling
- “Sporty engine sound”
- AMG floor mats
- Nappa leather-wrapped sports steering wheel
- Sports seats
- ‘Artico’ synthetic leather and ‘Microcut’ synthetic suede upholstery
- Light carbon-grain aluminium interior accents
- Dual-zone climate control
CLA220 4Matic adds:
- All-wheel drive
- 19-inch AMG five-twin-spoke black alloy wheels
- ‘Multibeam’ LED headlights
- Full-width rear LED light bar
- Head-up display
- MBUX Superscreen:
-
- 10.25-inch digital instrument display
- 14.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- 14.0-inch touchscreen passenger display
- 16-speaker Burmester surround-sound system
- Sound personalisation
- Illuminated door sill scuff plates
- Rear privacy glass
CLA350 4Matic adds:
- Electric powertrain (all-wheel drive)
- Removes 16-speaker Burmester surround-sound system
Options
A handful of options are available for the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA.
Premium Package ($1800 CLA200, $2340 CLA350) adds:
- Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus
- Illuminated door sills
- Head-up display
- MBUX Superscreen
- 16-speaker Burmester surround-sound system
- Hands-free keyless start
The Premium Package is standard on the CLA220.
Additionally, the following accessories can be optioned for the CLA200 for $1200:
- 19-inch AMG five-twin-spoke black alloy wheels
- Rear privacy glass
Colours
Seven colours are available for the new CLA, including two Manufaktur finishes for an additional cost.
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA colours:
- Polar White solid
- Cosmos Black metallic
- High-Tech Silver metallic
- Aqua-Mint solid
- Sheer Blue metallic
- Manufaktur Alpine Grey solid: $1300 ($1690 with LCT)
- Manufaktur Patagonia Red metallic: $500 ($650 with LCT)
There are also four interior themes available.
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA interiors:
- Black ‘Artico’ synthetic leather: Standard on 180
- Ivory Beige ‘Artico’ synthetic leather: $NCO on 180
- Black ‘Artico’ synthetic leather/’Microcut’ synthetic suede: Standard on 200, 220, 350
- White ‘Artico’ synthetic leather/Black ‘Microcut’ synthetic suede: $NCO on 200, 220, 350