Mercedes-Benz CLA 200
The petrol version of the CLA gets the same 1,991-cc in-line four-cylinder turbocharged powerplant as its larger cousin, the C-Class. Output is rated at 184 PS of maximum power, which is available at 5,500 RPM, and peak torque of 300 Nm at 1,200 to 4,000 RPM. Start the engine of the petrol car and you can immediately sense its refinement. It is nearly silent, but give it a bit of throttle and there’s a nice sporty sound that will reach your ears. Quite pleasant and in no small measure a factor that goads the enthusiast in you to make his appearance.
Power delivery is linear and acceleration brisk as the turbo kicks in with barely a hint of lag. Indeed, there is no perceptible lag that can be felt. Step on the throttle and the car pulls cleanly from all sorts of numbers on the tacho. While in the diesel CLA there is a sensation of breathlessness, none of that makes its appearance when you’re behind the wheel of the petrol CLA. As a matter of fact, it’s quite racy and perfectly suited for sporty driving. At the same time, there’s enough grunt low down in the rev range for effortless highway cruising or ease of crawling at city speeds.
Like in the case of its diesel avatar, the petrol car gets a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox that works well with the car. You can also select among three modes – Economy, Sport and Manual – by pushing a button on the dash. The CLA 200 CDI also gets these selectable transmission modes. As expected, the Economy mode is the default mode and is aimed at conservation of energy, and therefore resources. The Sport mode is the most exciting one among the three since it livens up things without requiring additional input from the driver. The Manual mode is for purists who want that added control over the car’s behaviour.
