The German automaker's newest entry-level model carries the company's legacy into an electrified, and hybridized, future.

The electric subcompact sedan is capable of going 492 miles on a charge — at least, according to the test used in Europe.

Mercedes is also bucking the traditional method of introducing a new platform as an ICE vehicle and then wedging the design into an EV platform. Instead, the company is going “EV first,” launching the CLA as an EV first and then later as an internal combustion with a mild hybrid in 2026.

Eighteen months on from the unveiling of the Concept CLA Class, Mercedes-Benz has finally pulled the covers off the production C178 CLA. This third-generation four-door coupé marks a sea change for the nameplate as it

Benz CLA arrives as an EV first, available as the 268-hp rear-drive CLA250+ or the 349-hp all-wheel-drive CLA350 4Matic.The new CLA rides on the brand's MMA platform, which also underpins the next-generation GLA and GLB.