Mercedes-Benz CLA 180 Sport

• ROAD TEST MERCEDES-BENZ CLA 180 SPORT

ANYONE seeking the coolest, classiest looking new car for less than £25k may find themselves magnetically drawn towards the Mercedes-Benz CLA.

It’s a stunner from every angle – elegant from the side, aggressive from the front with its triple mesh grille, and stylish from the rear with a flattened tailpipe at each corner.

A four-door saloon with coupe-like curves, this latest Benz offers way more than just its head-turning looks.

While based on the same platform as the latest A-Class – itself a much slicker looking car than before – the CLA is longer than its more compact  stablemate, and has a greater presence on the road.

Younger drivers are the target audience, hence the dual trim choice of Sport and AMG Sport, and if practicality isn’t going to be of prime concern here, well there’s plenty of it nonetheless.

The interior – similar to the A-Class – is both simple and hi-tech, the dash featuring an alloy-effect inlay with rollerball air vents and there’s also a tablet-style touchscreen.

Though a five-seater, the centre rear position isn’t good with its uncomfortable, perched position and transmission tunnel which interferes with leg room.

Taller passengers also find it tricky to sit up straight without scraping their heads on the roof lining.

That said, the cabin is a classy place to be with its black fabric and part leather upholstery set off with stand-out white stitching.

Oddments spaces are everywhere, including four cupholders, and the boot is large and long, if quite shallow.

A pair of 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol engines, ranging from 122bhp in the tested CLA 180 to 211bhp in the CLA 250, and two diesel units are up for grabs. There’s also a fiery 45 AMG 4MATIC.

All these engines feature an ECO start/stop function as standard and come with a six-speed manual or 7G-DCT dual clutch automatic transmission.

The CLA is a beautifully dynamic car to drive too – well balanced, comfortable and smooth at speed, its only downside being the 180’s absence of punch from a standstill.

You really need to give this 1.6-litre powerplant some serious revs to eke out the sort of performance worthy of the car’s looks.

Economy is impressive though at 50 miles per gallon, and the diesels are good for 60mpg plus.