Latest-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA will be sold in ICE and EV forms
October 15, 2024 02:46
- The new CLA will be supported by the automaker’s flexible MMA architecture.
- Completely redesigned front and rear fascias immediately set the car apart from the outgoing model.
- The new CLA will likely be sold in the United States as a 2026 model.
Mercedes-Benz has stripped away some of the camouflage to give us our best look yet at the 2026 CLA. The car’s design is inspired by the concept car launched 12 months ago and will be available in ICE and EV versions.
The German brand made the odd decision to launch this thinly veiled CLA at the Festival d’Hyères, France’s 39th festival of fashion, photography and accessories. This explains the interesting gray and red wrap on the car’s exterior, and while Mercedes hasn’t announced any details about the car, we already know a lot about the upcoming model.
Read: Here’s everything we know about the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA
Visually, its overall shape is similar to its predecessor, retaining a sleek silhouette and compact footprint. At the front, we can see a completely revamped grille profile, with a shape inspired by last year’s CLA concept car. The overall shape of the headlights is also similar to the concept car, but strangely there is no sign of the three-point star daytime running lights. The full-width LED strip doesn’t look like it’s been in production either, unless it’s well hidden by the packaging.
As with first- and second-generation CLA models, the doors feature a number of bold creases and design lines, including a prominent shoulder line that extends from the corners of the headlights to the corners of the taillights. Speaking of the taillights, they are clearly inspired by the concept lights and include circular LED signatures. A small spoiler lip is also installed on the trunk.
Mercedes-Benz’s flexible MMA platform underpins the new model. All combustion-powered models are expected to be four-cylinder models with hybrid assistance, while electric vehicles should use an 800-volt electrical architecture, offering charging speeds of up to 250 kilowatts. The electric model will also support two-way charging and support vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) functions. A high-performance AMG version of the EV is in development, possibly with up to 500 horsepower.
Mercedes expects to fully roll out the new CLA in the coming months, before rolling out the 2026 model in the U.S. and other markets.
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