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The predecessor to the CLC, the rather more elegantly styled Sports Coupé, was Mercedes’ riposte to the highly successful BMW 3-series Compact. It was based on the (W203) C-class and shared much of its saloon sibling’s underpinnings and design, both inside and out.

But you don’t need an especially keen eye to recognise the Mercedes-Benz CLC for what it is. Look beyond the new name and the new front end, and it’s clear that this is not an all-new model, but instead a refresh of the exi...Read the full article

Great review but bit of a harsh score! Would have thought at least 3 stars given the pricing and the fact that not much is wrong with it. The thing that wasn't mentioned is that, rear seats down, the boot is cavernous - WAY bigger than any 1-Series

I also think that this car is an embarrassment for Mercedes, the car doesn´t even get the updated engines of the regular C-class, what a joke. They should have sold this thing as a Chrysler, just like the old SLK as the Crossfire, but for Mercedes, what a shame. A company that wants to be the top brand just can´t sell something as old as this as a new car.

Yeah but most consumers - like 99% of them - won't know and couldn't care less. It drives well, buyers might like the looks/spec/price, and its a Merc. It won't make a dot of difference to Merc as a brand. As for the 'enthusiasts' who won't buy the current car, well they didn't buy the previous version either!

I agree that this car is an embarrassment for Mercedes-Benz. Its design is compromised in so many ways. Fortunately, i think it will die completely when the next generation A-Class debuts. Abandoning the bread van proportions of the current A-Class, the next version is reputed to be much more Golf-like in design and execution. i think the packaging will still be very good and it is bound to boast some very clever design features, it just won't have the double sandwich floor or be so high. A 3-door version is definitely on the cards and i would have posted a picture if it weren't for the shortcomings of Autocar's forum software.

I thought the very average 1st gen A and ML-Class were just a passing phase for Merc producing mediocre cars. Sadly, this rehashed SportsCoupe shows this isn't the case, which is disappointing considering how excellent the current A, ML, C, SL, SLK and S-Class are. Just hope next year's all-new E-Class is also excellent so that we can let Merc off for this poor excuse for a marketing ploy.

BTW - Since when was the 3-Series Compact highly succesful? Almost made out to be as good a seller (and car) as a proper 3-Series!

The C-Class Coupe and BMW Compact both received exclellent reviews from Autocar when they launched.

Great article until I got to the last few lines. So the comparison is with the ugly BM 1 series coupe. No contest, the bulk of buyers like a good looking car with the best badge they can afford. The CLC makes the cut.

GD:

No contest, the bulk of buyers like a good looking car with the best badge they can afford. The CLC makes the cut.

 

I agree GD. There's so much bitching about this car on Autocar's forums, almost exclusively by people with no experience of the car and with no ability to afford one. Why they feel compelled to go on and on and on and on about how 'embarrassing' it is totally beyond me. I've said before in a different thread, this car would have been much better if there was a new C-Class underneath- we all know that- but it's a refresh for a model that will be replaced by the new small car range in a couple of years so it would be stupid for MB to replace it with a brand new car now.

Like GD said, most people in this market want a good looking car with the best badge they can get. This car fits the bill. You won't see CLC's on track days- and neither were they intended for such things. Get over yourselves already. It's boring now.

 

I can see the marketing behind the car.  It is an excellent idea to hook people in to the MB ownership experience, and build from there.

I do have issues though with this car.  When purchasing a Merc, you do at least expect a "premium" product.  Sadly though this has been lacking in so many of their recent products with many main stream manufacturers vehicles being better.

Unfortunately in this country we are obsessed with badges and image, regardless of the real quality of the product.

One of the things that really gets to me is their "man made leather"!  Just be bloody honest about it, stop trying to con people.  In know it is just marketing, but please!  On  the whole though, the car looks cheap.  Unfortunately the price tag is not!

From my point of view a three door Kia Ceed at a fraction of the price comes across as more "premium" than the CLC.

TegTypeR:

From my point of view a three door Kia Ceed at a fraction of the price comes across as more "premium" than the CLC.

 

Absolutely agree with that too. 'Premium' is something that MB needs to keep on top of and has failed to do so a number of times in recent memory. They do need to try harder, no argument from me. But MB has, traditionally, had a vast range to choose from and has a slightly different place in the Euro market to the 'premium' one it enjoys in UK & US. This car is a real MB, aimed at real MB customers. They wouldn't make it otherwise. It may well be overpriced and under-engineered but it still meets the needs of many people who don't want an A or B-Class and don't need a C. If the CLK base model was a bit cheaper there'd probably be no need for this car at all. As a revamp of an existing model- I still think it's a successful one. There we are- I said it! Sorry. There's probably a rule against saying that sort of thing out loud on this forum. Ooops.

Glad to see these comments. As I mentioned on a different thread, I had a 230 Kompressor (the 1.8 supercharged petrol version) as a company car a few years back and it was great. Its not the best car I've ever owned but I enjoyed it and miss it from time to time. The interior was fantastic in my opinion, and I had the pre-facelift version with the older interior design and pikey cd player (no fast forward/rewind facility!!). It was quiet, torquey, reasonably economical, fast, great around town and on the motorway and had an enormous boot with seats folded down. Also looked great in black, even on the boggo 16" alloys on my 'SE' spec. My wife loved it, many of my friends were rather jealous of it! Plus it is the best car I've ever owned for taking speed humps - essential if you live in or around South London!