Mercedes-Benz has always meant something more than just a means of transportation. It stood for engineering excellence and technical innovation, along with chasing the very thing that their slogan touts: The Best or Nothing. Modern Mercedes vehicles still try to set the precedent through features such as central touchscreens that house primary vehicle functions, capacitive touch controls, swathes of piano black trim and much more—though some might call them gimmick, especially as other manufacturers race to imitate and funnel these luxury-like attributes into more mainstream vehicles. As the old saying goes, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.
The 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 demonstrates what cannot be imitated is something not tangible—the respect and acknowledgement while behind the wheel of a vehicle wearing the three-pointed star. It does a great job at this, and I experienced first-hand what this slick two-door couple had to offer beyond the gimmicks and instant curb appeal.
The CLE is the result of Mercedes-Benz streamlining their product portfolio due to declining sales of their coupe and convertible offerings. By dropping the two-door variants of the C- and E-Class, Mercedes has consolidated it into one offering built on their modular MRA2 platform in Bremen, Germany. Some will miss the slick, pillarless design of the E-Class coupe, as it allowed for an unobstructed side-view—not to mention a striking presence with the windows down. The new CLE is more conventional, sporting a B-pillar with fixed rear windows similar to the outgoing C-Class coupe. Regardless, it is still a handsome vehicle that will turn heads.
Powering the CLE 300 is Mercedes’ 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-four, making 255 horsepower and 292 pound-feet of torque mated to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. It sends power to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission in a very seamless manner. In Eco mode, the CLE 300 leans on the mild-hybrid system to shut the off momentarily even while in motion, if it meets certain parameters. Rated at 8.6 L/100 km combined on paper, our real-world fuel economy returned a slightly worse 10.0 L/100 km due to mostly city driving and my lead foot.
Although power delivery is extremely smooth, with minimal turbo lag and plenty of torque for puttering around town, it is optimized for cruising and comfort. It practically rolls its eyes at you when pushed to the limit. Lead-foot drivers should ask their accountants to consider the CLE 53, which is catapulted by a turbocharged inline-six making 443 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. Everyone else will be more than happy with the CLE 300’s powertrain for most use cases, including flexing at the local Starbucks drive-thru.
Stopping the CLE 300 4MATIC are six-piston front calipers, along with single-piston rear calipers that are more than enough to grind this two-ton coupe to a halt. Brake pedal feel is natural and progressive, befitting its the cruiser-oriented nature. The big brake kit is part of the $3,500 AMG Line package that also gives you a sportier suspension setup, AMG interior bits, and exterior styling upgrades, to name a few.
The CLE 300’s style leans towards the conservative side overall. It is elegant and modern enough to be in-vogue, with the Mercedes-Benz logo prominently adorned against the shark-nosed grille. By comparison, rivals such as the BMW 4 Series coupe look more avant-garde, especially with the giant front grille treatment that people either love our hate. Our tester’s eye-catching Patagonia Red metallic paint garnered attention from other drivers and passers-by, as it nicely highlights the CLE’s character lines. Topping it off are 20-inch multi-spoke wheels in a machine finish, which is a nice touch as it accentuates the wheel design rather than hiding it with a dark finish.
The CLE 300’s interior makes a good first impression for those amazed by tech, but will put off those who lament the loss of physical switchgear. As with the current C-Class, Mercedes-Benz has doubled-down on minimalism through technology. The instrument cluster is a highly configurable 12.3-inch display with multiple layouts. Climate and infotainment controls are relegated to a portrait-oriented 11.9-inch touchscreen, which is very responsive and reflects little glare regardless of the sun’s position. Mercedes does provide some buttons, albeit capacitive-touch switches finished in piano black—truly the best or nothing. Although you do also have physical switches for the power seats, the buttons are completely fixed in place. They offer no feedback whatsoever, making for an oddly disconnected experience while you try to find your ideal driving position.
Once you find it, you can relax into the nicely appointed seats. They are comfortable and allow any body type to settle in perceived opulence. However, they are not finished in genuine leather; that requires you to spend an additional $2,100, plus another $600 if you want them heated and cooled. And if you want massage, double that figure. Nickel-and-diming aside, the rest of the cabin is an extremely nice place to spend time, as our tester’s Macchiato Beige colourway contrasts nicely against the black headliner. Stepping back outside, you begin to appreciate how the interior compliments the red paintwork; many onlookers either gave me a thumbs-up, or stopped to say how nice it the colour combination is.
In terms of infotainment, the CLE 300 is equipped with Mercedes’ latest iteration of MBUX that is pretty good at telling dad jokes. It uses AI to further personalize the user experience through voice, touch, and gesture controls. It remembers each user’s individual settings through facial recognition or the fingerprint sensor below the touchscreen. This is helpful if you have multiple drivers sharing the vehicle and allows each end user to recall their preferred settings and get comfortable immediately.
Mercedes-Benz continues to lead the pack when it comes to interior mood lighting as it is highly configurable. From neon-lit South Beach Miami vibes to dentist office monotones, you can set the mood lighting to your heart’s content. The cherry on top is the 17-speaker Burmester 3D Surround Sound System which includes dual speakers in each of the front seats. It is by far one of the best systems I have experienced, making me feel like Eric Clapton is playing Layla live right in front of me.
As you get accustomed to living with the CLE 300, the wow factor from all the tech begins to wear off. If you have experienced Mercedes-Benz vehicles of the late 20th century—from the iconic W123 to the over-engineered W140 S-Class, it is difficult not to develop a slightly jaded perspective. You realize the passing of the old guard, with more emphasis on perceived opulence through tech rather than chasing top-tier build quality. Hard plastics on the lower dash and door pockets feel like they belong in an economy car. The interior creaks around the centre console. The flex in some panels, such as the power seat controls, makes you wonder where your hard-earned money is going.
Those who are looking for the best bang for their buck may want to look elsewhere, as Mercedes-Benz hides key luxury features behind expensive packages. Pricing for the 2024 CLE 300 starts at a reasonable $61,900. Our mildly-optioned tester comes in at around $74,470 as-tested. Even then, it was missing key items you would expect in a luxury coupe, such as massage seats and Mercedes’ Driver Assistance Package, which includes lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and semi-autonomous driving capability. A fully-loaded CLE 300 4MATIC will cost $82,400 before additional fees. To put that into perspective, it is $1,500 more than the base price of the CLE 53, and on par with the last M440i we reviewed.
After a week of driving this bright red Mercedes, I felt conflicted. I should hate this vehicle, as it has all the attributes that I loathe in modern luxury cars: piano black trim, cumbersome capacitive controls, and a heavy handed approach to technology. However, the existence of luxury two-door coupes have become less frequent in a sea of endless crossovers and CUVs. This car is not supposed to be the Mercedes-Benz of yesteryear, but rather the three-pointed star of today and the future. The 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 is deserving of the iconic badge from Stuttgart, but for better or worse, not without the typical modern Mercedes foibles.
