Overview: Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4Matic in brief
We've driven the new, ultra-long-range Mercedes CLA 250+ and found it to be brilliant on range, but short on driving thrills, so can this sportier, faster, four-wheel-drive CLA 350 4Matic offer any more in the way of engagement for the person behind the wheel?
Pros & Cons of the 2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4Matic
Pros: Sharp acceleration, all-wheel traction, no less practical, hardly any less efficient
Cons: Still not a driver's car, styling not loved by all
What's different from the regular Mercedes-Benz CLA?
On the outside, there's very little in the way of visual difference between this CLA 350 4Matic and the 250+ that we've also driven. Both share the same body and layout, and the CLA seems to be dividing opinion in terms of its styling.
The least-scientific method possible - having a glance through social media - seems to show that the nays are in the majority when it comes to the new CLA's design. I definitely prefer the look of the outgoing model, but then car designs have a way of 'bedding in' and becoming more acceptable with familiarity, so let's give it a chance, eh?
Mechanically, this 350 4Matic, as the name suggests, gets an extra pair of driven wheels compared to the 250+. There's an additional 80kW electric motor mounted between the front wheels, which it drives through a single-speed transmission, while the rear wheels are driven by the same 272hp motor and the two-speed transmission as found in the CLA 250+.
Peak power climbs significantly, to 353hp, with 515Nm of torque between the two motors. There's also a clever stability and traction control system which tries to juggle the two motors to keep the car's power output as high as possible in the event of one end losing traction.
Given the extra performance, is this CLA any more thrilling to drive than the 250+ model?
Performance of the Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4Matic
• All-wheel-drive traction
• Up to 353hp from two motors
• Still not sporty to drive
Er, no. No, the 350 isn't really any more thrilling to drive. It's faster, of course, cutting 1.8 seconds from the 250+'s 6.7-second 0-100km/h time, and you certainly feel like you're being pressed back into the high-backed bucket seat much more emphatically.
The 'step-in' performance, when you ask the motors for a quick burst of speed while you're cruising along, is also very impressive, and is accompanied by a selectable choice of fake engine noises, which are kind of entertaining.
Fun, though? No, frustratingly not. The CLA's steering is just too light to be communicative, and while it's well-weighted and the chassis is well-behaved, there's just very little in the way of true driver interaction to be wrung from this 350 model.
Which is not to say the CLA is bad to drive - it's actually very good. Smooth, comfortable in its ride quality and very secure and safe. It's just that the weight (around 100kg up on the rear-drive version) pushes the CLA into lurch understeer at times, and the soft suspension means that there's much more body lean than you'd expect. It's definitely set up to be more of a comfortable cruiser than a back-road blaster, which to be fair is really what more people need more of the time.
There's also the same limitation to this test that applies to that of the CLA 250+ - Danish roads are wide, smooth and have very low speed limits so there wasn't much opportunity to explore the dynamic limits of the CLA. Maybe when we get to drive it at home, it will reveal hidden depths.
Interior, Practicality, Tech & Comfort of the Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4Matic
• Screen-dominated dashboard
• Very high quality
• Not massive in the back
The interior is just as identical as the exterior if you're looking for differences between this 350 4Matic and the CLA 250+. That's no bad thing - you get the same impressive big touchscreen in the centre, using Mercedes' whizzy new MB.OS software, which seems like a genuine step forward.
Everything you press and interact with seems very fast and responsive, and though we wish there were more physical buttons, there's little to dislike here. Aside, that is, from the optional passenger-side screen, which just seems like a needlessly expensive device for distracting the driver, especially when most passengers will just be on their phone or tablet anyway.
It's a shame that space in the back isn't brilliant. There's decent legroom, but headroom for tall passengers is tight, and your knees will be way up in the air, which won't be great for leg-ache and back-ache on a long journey.
In terms of range, on the basis of this test drive, you won't be missing out much. Officially, this 350 4Matic only loses 21km of range relative to the 250+, leaving it with a still-very-impressive 771km on a full charge.
That official range seems to be better than fictional, too. OK, again the low-speed Danish roads are playing to the car's range strengths, but we averaged around 15kWh/100km, which is good, and real-world range seems to work out at around 650km, which is very good indeed.
There's the same ultra-fast 320kW DC fast charging too, which tops the battery back up by 310km in just ten minutes, but check out our CLA 250+ review for more detail on the CLA's current (hopefully temporary) 400-volt charger restriction.
Irish Pricing & Rivals of the Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4Matic
• No Irish pricing as yet
• This is a premium model
• Over €70,000 maybe?
There's no Irish pricing for this car yet, and no Irish specs, and there won't be until well into 2026, as the CLA doesn't hit our shores until the middle of next year.
However, it may not be desperately expensive. Taking the UK pricing as a guide, it seems likely that the CLA will split the difference between the cheap-o Tesla Model 3 and the slightly-too-expensive BMW i4, which won't make it a bargain, but which might just make it reasonably priced, especially considering the massive one-charge range.
Of course, this 350 4Matic in AMG-Line trim will be considerably more expensive than the standard 250+, and we'd take a guess at a price tag approaching €70,000 for this one.
Verdict - Should You Buy the 2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4Matic
Maybe - it will depend how much more expensive than the standard model this all-wheel-drive version turns out to be. If it's not a massive jump up from the standard car, then this 350 4Matic would certainly be my choice. It's barely any less efficient, and not much shorter in real-world range, than the 250+, but you get much improved performance and the security of all-wheel drive.
FAQs About the 2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA
How many child seats fit in the back of the Mercedes CLA?
There are two ISOFIX points for child car safety seats in the back of the CLA, but the space on offer might preclude fitting very bulky rear-facing seats, and there's not really enough space in the centre rear seat for a booster cushion, certainly not a large one. There's no ISOFIX point in the front passenger seat, though, which may be a bit of a limitation for some buyers.
What is the range of the Mercedes CLA EV?
The CLA 350 4Matic has a slightly shorter range than the CLA 250+, but only by 21km, giving it an official one-charge range of 771km.
How safe is the Mercedes CLA?
It hasn't been tested by Euro NCAP yet, but Mercedes is expecting a full five-star score for the CLA, and with high percentage scores in the individual categories. Certainly, it will be incredibly safe in an actual crash, thanks to its new centre front airbag (which stops you cracking heads with your front seat passenger), extra structural protection for the battery, and a constantly evolving electronic safety setup.
Mercedes says it carried out 150 physical crash tests of the new CLA in its development, as well as near-countless computer simulations. The 350 4Matic should be among the safest models too, given its extra traction and ability to deal better with slippery conditions.
Want to know more about the Mercedes CLA?
Is there anything else you'd like to know about the Mercedes CLA? Or anything you feel we haven't covered here? Then just head over to our Ask Us Anything section and, well, ask us anything.
