It’s easy to see that the CLA will borrow a lot from the CLS in terms of design, despite the camo.
Mercedes’ compact car range is set to expand to include more models such as the first ever A-Class Sedan, and another crossover, called the GLB. The CLA’s stylish predecessor won’t be canceled, as Mercedes with the three-pointed star believes that the two models can coexist and cater to different tastes. This new Mercedes sedan will be the entry point to the sedan family, while the CLA will look a lot more sophisticated thanks to its larger brother, the CLS.
The differences between the two cars are obvious from spy shots. The A-Class will look more like a sedan while the CLA will appear as if it is a mini-CLS. This is Mercedes’s “four-door coupe”, which is currently being tested at the Nurburgring.
There have been several prototypes, so it is easy to see which ones were different trim levels. The test vehicle with the license plate ending with “175” was an expensive version with full-LED taillights and headlights. The “174” car, on the other hand, was a lower trim model with old-school Halogen lights. A third car was also available with the plate ending with “29”, which seems to be an intermediate version that uses LEDs for some functions.
The camo will take a while to appear as Mercedes is busy preparing for the A-Class Sedan’s world premiere. The long-wheelbase model, which was first revealed in China a few months back, is now likely to be introduced. The new CLA will likely be introduced in 2020 as a 2020MY.
The new CLA will take most of the technology and oily bits from the A_Class hatchback when it arrives. In the meantime, the sedan will be Mercedes’ entry-level vehicle by fitting underneath the CLA.