Mercedes’ newest entry-level sedan will inaugurate the brand’s new approach to balancing both gas-powered and electric powertrains. Buyers can choose whether they want the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA as a hybrid or an electric vehicle (EV). Either way, they’ll get the same body style and largely the same feature list under the same name.
Mercedes has not revealed pricing for the 2026 CLA. The 2025 model on dealer lots today starts at $45,550, including a $1,150 destination fee. The new one arrives in dealerships “later this year.”
Mercedes-Benz Hopes You Like Three-Pointed Stars
The CLA retains its four-door coupe styling with a sleek body that seems a natural evolution from the 2025 model.
Its most striking feature may be its grille, which consists of dozens of tiny chrome versions of the Mercedes three-pointed star logo surrounding…well…a large version of the Mercedes three-pointed star logo. Even the small ones are available backlit. The daytime running lights in the headlight clusters are shaped like the Mercedes three-pointed star logo.
We’ll leave you guessing as to the taillight shape, but if you’ve been reading closely, you’ve inferred it.
Until recently, Mercedes EV designs have had a lozenge look that didn’t please longtime fans. That’s part of why the company announced its plan to ditch separate EV designs and simply sell most cars with a choice of powertrains.
The CLA is the first design since that announcement and does a nice job of blending the more angular shapes of its recent gas-powered cars with the EV design scheme to produce a genuinely attractive sedan.
All-New Interior Design Scheme
Its cabin is a complete departure from current Mercedes design. Gone are the slanted dashboard and the high center console separating the driver from the passenger. In its place is a near-vertical setup. A new version of Mercedes’ door-to-door Superscreen is optional and the only model shown to the press so far.
Mercedes says it’s now powered by the Unity Game Engine. It allows users to group apps into folders like a smartphone and open and close functions with swiping motions.
Mercedes says it is powered by “the first in-car infotainment system to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) from both Microsoft and Google. This combines multiple AI agents in one system for the first time.” A new MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) Virtual Assistant “enables the kinds of complex, multi-turn dialogues one might have with a friend and has short-term memory.”
It uses Microsoft Bing technology to search the Internet for answers to general questions.
Regular over-the-air updates will keep the vehicle up to date and could prevent owners from needing to bring it in for some recall work. Mercedes says the new model provides more legroom for the driver and front passenger, and more head- and leg-room for rear seat passengers than the 2025 edition.
Choose Your Powertrain
Buyers will be able to order the CLA as a hybrid or an EV.
The electric version will reach dealerships first. They’ll offer it in two versions. The CLA 250+ with EQ Technology will boast 268 horsepower and rear-wheel drive (RWD). The CLA 350 4MATIC with EQ Technology will be all-wheel drive (AWD) with 349 hp from a pair of electric motors.
Mercedes has published specifications only for Europe, which limits what we know about the vehicle. European testing tends to predict far longer driving ranges than America’s EPA predicts.
The company says the longest-range version will get up to 492 miles between charges in European testing.
An 800-volt architecture and the ability to accept up to 320 kW should allow for faster charging than most EVs currently on the market, but few public chargers in America put out energy that fast.
Hybrid editions will come later, using a hybrid system that integrates the electric motor directly into the transmission. Those versions will use a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, but Mercedes has not revealed how much power it produces.
An Important Vehicle for Mercedes
The CLA is traditionally not a strong seller for Mercedes. The brand routinely sells more than four times as many C-Class sedans in an average month.
But this model inaugurates the company’s new pick-your-powertrain approach and an all-new interior design scheme. It’s also traditionally one of the lowest-priced models on the lot (only the GLA SUV is less expensive in 2025), making it many shoppers’ first opportunity to consider a Mercedes.
We’ll be watching carefully to see how the public receives the new design language and powertrain philosophy. On paper, this has the potential to renew the faith of some longtime fans disappointed by the brand’s early EV efforts.