Feeling Safe in the New Mercedes CLA

Mercedes-Benz is one of the most impressive automakers in the world. If you look at a chart of the cost of ownership versus the vehicle’s quality, the brand comes out as extraordinarily competitive. While the quality of the company’s vehicles is high, the actual cost of ownership is surprisingly low – generally less than you’d pay for a Chevy. 

The company has long been at the forefront of car technology. And in 2020, it remains there. The company’s latest CLA is currently the highest-rated and safest car on the market by quite some margin, making it a worthy consideration for any family. 

Mercedes has sold around 15,000 CLAs since the company launched them back in 2013. The model has dramatically outsold its rivals from BMW and Audi, making it one of the most popular European exotics ever to hit the US market. 

On the outside, the car looks promising. It smacks of a premium product with few, if any, expenses spared. The photos of the vehicle you see on the internet hardly do it justice. The finish is a much higher quality when you can really see the car in real life. 

The new CLA is slightly longer and shorter than its predecessor. Mercedes has taken the shape of the vehicle and attempted to give a more stylish and sporty appearance while at the same time enhancing both its safety and functionality. 

One of the most exciting features of the car is its safety assist. If the onboard software thinks you’re about to crash into the rear of the vehicle in front, it’ll immediately slam on the brakes, preventing the accident. 

Thus, the way owners of this car interact with insurance companies is likely to change. You’re much more likely to be the one making a claim than being the person having a suit filed against them. 

For that reason, you need to think carefully about what could hurt your claim. Since this vehicle can’t move out of the way of reckless drivers by itself, how you respond to adjusters when they inevitably call you up matters a lot. 

Despite the impressive safety options offered by this vehicle, it is not without its flaws. Drivers complain that the voice activation system repeatedly turns on even when they don’t want it. What’s more, the system isn’t advanced. It makes Siri and Alexa seem like geniuses in comparison. You have to use only approved phrases to get the vehicle to do the things that you want it to do. 

The rest of the technology in the vehicle, though, is welcome. You get dual touch screens on the center console, for instance. And besides Tesla, the infotainment system is probably the best in class right now – at least from the legacy manufacturers. 

With all that said, the CLA will still feel somewhat limited in size for large families. It’s a sort of modern family saloon but not quite. There’s a definite sportiness about the vehicle that you don’t find on a Doblo. But if you’re prepared to put up with that, the safety ratings are a reason to buy.