Is the 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLS a good car?
No.
1 of 7checks
- Family car: 1 of 3. Rear legroom 35.0 in. Class median 35.9 in.
- First car: 1 of 5. Price $70,300. Class median $38,950.
- Seniors: 0 of 3. Clearance 3.7 in. Class middle half 5.1 to 5.5 in.
- Off-road: 3.7 in clearance. Top 101% of 132.
- Price: 15% above cars like it.
- Good buy: 2 rivals beat it on all four.
20 miles one way, 5 days a week. Gas $3.20. Power 17 cents per kWh.
| Check | Result | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Family car | No | 1 of 3 parts |
| First car | No | 1 of 5 parts |
| Commuter | Yes | $107 a month, same as median |
| Seniors | No | 0 of 3 parts |
| Off-road | No | 3.7 in, top 101% |
| Worth the money | No | 15% above predicted |
| Good buy | No | 2 beat it on all four |
- Each check compares the cheapest trim with the number to its class.
- A check passes when it misses at most 1 part.
- Yes when the car passes more than half of its checks.
Is the CLS a good family car?
No. Passes 1 of 3 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | 5 seats | 5 or more | N/A | Yes |
| Rear legroom | 35.0 in | Median 35.9 in | 80 | No |
| Rear headroom | 35.9 in | Median 37.3 in | 80 | No |
| Cargo behind the last row | N/A | Median 14.7 cu ft | 74 | No data |
Is the CLS a good first car?
No. Passes 1 of 5 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $70,300 | Median $38,950 | 83 | No |
| Horsepower | 362 hp | 147 hp to 335 hp | 86 | No |
| Length | 196.4 in | Median 192.9 in | 81 | No |
| Turning circle | 39.0 ft | Median 37.9 ft | 82 | No |
| Fuel cost per mile | 12.3 cents | Median 12.3 cents | 81 | Yes |
Horsepower: 10th to 75th percentile of the class.
Is the CLS a good commuter car?
Yes. $107 a month to commute. Same as the class median.
- Miles a month
- 867
- This car
- $107
- Median of 81 sedans
- $107
- Highway mpg
- 30 mpg, top 61% of 79
Is the CLS a good car for seniors?
No. Passes 0 of 3 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step-in height | 3.7 in clearance, 56.0 in tall | 5.1 to 5.5 in clearance, 56.4 to 57.9 in tall | 59 | No |
| Front headroom | 36.9 in | Median 38.6 in | 79 | No |
| Turning circle | 39.0 ft | Median 37.9 ft | 82 | No |
Step-in: clearance and height in the middle half of the class.
Is the CLS a good off-road vehicle?
No. 3.7 in clearance. Top 101% of 132 trucks and SUVs.
- AWD or 4WD
- Yes
- Best trim for clearance
- CLS 450 4MATIC AWD, 3.7 in
- Cohort
- 132 trucks and SUVs, AWD or 4WD trims
Is the CLS worth the money?
No. Priced 15% above cars like it.
- Price, 450 RWD
- $70,300
- Predicted price
- $61,099
- Gap
- +$9,201 (+15%)
- Model error
- 14% median, 277 cars
Price model: horsepower, length, width, drivetrain, powertrain, body and luxury, 2021 cars.
Passes at up to 5% above the predicted price.
Is the CLS a good buy?
No. 2 rivals cost less and beat it on fuel cost, cargo and power.
| Car | Price | Fuel cost per mile | Max cargo | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLS 450 RWD | $70,300 | 12.3 cents | 11.9 cu ft | 362 hp |
| Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD | $58,990 | 5.1 cents | 15.0 cu ft | 455 hp |
| Volvo S90 T8 Inscription Recharge Plug-In Hybrid AWD | $60,050 | 10.1 cents | 15.4 cu ft | 400 hp |
Compared with 470 trims of other makes, sedans, 2021.
What this cannot tell you
No safety, reliability or insurance data.
Your prices, use and trim may differ.
- 2 or more sources
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- Model-level, rule or estimate
- Sources disagree