Mercedes-Benz Hikes CLA Price Above $30k Threshold
The sub-$30,000 Mercedes-Benz is no more. For 2015, Mercedes is raising the price of its popular CLA sedan by about 5 percent, putting it above the critical psychological threshold.
As CarsDirect reports
The base MSRP for a front-wheel drive CLA250 jumps from $29,900 to $31,500, an increase of $1,600 or 5.4%. The all-wheel drive 4MATIC goes from $31,900 to $33,500, the equivalent of $1,600 or 5.0%. The top-tier CLA45 AMG creeps up $1,050 or 2.2%, from $47,450 to $48,500. (All prices exclude a $925 destination charge.)
Sales of the CLA have been brisk, with tight inventories leading to minimal discounting on the baby Benz. But the Audi A3 is giving it some competition in the relatively new entry-level German luxury car segment. Whether Audi will follow M-B’s lead or stick to the $29,990 sticker price remains to be seen.
More by Derek Kreindler
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"Critical psychological threshold"? That's going a bit far. The only psychological threshold at work here is the one between "I want quality" and "I want X brand." Once you cross that threshold, a few thousand dollars is nothing. One of these has finally been purchased in our community (AMG version, mind) and wouldn't you know, it's a spoiled inherited-money brat.
Still by far the ugliest car on sale today, and you can't drive one and not look like a douchebag, especially now you're paying even more to drive a car that's too long, too narrow, almost as overstyled as the Lexus IS, has taillights way too large, and from what I've read has an interior not up to snuff for a Mercedes. But that giant grille and the badge is all that matters. The GLA is much better looking but even more overpriced. But then again I make no secret of my dislike for luxury cars in general, the only Mercedes I'm really a fan of is the C111.
I resisted the urge a few months back to go check out a super clean 1990 Mercedes 420SEL for sale semi-locally. original car with 127k miles and a full maintenance record, for $4500. The difference between that car and these CLAs is epic in terms of on road presence, let alone build quality. And the $25k you'd pocket with that w126 would pay for a hell of a lot of repairs and gas.
Not relevant to CLA but it looks like Mercedes hit the vehicle lineup for Jurrasic World 2015.