FIRST TEST: Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet: luxury convertible for four people and four seasons

As the successor to the C-Class convertible and E-Class convertible, the Mercedes CLE wants to appeal to a wider audience – although wider is of course relative in such an attractive market. He might even accommodate some customers who don’t like the new Mercedes SL because it only comes in an (unpleasant) AMG version. We were able to sample the 220d and 4504Matic during a sunny tour of Tenerife.

The number of four-seat mid-size convertibles on our market has decreased significantly over the past ten years. Take off from the Volvo C70, Opel Cascada, Renault Mégane, Peugeot 308 and VW Golf, to name a few. Only premium products are still interested in it, but they are also reducing their offerings. In BMW the 2-Series Convertible was modified, in Audi the A3 Convertible. Still left: the BMW 4-Series Convertible and the Audi A5 Convertible, which is already aging. Now they have a serious competitor with the new CLE Cabrio.

The smallest Mercedes star in the sky makes an elegant appearance, with its shark nose, its long hood, its massively sloping front screen and its gently sloping rear, whose taillights are joined by an arc-shaped LED strip. It attracts attention from every angle, without being flashy. In that respect, it is night and day different from the SL, which has completely stripped the modesty from its genes as it has been fully transformed into AMG-dom.

Diesel in a cabrio?

It’s six o’clock in the evening when we start our test drive in Tenerife with the CLE, in this case the 220d. Diesel in a homeless car, how does that fit in 2024? Not for the Belgian market by any means, but even more so in countries like France and Italy. With some hesitation we close the heavy, long door and press the start button. No rattle, no whine, but an engine sound that might as well be gasoline. Ooh…

We park the car to D and get in, where we are waiting to climb Mount Teide. The temperature is a very pleasant 26 degrees – exceptional for this time of year. As we climb the beautiful twisty, perfectly maintained roads, we see the mercury drop and finally settle at 15 degrees. That’s nice, but still no reason to put on a helmet. Seat heating and the popular Airscarf – a system that blows warm air around your neck – are standard.

Aircap: a patented anti-wind weapon

The CLE also has a patented windproof weapon on board: the famous Aircap. Engineers are very proud of what they have achieved in terms of aerodynamics – and rightly so. A ‘collapsible spoiler’ on the windscreen pushes the wind flow upwards, the wind net between the rear headers (which rises together with the Aircap at the press of a button) breaks the returning wind. There is also a mesh between the Aircap and the top of the windshield to suppress wind noise.

The result is simply amazing. Even at highway speeds, your hairstyle or hat stays in shape and you can talk in a normal voice to the passengers next to you. Rear seat passengers hear more noise and are not affected by the turbulence, but never suffer. It is also quite spacious in the back seat, although it is forced to be completely upright. The three-layer hood must of course be able to be stored somewhere. Usually, this happens automatically – you don’t even have to stop.

Comfort, comfort, comfort

What is immediately noticeable about the CLE Cabrio is that it is well tuned. There are no disturbing decibels in any way, even when revving the diesel engine. We gradually find the limits of the chassis by driving it quickly through a few hairpin bends. The cage doesn’t budge, the car gently follows the path you give it. The steering may have been a bit more direct for some drivers, but you can control the power assist by selecting a sport mode.

We couldn’t find many bumps in Tenerife, where the roads are in very good condition and high-speed bumps are not easy to hit in the built-up area. We can safely conclude that he is not fooled by potholes and bumps. In any case, this is not a sports car, regardless of the engine under the hood. All that reinforcement and sound insulation leave their mark on the balance, because at least 1.8 dry tons on the hook, this is not exactly a featherweight.

CLE 450: the dream machine

Regardless of the driving mode (Eco, Comfort, Sport), the 9G-tronic occasionally seemed to suffer from inertia when downshifting. In our opinion, this is a program layout with the intention of maximum flexibility, but sometimes it is annoying when you want to pass. The 450 seemed less affected by it than the 220d, but still. However, this has given us almost all the criticism that can be leveled at the car. The six-cylinder 450 is definitely more powerful than the four-cylinder 220d and has more storage.

This 280 kW (381 hp) three-liter engine can run from zero to one hundred in 4.7 seconds. Anyone who doesn’t think that’s fast enough will have to be patient: the CLE 53 AMG is on the way. As far as we are concerned, the 450 is the dream machine from the CLE range. 4Matic adds dynamic performance and should also make it ideal for winter conditions. Steering wheels are absent, but active roll control makes up the difference. If you cross the line, you can expect understeer. This is not just a Porsche 911.

Mercedes CLE Convertible price

For €71,390, the world of CLE will open up to you. Then you get the 200 petrol, a 150 kW (204 hp) hybrid and a 17 kW (25 hp) electric boost. The compact 220d does not have a power of 5 kW, but it accelerates quickly (0 to 100 in 7.9 seconds) and costs € 73,180. The 190 kW/258 hp petrol 300 is only available as 4Matic (four-wheel drive) and is priced at €78,045 in the list. Regardless of version, the 9G-Tronic and AMG Line automatic transmissions are standard, as is the MBUX system.

The top of the bill is currently the 450 4Matic, which demands at least €89,661 from its buyer. If you keep it, you will reach 100k in no time. For that amount you buy the most versatile, comfortable, safe, refined and spacious convertible four-seater on the market. From quiet cruising to incredible mid-range racing on the six-cylinder adagio, at 5 degrees or 35 degrees, this CLE has everything to please the driver and its passengers all year round.

Of all the four-seat convertibles in the D/E segment, the Mercedes-Benz CLE is the most convincing. There is almost nothing to criticize about it, except the traditional expensive standards. The quality pays for itself, but it must also be said that the standard equipment is surprisingly complete.