Used Mercedes-Benz CLS Coupe 2011-2018 review

It might not look like so much of a trend-setter but the Mercedes-Benz CLS more or less invented the class of four-door coupe we now take pretty much for granted. Certainly, it was the first of them on the market, in 2004, with its rivals from Audi and BMW following soon after. It proved to be a success because it offered low-slung styling without the practicality disadvantage of a traditional two-door coupé.

On sale from 2011 to 2018, this second-generation CLS improved on the first in nearly every area, although some wondered if the styling had lost a little of its edge in the transition, being more aggressive but somehow less pure than the original car. It was available with a choice of efficient four-cylinder diesels, a larger and more refined V6 diesel, or petrol versions in V6 and high-performance V8 forms. It was based on the underpinnings of the contemporary E-Class, and joining the CLS club wasn't cheap, with most cars costing north of £50,000 new.

On the equipment front, there are two options - AMG Line, which is available on a majority of the range, while the CLS 63 S AMG gets its own trim level. The AMG Line trim endows the CLS with 19in alloy wheels, a sporty bodykit, a sport-tuned suspension, LED headlights and perforated front brake discs on the outside as standard, while inside there are heated front sports seats, alloy pedals, leather upholstery, DAB radio, EasyPack quick fold rear seats and Mercedes' Comand infotainment system.

Choose the only petrol in the range - the CLS 400 - and you would have got additional equipment thrown into the package, including an electric sunroof, reversing camera and keyless entry and go on the exterior, while electrically adjustable front seats and a Harman & Kardon stereo system are also installed inside. Those in need of more power can upgrade to the beasty 577bhp AMG-tuned CLS and not only do you get the charming 5.5-litre V8 under the bonnet, but there is also a beefy bodykit with a new front grille, spoiler and sports exhaust. Inside there's climate control, numerous AMG details and even a race timer.

On the road, the CLS has excellent road manners, with steering that is light and effortless – which makes parking what is quite a long car easy – yet still manages to be precise and reassuring at higher speeds. The ride depends upon which suspension option the car is fitted with; standard ‘sport’ suspension has a firm steel-sprung set-up, while ‘comfort’ suspension (a no-cost option when new) has steel springs with softer settings. Optional air suspension is the smoothest of the lot.

Due to the reduced height of the roofline, if you regularly carry taller passengers in the back, you might find that their heads come close or touch the rooflining. If this is the case, you might be better served buying a regular Mercedes E-Class, as there is more space in that car. Keep in mind, too, that the CLS only has space for four; there’s no central seat in the rear.

The interior is well made, though, with lots of dense, soft-touch plastics and even leather covering the top of the dashboard, and you had a choice of wood inserts and even carbonfibre trim on top-spec AMG cars. All of this gives the CLS an upmarket ambience that belies its very reasonable used prices.

Early 2011 Mercedes CLSs with 90,000 miles or more can be found for £9000, which seems like good value for a car that retailed for more than £50,000 little more than eight years ago.

If you want a car with a lower mileage, £10,000 to £12,000 will enable you to find a number of 350 CDI cars with around 50,000 miles. You could also seek out the more economical CLS 250 CDI, for £13,000. Its higher purchase price can be offset slightly by reduced running costs. The facelifted car came with an updated infotainment system and larger screen. It can also be bought with a lower-output version of the 2.1-litre diesel engine called the CLS 220d, and can be had for £15,000.

Petrol engines are much rarer than their diesel counterparts and start at £20,000, because they are scarce and usually have low mileages. The top-of-the-line CLS 63 was the first Mercedes to get the new 5.5-litre turbocharged V8. A good starting point for these cars is £25,000.

If you need the cheapest Mercedes CLS to run, you will need to choose one of the four-cylinder diesels. The 220d from the 2014 facelift onwards is £115 per year to tax and should do 59mpg. If your budget cannot stretch to that, the 250 CDI of the earlier car still manages 54.3mpg and only costs a little more to tax at £135. The larger 350 CDI V6 diesel costs more to run at £190 tax and 46.3mpg.

The petrol alternative is £190 a year to tax and is rated for 40.4mpg. The CLS 63 AMG, with its 5.5-litre V8, will cost you £520 per year to tax and averages a claimed 28.5mpg, but only if driven carefully.

Any Mercedes CLS registered after April 2017 will cost £140 per year to tax due to the Government’s revised road tax policy, but if it cost over £40,000 new, which they all did, it will also attract a supplementary luxury car tax of £310 a year.

Mercedes servicing will cost you more at a main dealer than its rivals, but they offer to spread the cost as part of a service care plan. There are plenty of specialist garages who will service your Merc for you at substantially less cost than a franchised dealer.

All versions of the Mercedes CLS are well equipped to begin with, so sticking with the standard car isn’t an issue, because it will come with sat-nav, cruise control, electric leather seats, dual-zone climate control and parking sensors.

AMG Sport adds sportier features such as bigger wheels, sports front seats (which come with more electric adjustment), AMG sports wheels and upgraded LED-headlights.

Of the engine choices, we recommend the larger 350 CDI, because the V6 diesel fits the character of the car, being fast, economical and refined. There are plenty of them around, so finding one shouldn’t be a problem, and they can be similar money to four-cylinder diesels.

If you require a petrol car, your sensible choice is limited to one engine: the 3.5-litre V6. There is also the AMG 5.5-litre V8 on offer for those who crave high performance.

Our favourite Mercedes CLS: 350 CDI BlueEfficiency

The BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé has a stonking range of six and eight-cylinder engines, but there are no smaller, more economical four-cylinder engines on offer and you will need to spend more to put one on your driveway.

The Audi A7 is perhaps the Mercedes ’s closest rival, because it has a wide choice of economical engines and can be found for a couple of grand more. It’s the only one that has a hatchback boot, which aids practicality. However, it isn’t as good to drive as the Mercedes.

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