Mercedes-Benz CLE200 Cabriolet AMG Line (2024) Review
South Africa has near-perfect weather for those who wish to put the top down (despite recent rains!). The streamlined new CLE range is now complete with a ragtop for those bright sunny days and we had the pleasure of testing the new model.
Top-down yacht rock
Yacht rock is the soft rock that dominated FM radio airwaves in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Glossy production, breezy vocals, and bouncy rhythms characterize yacht rock. Yacht rock is more musical than lyrical and has more electric piano than acoustic guitar. It's light, bright, and bubbly, much like the champagne that was likely sipped while listening to this music on expensive yachts in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.
Related: Mercedes-Benz CLE cabriolet (2024) First Drive Review
Yacht Rock even has its fashion trend; it is about looking casual and comfortable while maintaining a certain level of style. Think about wearing light and breezy fabrics perfect for a day on the water. Pastel colours like light blue, pink, mint green and cream are often associated with yacht rock fashion. Lightweight fabrics like linen are your best friend. Linen shirts, trousers, and blazers keep you cool and exude an air of casual elegance perfect for the yacht environment.
So, what does this yacht rock aesthetic do with the Mercedes-Benz CLE200? Simple, really. One could imagine an individual, hair perfectly coifed, sporting white linen shorts, a salmon pink golf shirt with the collar turned up, a pair of white boat shoes, and a sweater tied loosely around their shoulders cruising down the highway with the top down, blasting some Doobie Brothers on their way to board their matching white yacht and at the Marina. The CLE200 is the perfect yacht accessory!
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Styling
There is no denying that the CLE has a boating appeal. It looks like a yacht with its long bonnet, sleek lines, flat rear deck and brushed chrome trimmings. With the top up, it takes on the appearance of a blacktopped sports car, but its free-spirited nature comes alive as soon as the top comes down. The brilliant white paintwork is offset by the stunning brown leather interior with touches of gloss black giving the cabriolet an executive look that is hard to match.
The Drive
With the soft top up and secured, the CLE handles the open freeway much like any other luxury coupe'. It's quiet and well-mannered, and although the primary drive is comfortable, the sport suspension and large wheels deliver quite a harsh ride on bumpier roads.
Retracting the roof to let the world see you and show off the stunning interior is pure joy. The lack of a roof does not hamper the dynamic drive of the vehicle due to extra chassis strengthing. Cruising around town with the top down is akin to going for a late Sunday cruise around the local marina, sipping Cosmo's and listening to Steely Dan.
Performance
Tucked underneath the unbelievably long bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbocharged, 4-cylinder petrol engine that packs a healthy 150kW from the standard four-pot, which is supplemented by the mild hybrid system that injects a further 17kW from its electric boost, ultimately delivering a combined 320Nm which will propel the CLE from 0-100 in 7.9 seconds and hurtle toward a top speed of 236km/h. Not that you will ever go that fast, as the CLE is made for slow-speed touring because you will want to be seen in this car with the top down.
Space and Comfort
The interior appointment of the CLE is gorgeous, trimmed in a deliciously supple toffee brown leather. One may be imagine this leather adorning the outdoor seating area on a luxury yacht. Everything has a premium touch and feel, even though the touch surfaces are fingerprint magnets. Taking pride in the centre console is a large TFT screen for the infotainment system, which is wireless, Apple Car Play, and Android Auto ready.
The front seats are comfy, support well, and are heated and ventilated to help with our African weather.
The interior of the CLE is rather spacious, whether you are the driver or passenger. Although the rear seats can be used, leg room is at a premium. The rear compartment is really meant for travel bags or kit that one would not put in the 285-litre boot.
Safety
The current generation of CLE has yet to be tested by NCAP, but the safety systems are a-plenty. The driver assistance systems feature all of the usual suspects:
- Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Traffic jam assist
- Blind Spot Alert
- Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Lane-departure warning
- Lane-keep assistance
- Road Sign Recognition
- Driver Attention Warning
- Front and Rear sensors
- 360-degree camera
You also get 9 airbags, ISOfix, and the base ABS and TSC (Traction and Stability Control)
Fuel Consumption
Mercedes-Benz claims the CLE200 should return 7.3 L/100km. Our combined cycle driving hovered around 8.2 L/100km. The 200 has a fuel tank size of 66-litres and if the actual fuel consumption is used, you can expect to get roughly 890km on a fuel tank.
Price
| Mercedes-Benz CLE200 coupe AMG Line | R 1 366 265 |
| Mercedes-Benz CLE300 4Matic coupe AMG Line | R 1 443 076 |
| Mercedes-Benz CLE200 cabriolet AMG Line | R 1 527 271 |
| Mercedes-Benz CLE300 4Matic cabriolet AMG Line | R 1 587 251 |
The Mercedes-Benz CLE200 Cabriolet AMG Line is sold with a 2-year / unlimited km warranty and a 5-year / 100 000km maintenance plan. Interestingly, the four-wheel drive 300 is only a fraction more expensive for a better drivetrain.
The Verdict
The CLE200 cabriolet is a fantastic vehicle; it's dynamic, fashionable, and makes you feel bougie while cruising. The only problem is why you would settle for the 200 if you could have the 300 for R60 000 more. If you were into the yachty lifestyle, you would have a matching his-and-hers set—a 300 for him and a 200 for her, or vice versa, perfectly colour-matched to the luxury yacht moored at the marina.
