Mercedes-Benz invented a whole new concept with the original CLS. It was a curvaceous coupe with all the luxury and sophistication that you could ask for, combined with the comfort and practicality of a 4-door saloon. It’s a concept that’s since been enthusiastically copied by the other German premium brands – but none do it with quite the same style as Mercedes and this latest version of the CLS.
Looks great inside and out.
Comfortable and relaxing to drive.
Impressive technology.
With a Mercedes-Benz CLS lease you can choose your preferred model and drive a brand-new car while making fixed monthly payments.
The details of your contract are up to you, including how long you’d like to drive your Mercedes-Benz CLS (normally 2-5 years), your annual mileage and upfront payment. You can also include a maintenance and servicing package in your monthly payments as an optional extra. Once the agreement ends, you return the car to us – it couldn’t be easier.
To find out more about how contract hire works, take a look at our easy-to-understand guide to car leasing.
There’s no shortage of options if you’re looking to lease a large 4-door luxury coupe these days. The freshly facelifted CLS is arguably still the most eye-catching of the lot, with its taut lines and flowing curves. It looks even better inside, which contributes to that really premium air and feel. And with 5 seats, 4 doors and a large boot, it has substance as well as style.
The CLS is a big car. Its swooping coupe roofline means there’s not quite as much headroom in the front or the back as you’d expect in the equivalent saloon, but it’s still spacious enough for tall adults to get comfortable in the 4 main seats. A large hump in the floor for the transmission tunnel means that legroom is a little awkward if you use the middle seat in the back, but there’s still space for a 5th occupant.
Unlike the Audi A7 or the Porsche Panamera, which are both hatchbacks, the CLS sticks to a 4-door saloon layout. That means it’s a little trickier to load large items, although the boot itself is a decent size at 520 litres. That puts it ahead of both the Panamera and the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe – although fractionally behind the A7.
Another benefit is that the seats fold in a 40/20/40 split, giving you additional flexibility when it comes to balancing luggage space and rear-seat accommodation. Fold them all down and it offers an impressive loading volume.
The CLS is reasonably economical for a large luxury car. There’s no plug-in hybrid or electric option yet, but most models come with Mercedes-Benz’s EQ Boost mild-hybrid system, which provides a small amount of electrical assistance to reduce the load on the engine.
In CLS 300d form, this equates to a combined fuel economy figure of 38.2mpg, while the more powerful CLS 400d is actually better still at 38.7mpg. Not surprisingly, the high-performance CLS 53 is less economical, but at 29.7mpg, it still compares favourably to the likes of the BMW 850i Gran Coupe.
Although previously offered in ‘Shooting Brake’ estate form, the CLS now comes exclusively as a 4-door coupe.
For now, the CLS does without the savagely-fast AMG 63 version that’s offered in the equivalent E-Class Saloon. Instead, there’s the CLS 53, which retains the mellow character of the standard car yet delivers a useful step up in performance. Getting from 0-62mph takes just 4.5 seconds, while the top speed remains an electronically limited 155mph.
AMG Line Night Edition Premium Plus Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 4Matic+
Standard equipment includes the MBUX infotainment system with dual-screen display and DAB radio, electric memory seats, black leather upholstery and a Burmeister surround sound system.
The CLS is a consummate cruiser that majors on style, comfort and technology. Of the other 4-door coupes on the market, it’s the Porsche Panamera that offers the greatest driver involvement, with the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe not far behind. Neither offer quite such an opulent cabin as the Mercedes, however.
The Audi A7 is a talented all-rounder, which does an extremely good job of isolating its occupants from wind and road noise. Its beautifully cushioned suspension makes it a very comfortable place to spend time and the interior quality is first rate. What’s more, it’s the most practical car in its class with a large boot and a convenient rear hatch.
The Maserati Quattroporte makes for a slightly quirky but hugely appealing alternative to the mainstream German rivals. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for added practicality, Mercedes’ own E-Class offers a similar experience to the CLS in Saloon and Estate forms (along with a 2-door Coupe being offered).
Mercedes-Benz has traditionally had a strong reputation for reliability.
The CLS sits towards the larger end of its class for boot space, although a relatively small boot opening can make loading large objects somewhat fiddly.
The CLS only has 2 main trim levels at present – the AMG Line Night Edition Premium Plus for the regular petrol and diesel models, plus the high-performance CLS 53.
Yes. The Parking Package comes as standard, with parking sensors and a 360-degree camera.
The CLS offers good practicality for its class. There’s a reasonable amount of room for rear-seat passengers, but less so than you’d find in a BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe or indeed a traditional 4-door saloon such as the Mercedes E-Class.
Arguably no other car blends coupe style with 4-door practicality quite as elegantly as the Mercedes-Benz CLS. It’s good to look at and great to sit in, with punchy yet economical engines and impressive levels of comfort. If you’re looking to lease a 4-door luxury coupe, it deserves to be on your list.
Explore our best Mercedes-Benz CLS lease deals online today and we guarantee to give you the best monthly price. Extra protection is included free in every deal, which covers you for redundancy, life events and loss of earnings. We never take processing fees and deliver your new car for free. There’s even a 30-day free returns window in case you change your mind or your circumstances change. It’s never been easier to drive a brand-new Mercedes-Benz CLS lease.
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