• Cramped in the rear compared with rivals
• Larger externally than before
• Decent boot and towing options

How much space is there?

Mercedes-Benz describes the CLS as a five seater, but in reality, it has added what is best described as an occasional fifth seat in between the two outer rear chairs. It’s quite narrow and there’s a chunky transmission tunnel in the floor, so larger adults will want to avoid it, but the fifth pew provides useful extra versatility lacking in earlier models.

The good news is that although headroom is tight up-front, there’s more than enough legrom to make up for it, with no trouble accommodating taller drivers up there.

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Boot space and storage

As with many facets of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, the bootspace on offer fits neatly between the E-Class Coupe and Saloon. That means a separate boot (unlike the hatchback Audi A7 Sportback) and a rather small opening.

With 520 litres with the rear seats up, you’ll get a fair amount into the boot, providing it’ll fit through the relatively narrow opening, that is. The three individual backrests flip down individually to increase the stowage space incrementally, letting you juggle space for bodies and baggage.

There’s certainly plenty of room to store your odds and ends in the passenger compartment, with a generously-sized lidded storage cubby located between the front seats. Despite the sleek looks you can also have roofbars fitted, for a roofbox or bike carrier, and a towbar with trailer hitch if that’s your thing, too.

Is it easy to park?

At nearly five metres long you’ll also need a decent-sized gap to parallel park into as well, and may struggle to get it neatly into a supermarket bay.

The optional all-around view camera takes the difficulty out of parking – this clever system gives you a top-down view of the car to aid tight manoeuvres.

How big is it?

View full specs

Safety

• Stiff bodyshell with passive safety features
• Lots of active tech included as standard
• Options galore including Driving Assistance Plus package

The Mercedes-Benz CLS uses the same aluminium-hybrid construction as the S, E and C-Class, as well as plenty of ultra-high-strength steel, and special adhesives to increase the stiffness of the bodyshell. An active bonnet pops up to protect pedestrians from all those solid surfaces.

On top of this is a comprehensive suite of airbags, including driver and front passenger, driver kneebag, windowbag, plus combined thorax/pelvis sidebags for driver and front passenger. All of this should mean the CLS will hold up well in a crash, although it’s not been tested by Euro NCAP, nor is it likely to be now.

As well as a strong passive foundation the CLS also offers the following active safety systems as standard:

• Parking package including Active Parking Assist with front and rear parking sensors
• Active Braking Assist
• Attention Assist
• Lane-keeping assist
• Pre-Safe anticipatory safety system

Multibeam adaptive LED headlamps now feature an Ultra Range high beam – producing the maximum light intensity permitted by law, to help you see and be seen.

Optional assistance tech

On top of this you can add the optional Driving Assistance Plus package, which features:

• Active Blind Spot Assist
• Active Braking Assist
• Distronic adaptive cruise control
• Active Steering Assist (keeps the car between the white lines)
• Active Speed Limit Assist (monitors road signs for new speed limits)
• Active Lane-change Assist (swap lanes for you)
• Active Lane Keeping Assist (stops you leaving your lane)
• Evasive Steering Assist (helps you steer around incidents)
• Pre-Safe Impulse Side (prepares the car for a side impact)
• Pre-Safe Plus (preventive measures to protect the occupants in a crash)

An improved radar can scan the road up to 250 metres ahead, and a special camera keeps an eye on proceedings up to 500 metres away, plus the CLS now uses map and navigation data to adjust the speed of the adaptive cruise control ahead of corners, junctions and roundabouts. In stop-and-go traffic, the system will now restart automatically after a pause of up to 30 seconds.