• Surprisingly spacious for four
• Longer and wider than last car
• Large boot is easier to access

How much space is there?

The Mk1 Mercedes CLA offers more space inside than the original car. There’s more headroom in the front and rear, plus better legroom for those in the back too. While it’s not as spacious in the rear as the A-Class hatchback, you can fit two adults in reasonable comfort. You can even carry a third at a push – although we wouldn’t recommend it for long journeys.

Part of the reason why this CLA feels so much more spacious than the last is that Mercedes made almost all of the new car’s dimensions larger. It’s longer and wider than before, and this is particularly noticeable inside.

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In fact as long as you don’t mind the lack of hatchback tailgate, the CLA makes quite a convincing car for family as well as business use. Just don’t try to cram a massive pushchair in the boot.

Mercedes CLA bootspace and storage

This CLA has a 460-litre boot if you go for a petrol or diesel model, or 395 litres when choosing the CLA 250e plug-in hybrid. That’s 10 litres less than its predecessor, but it’s much easier to access all the space thanks to a larger aperture. The old car had massive, single unit taillights, which looked great but meant the tiny boot lid had to be squashed in between them.

This coupe actually has more luggage space than the A-Class hatchback, but of course it’s harder to use it all because the tailgate doesn’t open as wide as the five-door car.

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Mercedes-Benz CLA safety

• Five-star Euro NCAP rating
• Strong standard kit list
• Optional driver assistance

When Euro NCAP crash-tested the Mercedes CLA in 2019, it award the car a full five stars. The testers were particularly impressed with how well it protects its child and adult occupants. None of the dummies sustained serious injury in any of the crash tests.

Euro NCAP has since tightened up its regulations, making it harder to score full marks. That means the CLA might not perform as well in an accident as a five star car from 2023 beyond, but its strong roster of safety kit hints at a positive result. Standard equipment includes LED headlights, active brake assist, lane keeping assist and a speed limit recognition system.

AMG Premium Plus cars with automatic gearboxes can be optionally equipped with Mercedes’s optional Driving Assistance package. This adds technology like blind spot assist, adaptive cruise control with steering assist, lane-change assist, evasive steering assist and autonomous braking with cross-traffic function.

Most of this equipment is borrowed from the range-topping S-Class limo. It means the CLA can drive semi-autonomously, keeping up with traffic and positioning itself between the white lines. You just need to keep vigilant and watch the road.

Likewise, Mercedes’s optional Multibeam headlights have filtered down from its more exotic saloons. These feature 84 individual LEDs to allow for a precise pattern to be beamed on to the road.

Watch: Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupe Euro NCAP crash test video