2020 C43 Coupe vs CLA 45
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 797
Likes: 141
2018 C43
Make sure you take into account the fact that the CLA leases around $1100 per month before taxes with some options, so you might as well finance this. The 2020 C43 that I just leased is $580 per month before taxes. To me, it wasn't worth the $1100+ at all. The CLA was $56k MSRP and the C43 was $67k so definitely not worth paying twice as much for a car that's $11k less.
I got the digital instrument cluster so it's pretty much the same as the CLA 45 super wide dual screen, it's just 2 separate screens in the C43 and I like it better because the instrument cluster is actually covered and looks integrated into the car instead of just sitting out there like a giant, wide tablet glued on top.
The C43 with AMG sport exhaust option also sounds a lot better than the CLA 45. In terms of performance, unless you're racing a C43 against a CLA45 all the time, why does the extra .5 seconds matter? Keep in mind that these are just numbers on a spec sheet. I've seen people run 4.1 to 4.3 from 0 to 60 on a stock C43 before so there are a lot of other factors involved to get that time. Unless you put the CLA 45 head to head against the C43 you actually won't know which is faster in the real world.
I got the digital instrument cluster so it's pretty much the same as the CLA 45 super wide dual screen, it's just 2 separate screens in the C43 and I like it better because the instrument cluster is actually covered and looks integrated into the car instead of just sitting out there like a giant, wide tablet glued on top.
The C43 with AMG sport exhaust option also sounds a lot better than the CLA 45. In terms of performance, unless you're racing a C43 against a CLA45 all the time, why does the extra .5 seconds matter? Keep in mind that these are just numbers on a spec sheet. I've seen people run 4.1 to 4.3 from 0 to 60 on a stock C43 before so there are a lot of other factors involved to get that time. Unless you put the CLA 45 head to head against the C43 you actually won't know which is faster in the real world.
Member
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 116
Likes: 29
C43 AMG
Its business. The w205 is going out, and they need to move the old product before the new one comes in. People that want to be the first new one will buy it at a premium (GT350, Supra etc) with crazy dealer markups.
CLA with the new chassis, being lighter, probably has a much tighter steering, more rigid body, and more technologically advanced.
C43 still has the old "heart" in it with the V6 grunt but heavier and not the best cornering abilities. Its going to be an obsolete machine with character but they need to move these out, and I would assume the 2021 will be aggressively priced with the aging chassis.
CLA with the new chassis, being lighter, probably has a much tighter steering, more rigid body, and more technologically advanced.
C43 still has the old "heart" in it with the V6 grunt but heavier and not the best cornering abilities. Its going to be an obsolete machine with character but they need to move these out, and I would assume the 2021 will be aggressively priced with the aging chassis.
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 44
Likes: 4
C63s
i test driven the 2018 cla45, 2019 c43, 2019 e53, glc 63, the cla 45 has a loud intake or engine noise(louder than 63) less exhaust noice, the c43 and e53 is in between, the 63 has louder exhaust at higher rpm, but for daily driver i suggest c43 for more fun and sound. 63 have more power but in city it is hard to stay in the high rpm...
