2020 C43 Coupe vs CLA 45
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Audi S3
2020 C43 Coupe vs CLA 45
Looking for some up-to-date thoughts/comparisons between the 2020 C43 coupe & CLA 45 coupe. I placed a leasing order for the C43 last October but due to incompetent dealer and COVID-19, it will now be a 2021 build (to be expected in September or so they say). I'm now having second thoughts about the order after seeing that the new CLA 45 interior looks nicer (love the dashboard), is .5 second faster in acceleration, has 4 doors (I know C43 comes with 4 doors too but the 2 door just looks so much better, esp the back) and is a few thousand cheaper.
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C43
Looking for some up-to-date thoughts/comparisons between the 2020 C43 coupe & CLA 45 coupe. I placed a leasing order for the C43 last October but due to incompetent dealer and COVID-19, it will now be a 2021 build (to be expected in September or so they say). I'm now having second thoughts about the order after seeing that the new CLA 45 interior looks nicer (love the dashboard), is .5 second faster in acceleration, has 4 doors (I know C43 comes with 4 doors too but the 2 door just looks so much better, esp the back) and is a few thousand cheaper.
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I did read some reviews from a few years ago that the CLA 45 felt cheap inside and the wind/road noise was too much so everyone preferred the C43. Not sure if that's still the case, couldn't find any recent reviews.
Last edited by hellohello; Jun 10, 2020 at 10:02 AM.
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They are great choices, if you like a V6 that still has an authentic sound and honestly still one of the best sounding V6s then get the C43, W205 was a 2015 Model year vehicle and the 2020 C43 is based on the W205 (sedan/saloon) the coupe C205 and cabriolet A205. The first C43 was 2017 Model Year and was really a 2016 C450 re-badge and with a new transmission.
The predecessor CLA 45 despite being a 4 cylinder actually sounded decent but this new gen due to regulations it is so quiet but there is artificial sound in the cabin though. If you care about a hand built engine, the CLA 45 is the way to go.
If you are leasing and just love tech, get the CLA 45 because it is a first model year product and there are always little annoyances and problems for first generation which is also reason why the first model year of a generation vehicle depreciates the fastest. If you lease you wouldn't have to deal with it after warranty ends.
It is always more fun to drive a lighter car than a heavier car, so if you like better handling and probably less body roll , get the CLA 45. (C43, at least for the 2017 which I have likes to under steer)
That being said though, C class has a more luxurious feel than A class because it is considered as a higher class and material are probably better too.
Personally owning a C43 been dealing with issues that do come up, but I think they fixed a lot for the facelift (2019 and beyond?) so I am not sure? Not to mention, I hit a snag with a dealership that I have been going to as they aren't even willing to work with me anymore.
Let us know what you picked in the end and best of luck with your purchase.
The predecessor CLA 45 despite being a 4 cylinder actually sounded decent but this new gen due to regulations it is so quiet but there is artificial sound in the cabin though. If you care about a hand built engine, the CLA 45 is the way to go.
If you are leasing and just love tech, get the CLA 45 because it is a first model year product and there are always little annoyances and problems for first generation which is also reason why the first model year of a generation vehicle depreciates the fastest. If you lease you wouldn't have to deal with it after warranty ends.
It is always more fun to drive a lighter car than a heavier car, so if you like better handling and probably less body roll , get the CLA 45. (C43, at least for the 2017 which I have likes to under steer)
That being said though, C class has a more luxurious feel than A class because it is considered as a higher class and material are probably better too.
Personally owning a C43 been dealing with issues that do come up, but I think they fixed a lot for the facelift (2019 and beyond?) so I am not sure? Not to mention, I hit a snag with a dealership that I have been going to as they aren't even willing to work with me anymore.
Let us know what you picked in the end and best of luck with your purchase.
Last edited by W205C43PFL; Jun 10, 2020 at 10:11 AM. Reason: Added information
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2019 C43 AMG
Owned a 2017 CLA45, a 2018 and a 2019 C43 sedan. Jumped into the Mercedes world after owning a few Audi's, the last of which was a 2016 S4.
The CLA45 I had was fully spec'd with the AMG racing seats. While it was fun to drive around the city hard, the seats were definitely not for longer drives. I am 6 feet, 210 lbs and my *** was just a touch too wide for the seats. And the AMG racing seats on the sides have zero give, so I would constantly be shuffling my *** side to side. My 2019 C43 has the AMG seats but they are wider so I fit much better
Driving wise, the CLA45 (at least my 2017) was a lot of fun once you got it past 3500 rpms or so. Below that the 2 litre engine showed. To really take advantage of the car you needed to drive it hard...and when you did it was fun. Launch control was also pretty awesome...not gonna lie
The C43 IMHO gives me the best of both worlds. Has the power when needed but also the comfort that my CLA lacked. It can be taken on longer road trips but be driven hard when you want.
The CLA45 I had was fully spec'd with the AMG racing seats. While it was fun to drive around the city hard, the seats were definitely not for longer drives. I am 6 feet, 210 lbs and my *** was just a touch too wide for the seats. And the AMG racing seats on the sides have zero give, so I would constantly be shuffling my *** side to side. My 2019 C43 has the AMG seats but they are wider so I fit much better
Driving wise, the CLA45 (at least my 2017) was a lot of fun once you got it past 3500 rpms or so. Below that the 2 litre engine showed. To really take advantage of the car you needed to drive it hard...and when you did it was fun. Launch control was also pretty awesome...not gonna lie
The C43 IMHO gives me the best of both worlds. Has the power when needed but also the comfort that my CLA lacked. It can be taken on longer road trips but be driven hard when you want.
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C class trumps the CLA always. Build quality, fit and finish what better. C feels much more like a Benz. CLA was developed to bring in a lower starting price for the brand. No comparison.
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Test drove the cla 35 and c43 both recently. Though the CLA has a newer interior, it just drives cheaper. It does not have the true "performance" exhaust that you can purchase on the C43 and sounds a lot quieter. It just makes it that much harder to pop and is not as addictive. Additionally, the lack of ~85 HP does make a difference as well. having driven a new gle350 for a month with the mbux system, all the reviews are accurate that is is much more difficult to use than the comand and not having a rotary dial makes it really a pain in the butt to operate. hope this helps.
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C190
Have you driven a 2020 A45S or CLA45S? I drove one recently and the interior is way nicer than my 2019 C43. I really feel I should have waited a couple of months and gotten the CLA 45S instead.
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Not the A but the CLA yes. Still inferior. C feel more solid. I've been driving MB's for over 25 years. Owned them all and can honestly say the CLA underwhelms. BMW 2 is a better option.
If you like a flashy interior with a "cool screen" then sure go with CLA. To me however there is a lot more to a car than a flashy dashboard.
If you like a flashy interior with a "cool screen" then sure go with CLA. To me however there is a lot more to a car than a flashy dashboard.
Last edited by places; Jun 12, 2020 at 06:33 AM.
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Not the A but the CLA yes. Still inferior. C feel more solid. I've been driving MB's for over 25 years. Owned them all and can honestly say the CLA underwhelms. BMW 2 is a better option.
If you like a flashy interior with a "cool screen" then sure go with CLA. To me however there is a lot more to a car than a flashy dashboard.
If you like a flashy interior with a "cool screen" then sure go with CLA. To me however there is a lot more to a car than a flashy dashboard.
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Audi S3
Is the CLA45S available in the US? How different is the CLA45S and CLA45? I'm planning to test drive the CLA 45 and C43. I want the sound and performance of C43 (although the CLA45 is faster by .5 sec?) but also love the cool screen that the CLA45 offers. Another issue for me is the C43 has only 2 doors (yes i'm aware of the sedan but i really don't like the design).
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Looking for some up-to-date thoughts/comparisons between the 2020 C43 coupe & CLA 45 coupe. I placed a leasing order for the C43 last October but due to incompetent dealer and COVID-19, it will now be a 2021 build (to be expected in September or so they say). I'm now having second thoughts about the order after seeing that the new CLA 45 interior looks nicer (love the dashboard), is .5 second faster in acceleration, has 4 doors (I know C43 comes with 4 doors too but the 2 door just looks so much better, esp the back) and is a few thousand cheaper.
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From: Washington DC
No more MB:(
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Washington DC
No more MB:(
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Acura TL-SH, among others
Is the CLA45S available in the US? How different is the CLA45S and CLA45? I'm planning to test drive the CLA 45 and C43. I want the sound and performance of C43 (although the CLA45 is faster by .5 sec?) but also love the cool screen that the CLA45 offers. Another issue for me is the C43 has only 2 doors (yes i'm aware of the sedan but i really don't like the design).
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CLA45 has all the legitimate AMG appointments like Panamericana grille and “one man one engine” Pedigree with engine builder‘s plaque in the engine bay. Without any interpretation it is an AMG. More so than the C43 could ever be. It also has the optional Torque Vectoring rear diff with 4Matic+. It enables you a “drift mode”, and if you’ve tried Audi’s with similar torque vectoring rear diffs on an AWD, you will know what I mean when I say it has more rear wheel drive character than our 31/69 split on the C43. Also, MBUX if you care for that kind of thing. Makes the CLA45 more relevant for a few more years to come than the C43. The cabin is shorter but the interior width is the same as the C class. Transmission shifting is a lot better and more precise than the C43, and doesn’t have the bucking bronco phenomena that plagues the C43. The seating position has a nice GT63 feel to it with a higher dash and lower seating position.
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Life is short, let's just enjoy our cars and pick what we want.
Last edited by W205C43PFL; Jun 12, 2020 at 11:33 AM.
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I'm in the US so CLA45 S is out of the question. You guys are making my decision difficult 
I'm into tech so definitely into MBUX. I also want 4 doors as opposed to 2 (never had a 2 door so not sure if I can get used to it). But I also want the luxury of the C43. And based on comments here, the C43 wins at performance and sound of the exhaust too? Perhaps the easier question is, which one is better than the 2017 Audi S3, which is what I'm driving now.
I'm into tech so definitely into MBUX. I also want 4 doors as opposed to 2 (never had a 2 door so not sure if I can get used to it). But I also want the luxury of the C43. And based on comments here, the C43 wins at performance and sound of the exhaust too? Perhaps the easier question is, which one is better than the 2017 Audi S3, which is what I'm driving now.
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I'm in the US so CLA45 S is out of the question. You guys are making my decision difficult I'm into tech so definitely into MBUX. I also want 4 doors as opposed to 2 (never had a 2 door so not sure if I can get used to it). But I also want the luxury of the C43. And based on comments here, the C43 wins at performance and sound of the exhaust too? Perhaps the easier question is, which one is better than the 2017 Audi S3, which is what I'm driving now.
I'm into tech so definitely into MBUX. I also want 4 doors as opposed to 2 (never had a 2 door so not sure if I can get used to it). But I also want the luxury of the C43. And based on comments here, the C43 wins at performance and sound of the exhaust too? Perhaps the easier question is, which one is better than the 2017 Audi S3, which is what I'm driving now.C43 competes with S4 and S5 (for C43 coupe)
so for S3 it competes with the CLA 35 except I heard it is slower than S3.
The C43 is one of the best sounding V6 out there so the CLA 45 for sure can't compete in the sound department especially how the CLA is a 4 banger.
Hope this helps.
Edit: Given that that the CLA is lighter, it should be more agile.
Last edited by W205C43PFL; Jun 12, 2020 at 11:40 AM.
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I'm in the US so CLA45 S is out of the question. You guys are making my decision difficult I'm into tech so definitely into MBUX. I also want 4 doors as opposed to 2 (never had a 2 door so not sure if I can get used to it). But I also want the luxury of the C43. And based on comments here, the C43 wins at performance and sound of the exhaust too? Perhaps the easier question is, which one is better than the 2017 Audi S3, which is what I'm driving now.
I'm into tech so definitely into MBUX. I also want 4 doors as opposed to 2 (never had a 2 door so not sure if I can get used to it). But I also want the luxury of the C43. And based on comments here, the C43 wins at performance and sound of the exhaust too? Perhaps the easier question is, which one is better than the 2017 Audi S3, which is what I'm driving now.
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searching for a c43 sedan
Without reading all the responses i think the cla or even A class will have cheaper interior.
Kind of like how the e class across the line has better interior than the c class. Theres levels to these cars. A c63s may have better interior than a low model e-class, but a top model e class will be better than the top model c. Not **** right? LOL
One thing that really irks me with the whole c class line up and even e class is the blank button and the missing ventilated seats. its really unacceptable. If we dont bring this up, MB will continue their marry way till EVERYONE adopts it and they have no choice. Thats the only turn off for me, blank button/missing ventilated seats.
Kind of like how the e class across the line has better interior than the c class. Theres levels to these cars. A c63s may have better interior than a low model e-class, but a top model e class will be better than the top model c. Not **** right? LOL
One thing that really irks me with the whole c class line up and even e class is the blank button and the missing ventilated seats. its really unacceptable. If we dont bring this up, MB will continue their marry way till EVERYONE adopts it and they have no choice. Thats the only turn off for me, blank button/missing ventilated seats.
