Bashar Halabi

All NEW 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLS 53 Full Review

My first look and walk-around of the brand new Mercedes Benz AMG CLS Class. This particular car is the 2019 AMG CLS 53 finished in Designo Red Cardinal Metallic.

The CLS 53 comes with a 3.0 Inline-6 Turbo charged with a new electric Engine (EQ Boost), making 430hp and 520 which means 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in a staggering 4.5seconds thanks to the 4matic+ all wheel drive system.

For Full Review Please check my Video on YouTube

Frank Aliass

Have you had a chance to take the 4Matic+ through the snow yet? I'm considering getting the CLS, but can't decide whether I should go with the 450 or the 53 - primarily because I'm unfamiliar with how 4Matic+ performs in the snow. Any input is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

petee1997

I just survived the Winter from hell. My E53 with 20' snow tires was like a tractor in the snow. My wife's E43 with 19" all season tires performed well also but not quite as good as snows.

slk55er

Agreed. The limiting factor will be the tires. Get good snow tires, studded if you have a lot of ice or frozen slush. I've run studded Hakkapeliitta snow tires for 30 or more years and have organized, run and won many Ice Gymkhanas on the frozen lake in Georgetown, Colorado. I have confidence that good tires (Hakkas are the best) along with smooth application of throttle and brakes will get us most anywhere with our 4Matics.

petee1997

I have Pirelli snow tires. They are average at best. Studs are prohibited in Ontario. My only complaint is that Pirelli tires are very noisy.
They are coming off tomorrow 8:00AM.

PS I have a question. How many lbs of air do you keep your Summer tires at? With no extra load, I was thinking 38lbs all around. I got the car Dec.14th with snow tires installed. The dealer set them up with 40 lbs air. The car was really rough riding.I'm hoping for a better ride with the Summer tires. On the gas cover door it shows 44fr. and 48r. I assume that is for maximum load. If I had ordered this car, it would have had 19" all season tires . This was a launch car on the floor.

slk55er

Yes, there is a tradeoff on tire pressure -- too much and the ride is rough; too little and you risk damage to the rim from a pothole and possible damage to the tire due to heat buildup. I don't have my CLS53 yet (due tomorrow) so I can't see the recommended pressures. I'll expect that 38 all around would be OK, probably a minimum of 34 if the ride is still too harsh.
The other consideration is the effect of tire pressure on handling in turns and emergency maneuvers. Increase front tire pressure and you'll decrease understeer (increase oversteer.) Increase rear pressure or decrease front pressure and you get the opposite. Manufacturers typically setup the suspension and recommended tire pressures to yield understeer 'cause the typical driver is more likely to be able to control the car during turning maneuvers. Blame this on the attorneys who don't want to be faced with lawsuits due to "Unsafe At Any Speed" problems. I usually run the front tire pressure 2-4 pounds more that the recommended pressure to decrease understeer which I've read in a review is one disappointment with the CLS chassis. Without having driven my CLS yet and not having access to the manufacturer's settings, I'll suggest your choice of 38 is a good start. Then go from there if ride comfort and understeer are a problem. Hope this helps.

slk55er

Just another note -- on my previous CLS63S, I made the mistake of mixing tire brands. I should have known better.

I had some Michelins on the front and Continentals on the rear. The car was totally unsafe and scary. My wife almost spun the car during a simple lane change. The Michelins had a very quick turn in response and the Contis were very slow to turn in. This lead to extreme oversteer, almost uncontrollable. I tried to compensate with tire pressure -- low in the front, high in the rear, but it was not enough. I quickly got some Contis for the front and all was good again. Lesson learned.

petee1997

I just do normal driving so understeer and oversteer are not an issue. I will take your advice and see how I make out with 38lbs. My no load minimum is 36lbs according to the dealer. They recommend over 40lbs but our roads are so bad that I would lose all my fillings with that much air. Thanks SLK55

slk55er

Unfortunately, in "normal driving" there may arise a need for an emergency maneuver or swerve to avoid another vehicle or object. Then the handling characteristics of the vehicle and the experience of the driver become significant. I encourage everyone to find an empty parking lot and do some circular skid pad exercises and quick maneuvers like lane changes. Or better yet hook up with a local club that offers high performance driving events. The BMW CCA is the best for this but your local MBCA may offer such events. Let us know what you decide for pressures and I'll do the same.

petee1997

Will do.

petee1997

Summer tires have been installed (Pirelli P Zero). We settled on 40 Lbs on all corners. Ride is better than the snow tires but are very noisy. Maybe they will quiet down with a little mileage on them.

SDRider

To add to this, these characteristics would only be exacerbated in wet conditions. For sure it could easily catch you out. You never want a passenger car to exhibit oversteer in any situation. I was always monitoring tire wear on my wife’s CLS550 to make sure her rear tires were not excessively worn compared to her front tires, especially with all the rain we’ve had here this winter as this can cause the rear tires to hydroplane and slide before the front.