Serving as the gateway model into the luxurious world of Mercedes-Benz, the 2025 CLA 250 Coupe doesn’t feel like a budget vehicle at all — especially after the refresh a couple of years ago involving a more streamlined appearance and the addition of new tech.

The shark-like nose hasn’t changed too much: the head and tail lamp shapes are the same, but the interior LEDs are reconfigured to display different lighting effects. The grille houses a really cool repeating star effect, and the single polished horizontal blade is slimmed down. The air intakes below are larger and more aggressive, bringing the aesthetics in-line with other current products in the portfolio.

Similarly, the cabin receives the contemporary dual 10.25-inch upright screens serving as both digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen. The press car I drove had the regular equipment black ARTICO seat upholstery fitted — which the brand says is largely made of recycled materials — and matching black open-pore wood trim (+ $250). The optional 360-degree camera (+ $800) is well worth the upgrade generating some ultra-high-resolution images that really help when parking. Rear legroom is above average for a subcompact sedan.

A 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, continues to propel the CLA 250 making 221 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, but is supplemented by a belt-driven starter-generator and 48-volt on-board power supply. The former allows zero-emissions coasting under certain conditions, and during braking and acceleration supplies energy to the latter designed to improve start-stop performance and yield a temporary 13-horsepower boost.

The four-banger has a nice burble to it at full throttle and is decently fun to drive. The low centre of gravity, Direct-Steer system (automatically adjusts steering ratio depending on amount of input) and front strut/rear multi-link suspension setup creates a sharp handling experience with little body roll. A tight turning circle is a bonus allowing easy maneuverability in the city. Standard 4MATIC all-wheel drive provided excellent rainy-weather traction during testing.

Prices start at $51,000, and the 2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 4MATIC Coupe is in dealerships now.