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Our pick of the Mercedes CLE Coupe range is this 300 e Plug-in Hybrid version. As well as suburban EV capability, it gains wafty rear air suspension and offers a luxurious turn of pace.
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Driving experience
The CLE 300 e uses what Mercedes calls its '4th generation' Hybrid powertrain. In this case, that sees a four cylinder 2.0-litre petrol turbo M254 engine with 204hp paired with a permanent magnet synchronous motor contributing 150hp. That motor is energised by a 25.4kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery that can power the car for up to 69 miles before fossil fuel kicks in. The drive system is paired with the brand's usual 9G-TRONIC Plus 9-speed automatic gearbox. And total output is 309hp, enough despite the portly 2.1-tonne kerb weight, to power the car to 62mph in 6.3s en route to 147mph.
Apart from the drivetrain, what's really different to other CLE variants is the damping. Instead of the conventional Agility Control sports suspension the other models in the range use, the 300 e (no doubt due to its heavier weight) get self-levelling adjustable air suspension on the rear axle in place of the usual steel coils. You should find the result to be the best-riding variant in the range. Thanks to the weight, don't expect sharp handling, but most customers will be prioritising the quiet, luxurious vibe this car's comfortably serves up.
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Design and build
The 300e powertrain is offered only to CLE Coupe customers, not those of the CLE cabriolet. Visually, apart from the badgework and an extra charging flap, there's nothing to differentiate this PHEV model's status. So as usual with a CLE, you get classic coupe looks that see this model measuring 99mm longer but sitting 10mm lower than a C-Class saloon. There's a heavily curved roof leading to curving C-pillar treatment, a steeply-raked rear window and a sloping boot lid. The long bonnet has subtle bulges, there's a prominent grille flanked by 'shark nose' LED headlights and the wheel sizes are between 18 and 20-inches depending on spec.
Inside, as with the current C and E-Class cabins, there's a 12.3-inch central touchscreen and an 11.9-inch driver's display viewed through a 3-spoke wheel. The seats are bespoke with integrated headrests and are lower-set than a C or E-Class saloon, giving a sportier feel. The centre screen runs the latest version of the brand's MBUX media system. As for rear seat space, well it's not as good as the old E-Class Coupe (because of 8mm less wheelbase length) but it's better than the cramped quarters of the old C-Class Coupe, with 72mm more knee room. There's a bit of a downside with this PHEV model when it comes to boot space, which falls from the usual 420-litre figure to just 280-litres.
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Market and model
Mercedes offers this 300 e PHEV drivetrain only with the Coupe body shape. Prices start from just over £60,000 and there are three trim levels, 'AMG Line Premium', 'AMG Line Premium Plus' and 'Premier Edition'. To give you some perspective, a CLE 220 d diesel starts from around £53,000 in equivalent trim and a CLE 300 4MATIC petrol costs from around £56,000. So you've really got to want the PHEV system.
Across the range, standard equipment includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 'keyless go' keyless entry, powered seats with memory settings and a customisable ambient lighting set-up. What you won't be able to specify is the extended 'Superscreen' infotainment system fitted to the latest E-Class saloon; Mercedes reckons that isn't driver-focused enough for the CLE. What you do get is a more advanced version of the brand's MBUX media system, operable via an an 11.9-inch portrait infotainment screen. This adds the brand's latest 'Routines' function, which learns the habits of the driver and can do things like automatically change the ambient lighting, automatically turn on the climate control and set reminders for things like telephone calls on birthdays based on previous interactions.
With this latest version of MBUX, you no longer need to say "Hey Mercedes" to activate it: instead, when you're alone in the car, you can operate the voice control when a red microphone symbol appears on the driver's display. Over-the-air updates will be made available to owners throughout the car's lifespan and the centre screen features new apps like TikTok, the Vivaldi web browser and even an Angry Birds game.
Standard safety features include active brake assist, lane keeping assist, speed limit warning, attention assist and a reversing camera. You can specify an extra-cost 'Advanced Plus' package that adds blind spot assist and traffic sign recognition.
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Cost of ownership
Let's get to the stats - 470.8mpg on the combined cycle and 13g/km of CO2 (which means an 8% BiK tax rate). Compare to what you'd get from a conventionally-engined CLE 220 d - 60.1mpg and 125g/km (which means a 30% BiK tax rate). Insurance is group 45E.
Service intervals for the CLE will depend on how far you drive and under what conditions - but Mercedes does offer 'ServiceCare', which allows you to spread your bills into manageable payments, guarantees the price of parts and labour for up to four services, and covers the cost of recommended service items such as brake fluid, spark plugs, air filters, fuel filters and screen wash. Another thing we'll need to tell you is that the comprehensive three year unlimited mileage warranty is built upon by Mercedes' Mobilo scheme which delivers breakdown cover for up to thirty years, as long as you continue to have your car serviced at a Mercedes main dealer.
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Summary
You might be surprised just how much you like this car. Yes it's expensive. Yes it's heavy. Yes, boot space is restricted. But it's also in a class of one when it comes to premium mid-sized PHEV coupes. Nor does it completely rely on that exclusivity for its appeal, thanks to cosseting ride, exemplary refinement and low running costs. We still see why a potential CLE customer might be tempted to save rather a lot and get an old tech diesel instead with this coupe, but that really doesn't fit with the EV era we all now find ourselves in.
The way this CLE 300 e can cruise almost silently around suburbia on battery power does and we can imagine a likely owner being pleased, a few years on in ownership, that they'd paid the extra for this kind of cleverness. PHEV power suits this car rather well. Whoever would have thought it?
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