At the MotorOctane HQ, we have our share of Star-struck people around. So when word filtered in that we were in for a date with one of Stuttgart’s finest lines on an automobile, a mini-riot threatened to break out. Thankfully, better sense prevailed and yours truly was among the chosen few to get the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Mercedes-Benz CLS250 CDI.

Overcast skies greeted us when D-Day arrived, but not being the one to let the weather be a dampener, we set out to welcome the face-lifted edition of Mercedes-Benz’s iconic four-door coupe. Having received a mid-life refresh just the year before, the 2015 edition promised to push the boundaries even as it stays within the mould.

Mercedes-Benz CLS 250 2015 front

Well, what can we say – one glance, even a passing one is enough to ascertain that the Mercedes-Benz CLS250 CDI is a looker.
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As we take in the swooping lines and those sexy curves, our hearts are having a tough time from galloping away. The CLS250 CDI has a nice wide stance, and the way she sits close to the tarmac, one would be forgiven to think that she might be moonlighting as a sports-car. But then those four doors come into view and you know that you’ve got your hands on something that’s rather unique here. The front-end has been reworked and the CLS250 CDI now sports a black finish, diamond radiator grille, similar to the one that was first seen on the A-Class. It now has a roundish look and features a single slat instead of the two that marked the earlier avatar. The bumper too has been restyled, thereby giving a rather taut look, though those scoops on the side are purely for aesthetic purposes.

Mercedes-Benz CLS 250 2015 rear 1

The all-new, MULTIBEAM LED headlights are the reason why the auxiliary lights have done the disappearing act and they now come with Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus tech. Through a network of cameras, the intensity and spread of each of the individual LED’s can be monitored and controlled to provide optimum lighting under varying road conditions. Thus, the headlights automatically reduce in intensity in the face of on-coming vehicles while brightening up to max lux when out on the open road. The MULTIBEAM LED headlights also have a feature that helps drivers see around corners, deploying a camera to activate the cornering lamps, long before the steering wheel has been turned in. This is said to improve cornering safety and helping make things better whilst motoring in the dark. While nothing much has changed when viewing things side-on, the frameless doors and the long, curvy silhouette still sets our pulse racing, after all these years. Moreover, those brilliant, jewel-eyed tail lamps ensure that you’re never quite done appreciating the derriere of the CLS250 CDI.

Mercedes-Benz CLS 250 2015 dash

Step inside and you’re greeted by an expanse of white leather that’s beautifully complemented by walnut wood veneer and textured surfaces. The entire feel is of understated opulence and you can’t help avoid the beginning of the smile that’s forming as you sink into those gorgeous seats. A word of caution here though, while white may look all elegant, you’ll be waging a losing battle against human and environmental elements, as you strive to keep the interior from picking up those inevitable stains. So, if you don’t mind trading in that opulence for a wee bit of practicality, take our advice and go with the alternate trim options that Mercedes-Benz has on offer.

Mercedes-Benz CLS 250 2015 screen

The large (20.3 cm) media screen at the front has become a trade-mark of the new-age cars to sport the three-pointed star and the one in the CLS250 CDI is also of a sufficiently high resolution to boot. You can access your favourite Social Media sites and even use the web-connectivity support of your phone to tune into internet based radio stations from the screen. The CLS comes equipped with a Harman Kardon Logic7 surround sound system that brings alive even the most lossy, FM radio transmissions, though, you’d be better off appreciating the finer nuances of high-fidelity audio recordings.
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The seats are large and there’s enough space for four reasonably sized adults to be cocooned in a luxuriously appointed interior. The rear passengers get their own cubby space down the middle. While there’s enough leg-room for everyone on-board, the fast-back design means that head room, especially for the occupants at the rear can be at a premium. Also, given the fact that you sit fairly low and close to the ground, be prepared to put in a bit of effort when exiting the car.
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Mercedes-Benz CLS 250 2015 rear space

Cradling the key-fob in the hand, you’d be as puzzled as us to know that the CLS250 CDI does not have a Start/Stop button. It isn’t that turning the key is any more difficult, or even demeaning in any manner, but you’ve got this beautifully appointed car, with drop-dead looks to boot. Yet, it seems to be missing a feature that hatches at the lower end of the budget spectrum offer these days. The CLS250 CDI in its earlier variant came with a potent V6 lurking under the hood. This time around, she sports a (brace yourself) diesel and a four-cylinder variant at that. Looks like ‘stretching the fuel rupee’ has gone from being a factor in the minds of the economy minded regular car-buying customers and made an appearance in the luxury segment too. Well, our expectations suitably recalibrated, we shifted to the Drive mode and stepped on the throttle. The 2.2-litre motor comes with 204 ponies on tap and 500Nm torque that kicks in from low 1600 rpm. So while the CLS may not have the blistering pace to go with her stunning looks, she’ll still breach the 100kph barrier in a claimed 7.5 seconds. Not bad for a 1.8 Ton luxo-barge, eh.

Mercedes-Benz CLS 250 2015 engine

The CLS250 CDI is all about refined power delivery and builds speed in a linear manner. The 7G-Tronic Plus, 7 speed automatic tranny is a dual-clutch affair and is equipped with gear ratios that are well matched to the diesel motor under the hood. What’s more, the AIRMATIC suspension underpinnings are pure class when it comes to taking on the rough with the smooth, while leaving the occupants fairly undisturbed. It also features trickery such as an automatic lowering by 2 centimeters as speeds rise, in a bid to improve stability and handling, while reducing aerodynamic drag. The entire suspension can also be raised by a whopping 3 centimeters, thereby offering the driver that much needed peace of mind, when navigating across our obscenely sized speed-breakers in the city. Speaking of traversing across the city-scape, be prepared for a few bouts of sweaty palms in traffic as you dodge lesser mortals and their wayward driving habit. The CLS250 CDI is a gorgeous beast with a fair share of tricks in her kitty, but her parking chops were unanimously voted to be at the top of the bag. The PARKTRONIC System ensures that the CLS250 CDI will merrily parallel-park herself into a slot when the Active Parking Assist feature is activated. The magic of the system is that the driver has to simply sit back and marvel at the brilliance of the Mercedes-Benz engineers as the computers take the hassle of braking and calculating for a perfect parking experience – simply marvelous. Should you want to take things into your own hands, the 360 camera system displays a birds-eye view of the car and its surroundings through a quartet of cameras. This helps in making those manual parking attempts to be as clean and classy as the ones accomplished with the Active Parking Assist feature.

Mercedes-Benz CLS 250 2015 tracking

The Mercedes-Benz CLS250 CDI may not be the potent tire-smoker that it could have been. But with that oil-burner under the hood, she proves to be a willing companion who will happily wrap you in a cocoon as you gingerly pick your way through traffic. Yet, she’ll merrily transform into a relaxed tourer on those cross-country highway runs, taking you across state borders in consummate style. As for that souped up version – well, we’ve got our fingers crossed on an AMG badge making its debut soon!

Mercedes-Benz CLS 250 2015 rear

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