Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ Coupé Review: The AMG To Buy?

The AMG avatar of the CLE coupé joins the CLE 300 convertible. Both are priced upwards of a ₹1 crore, so to get the wind in your hair experience – ₹1.11 crore – and for the manic AMG – ₹1.35 crore. So why would you buy the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ Coupe?

Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ Coupe: Design

The Affalterbach badge on the bonnet is the reason that the CLE screams AMG. Amongst other things, the grille has very AMG twin power domes. And yes, these are the add-ons to the regular CLE. This was a car that was always meant to be a little sexy and sporty. It kind of straddles the E and the C class. So even in terms of size, it really lends itself to the kind of performance that it offers. The shape and the coupé roofline are all about aerodynamics and maintaining that sexy edge. The pattern on the AMG wheels is a little too busy for my liking, but sure, it looks great. The Magno black, grey sort of matte finish that it has is really the pick of the crop. If you're buying a car like this, you want it to look a little stealth, a little ominous. Of course, it looks great in yellow, red, and even blue. But I would buy the stealthy grey one. It's also got all these black elements on things like the fender accents, the side skirt, the mirrors, and black edging all along the DLO. And it's nice because it really lends itself to the character of this car. So why are the door handles so shiny? Yeah, that just kind of sticks out like a sore thumb, but otherwise gorgeous design. 

I am very perplexed why we have a sunroof that pops up and slides back. It just adds to the weight of the car. A fixed glass roof, for heaven's sakes, would have been totally, totally fine. The rear end looks nice and taut. You've got the AMG spoiler. It really brings it in. The car looks gorgeous. The flared wheel arches look good too. The car’s proportions really work. The CLE 53 comes in 8 colours. 

Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ Coupe: Interior

The CLE 53 is very AMG with black and red seats, red seatbelts, and carbon fibre everywhere. That’s the only option available. Is that good or bad? That’s for you to decide. The steering wheel feels great and is wrapped in Alcantara. The rear seats are tiny and the rear windows tinier. Your kids will still enjoy the joyrides.  

The tech is good but nothing new really. The 11.9-inch vertical touchscreen and 12.3-inch virtual cluster setup is what we’ve seen in many new Benz models off late. That also means wireless connectivity, head up display, etc! The Dolby Atmos-tuned 17-speaker Burmester system sounds great but requires some fine-tuning. 

Now, since the CLE is a two-door coupé, the front seatbelts can seem out of reach. No need to stretch as the CLE does it for you with a belt feeder that extends when you start the car. Other sports coupés have had this, of course, and it’s convenient.

Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ Coupe: Performance

I did drive the car in the city, but for me the highway was calling – I mean come on – it’s an AMG right?

There's tons of torque on offer with the inline-six, and it’s pretty instantly available. The response? Well, I mean, it's an AMG. Do I really have to get into that with you? The fact is that you've got a car that goes 0 to 100 kmph in 4.2 seconds. Do you really need that every day? Of course not. But it makes it an absolute hoot to drive on the highway.

But being the 53, remember, the more extreme 63 is still going to come. So, we may not get it in India. But what I mean is that's the real track muncher. This one is a nice balance. And speaking of balance, the suspension is very balanced. You put it into comfort, and it is surprisingly comfortable. It's not too stiff, but in Sport and Sport Plus, the body gets started all right and on the highway, that's what you want.

Mercedes says the good-old torque converter does the job, and it really does. 9G TCT is the AMG version of the 9G Tronic. Shifts pretty quickly. Downshifts are especially fast since it uses AMG’s double-declutching function. This means the engine revs up to match engine and gearbox speeds, as a gearchange is needed, and the clutch engages twice in quick succession for a smoother shift. 

You've got all these options that are within quick reach right here on the steering wheel, the little circular dial here that lets you switch up the different drive modes and then the other one here, which is like a touch screen where you can toggle between different settings. And then you can also change your drive dynamics. The gearbox responds to the AMG dynamic control and also turns off the traction control. 

And when you're on the highway, the one great thing is you put the car into sport, open up the exhaust and make it sing. But the AMG Performance Exhaust actually just makes the car sound louder inside, and that’s through the speakers. Outside, it’s not as loud as AMGs of old that we used to love.

Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ Coupe: Ride and Handling

The ride quality on this car is a delight. And a surprise. It’s stiff when u need it to be, but very comfy on the whole.  And that 4Matic+ works well with its variable power distribution. 

The AMG ride control suspension is great for a car like this, but you want it to really sort of do exactly what you need, especially at higher speeds. It also really marries itself beautifully to the way the car handles. You can switch lanes really nicely. It is a beautiful response from the steering as well, with just the right amount of stiffness. And you know what? It's further enhanced by the fact that you've got rear wheel steering. So, speeds under 100 kmph. The rear wheels will actually steer in the opposite direction to the front wheels and give you a little bit more manoeuvrability. At speeds over 100 kmph, it'll give you even more sense of control, because two and a half degrees, they'll actually turn with the front wheels. So you can really go into a corner, and you can really maintain that line very precisely.

Since this is an AMG, you get the whole shebang. There’s a race start mode or launch control. There’s also a drift mode that turns 4Matic to 2Matic, with only the rear wheels getting all the juice. Yaay, fun fun fun! Lots of track-focused functions too.

When you buy one of these cars, you also want to get a sense of all the fun you are having. You can track all of that because, in the car’s menu, you have the AMG performance. You can actually track in real time what's happening with the car, with the suspension, with the kind of setting you have going and, it will kind of show you all the little different pressure points that the car is feeling and just the kind of response you're getting. Of course, you can also do things like lap times. 

That sliding sunroof is weird on a sports car. I mean, it just adds unnecessary weight in a car that’s meant to be light and lithe, right? A fixed glass roof would have been better, and it could have been larger too, going all the way back. 

Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ Coupe: Safety

There are lots of other goodies in the car. Safety systems abound. You got a fair amount of kit that actually comes in as standard. There are 8 airbags, which include a centre airbag between the front passenger and driver, blind spot assist, stability control, emergency call system, pedestrian protection, ADAS with active brake assist, blind spot assist and you have a 360-degree camera and an augmented reality navigation system. 

Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ Coupe: Verdict

The 442 bhp AMG heart, the sexy coupé roofline, that awesome AF cabin, the safety features, the way it drives and makes you feel, are absolutely the reasons you should buy the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4Matic+. All you need is the bank balance and the patience to say the full name.