The new Mercedes-Benz CLA has been voted the European Car of the Year 2026 at a ceremony at the Brussels Motor Show in Belgium.
The award is voted for by 60 automotive journalists from 23 countries.
It is only the second Mercedes to win the European award after the 450SE in 1974.
The new CLA had its global debut in March 2025 as a fully electric sedan model, with petrol hybrids and a station wagon joining the range later. The hybrids combine a new 1.5l turbocharged engine with electric assistance.
For the first time for Mercedes, the combustion engine and battery electric models of the CLA share identical designs and model name. It contrasts with the former strategy of electric models developed to sit alongside their combustion engine equivalents, such as with the E-Class and EQE.
Built on the Geman carmaker’s EV-centric MMA platform, the third-generation CLA delivers impressive emissions-free performance courtesy a new electric drive unit that boasts a range of up to 792km, and with 800V technology, the vehicle can be charged up to 325km of range in only 10 minutes.
The CLA 250+ has a 85.5 kWh battery powering a rear-mounted 200kW motor. It claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.6 seconds.
The all-wheel drive CLA 350 4Matic adds a front-mounted 80kW motor and boasts a 0-100km/h time of 4.8 seconds.
With a length of 4,723mm, the new CLA is larger than its predecessor and has a coupe-like design.
The cabin has a super-screen dashboard comprising a 10.3-inch instrument display, a 14.0-inch central touchscreen and an optional passenger-side display of the same size. The MBUX infotainment system features Google’s Gemini AI.
Mercedes-Benz South Africa plans to launch the new CLA locally in 2026, with the model lineup to be confirmed.
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