They only made the 220 after the vehicle was facelifted, but still…
Mercedes’ CLS shooting brake is one of the prettiest wagons you can buy, if not the prettiest, but its beauty is more attainable than you think, especially if you’re concerned about the fuel bills associated with running a big Mercedes. However, the Three Pointed Star offers an eco version which you’d be foolish to overlook: the CLS220 diesel which has all the style but the lowest possible associated costs.
The automaker did offer the CLS with a four-cylinder diesel before, in the form of the CLS250 diesel, but the entry level 220 only came about after the car got its mid-life cycle refresh. If you can live with the 0-100 km/h time of 8.6 seconds and top speed of 217 km/h, the CLS220’s aesthetics will more than make up for its swift not fast performance.
It’s also 0.1 l/100km more efficient overall than the 250 and it also costs nearly €3,000 less than it. If you do need the extra performance, buying the 250 will negligibly affect efficiency, but it will be a bit more expensive.
And aside from looking the way it does, feeling super special both inside and out, the CLS wagon has a really big boot which can accommodate 590 liters-worth of stuff – make that 1,550 liters if you fold down the rear seats. Outside of town, where the car is most at home, the manufacturer says it needs 4.4 l/100km of diesel to putter along – that, in the real world, equates to an actual trip computer value of 5.5 l/100km.
There really is no arguing with the advantages provided by this package, and now that the new CLS is just around the corner, prices for second-hand CLS220s will plummet… hopefully, as this is definitely on my wishlist but currently out of reach.