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Model tested: Mercedes-Benz CLK 220 CDi Elegance
Price as tested: £35,522
Range price: £30,157 - £99,517
Insurance group as tested: 16D
Insurance group range: 16D – 20D
Date tested: November 2007
Road tester: Keith Collantine
Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 82%
The Mercedes-Benz CLK will be instantly recognisable to F1 fans as the Safety Car. It’s an appropriate role for a car which, though luxurious inside and rewarding to drive, has a high level of safety equipment in road-car trim.
It comes with a choice of seven different engines, the most potent of which pushes the asking price from £30,000 to almost £100,000.
But is all this enough to compete with equally capable rivals like the BMW 3-Series Coupe?
1. Looks
Some will say ‘classic’, others will call it ‘dated’. Certainly the CLK’s looks are unmistakably Mercedes: a large three-pointed star dominates the grille and the creases from the pairs of rounded headlights sweep up the bonnet.
The CLK is clearly aimed at its Bavarian rival the BMW 3-Series Coupe and the sharp distinction between the two begins with their appearance – the CLK looks laid back and relaxed, where the 3 Series is taut and aggressive. That impression is carried throughout the package.
What marks the CLK out is the lack of any central pillars which give the car an especially sleek look and, as a bonus, make it easier to check your blind spot while moving between lanes.
2. Looks inside
Subtle echoes of the exterior are carried over to the inside of the car, like the lines around the air vents that resemble the CLK’s distinctive headlights.
The interior is luxurious, organised and very well put together with quality materials and no rattles. Only the hand element of the parking brake felt a little flimsy (and is it really necessary to have separate levers for applying and removing the parking brake?)
It is just a little unspectacular and there were a couple of minor irritations. The front seats were awkward to adjust, particularly because some of the controls were on opposite sides. Mercedes has continued its trend for including controls for the indicator, windscreen wipers and more on one stalk on the left hand side with no stalk on the opposite side, which takes some getting used to.
3. Practicality
A two-door coupe is never going to be as flexible as a five-door estate. But Mercedes has done a good job of making the CLK easy to use everyday.
Take the seatbelts as an example. In order to allow plenty of room for rear passengers to get into the car, the seatbelts for the driver and front passenger have to be mounted a long way back. So when the driver turns the key in the ignition, the belt buckles automatically slide forward towards them.
Mercedes has wisely opted for two decent-sized seats in the rear rather than a cramped bench arrangement. It still splits and folds forward, or can seat two adults in reasonable comfort. The boot space is more than adequate for a car of this size and quite easy to access.
4. Ride and Handling
The CLK is based on the chassis of the previous C-Class and thus handles very nicely. Rear wheel drive improves the balance of the car but you’ll be grateful for the electronic stability programme on wet days as the automatic gearbox tended to deliver the power somewhat lumpily.
Compared to the 3-Series Coupe the CLK is decidedly less sporty, more of a luxury cruiser.
5. Performance
The CLK comes with a choice of seven engines, two diesel and five petrol. Our test model was the 2.2 litre four-cylinder diesel which boasted 150bhp, and 340Nm of torque. It didn’t seem quite powerful enough for its size – acceleration was on the sluggish size the automatic box hampered quick getaways from a standing start. However it cruised effortlessly on the motorways and the responsiveness of the engine was good for overtaking. The three-litre V6 diesel engine has 224bhp.
The petrol options include a 1.8 litre four-cylinder (184bhp), a 3 litre V6 (231bhp), a 3.5 litre V6 (250bhp) and 5.5 litre V8 (388bhp).
Top of the range is the CLK 63 AMG with a V8 engine packing 481bhp – and those looking for an ultra-exclusive alternative can opt for the limited edition Black Series.
6. Running Costs
Mercedes tend to hold their value well and the CLK is no exception. But one of the best reasons to consider a CLK is its excellent fuel economy. Our diesel averages 44mpg combined and will exceed 50mpg on the motorway – even with the automatic gearbox.
Its CO2 emissions of 169g per km (180g/km for the automatic) are fairly low – but become more worrying for the larger engines. The three-litre diesel covers an average of 44mpg and the three-litre petrol manages 30mpg.
7. Reliability
Although Mercedes lost some of its reputation for reliability a few years ago, the CLK has not and feels extremely solid. It may lack central pillars but the doors feel hefty and thick – and look it too, if you take a peek at the metal where the doors join.
The build quality remains excellent inside with plenty of dampening to isolate you from road noise. The CLK has been in production since 2002 so expect current models to be highly dependable.
8. Safety
Mercedes do not use deadlocks in their cars in case they inadvertently trap passengers in the event of an accident.
But the CLK has an excellent complement of other safety mechanisms as standard: front passengers each get front, side and head air bags. There are ISOFIX mountings for child seats in the rear and the driver has anti-lock brakes, braking assistance and an electronic stability programme. Rear side airbags are optional.
9. Equipment
The list price of our CLK was £30,000 to which was added £5,000 of extras including front and rear parking sensors, the telephone adaptor kit, heated leather front seats and metallic paint.
But the base CLK comes with a decent level of standard kit including electric windows all round, climate control and 16 inch alloy wheels.
Notable by their omission were any cupholders in the front, which seemed unusual for a car so well adapted to motorway cruising.
10. X-Factor
In the luxury coupe section the two German rivals dominate sales. The BMW has the sporty end of the market covered and the CLK, quite justifiably, is favoured by those looking for a less demanding drive. And with the Audi A5 to contend with, potential CLK buyers are increasingly spoiled for choice.
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