After 52 years, Mercedes-Benz CLA has finally won the European Car of the Year title with 320 points at the Brussels Motor Show. It has performed better than all its competitors in the finale on various stages of competition, including efficiency, range, and technology.
The electric and hybrid third-generation model of CLA got 22 first-place votes from judges, leaving Citroen’s 15 behind. All the featured cars in the final were electric, showing the rising EV competition. The Mercedes-Benz CLA will also compete against the BMW iX3 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 in the upcoming 2026 World Car of the Year Final.
The new Mercedes-Benz CLA is European Car of the Year 2026, marking the second time the German brand has won the coveted prizehttps://t.co/mgxhOmBvSf
— Paul Tan's Automotive News (@paultan) January 13, 2026
Apart from the CLA, Skoda Elroq, Kia EV4, Citroën C5 Aircross, Fiat Grande Panda, Dacia Bigster, and Renault 4 were also competing in the finale and got these scores respectively: 220, 208, 207, 200, 170, and 150 points.
Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius called it as game-changer because its really good at efficiency and intelligence.
“The new CLA was named Car of the Year 2026 — a proud moment for Mercedes Benz. Jurors from across Europe have confirmed what our customers have been telling us: the CLA is a game-changer, delivering outstanding efficiency and effortless intelligence.”
– Ola Källenius
Let’s explore the specifications and characteristics of the car:-
- Powered by an 85 kWh NMC battery and 800V architecture.
- Rear-wheel-drive CLA 250+ delivers up to 272 hp.
- Speed of 0-60 mph in just 6.7 seconds.
- WLTP ranges up to 492 miles (792 km) with real-world tests hitting 434 miles EPA or 484 miles WLTP Sport Edition.
- 10-80% in 22 minutes with 320 kW DC charging
- Up to 200 kW regen braking
- 11 kW AC
- Aerodynamics: 0.21 Cd drag coefficient
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5 passengers seating with Multi-contour heated/ventilated power seats (8-way adjustable, lumbar, memory)
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MB.OS with 14-inch central touchscreen, 10-inch gauges, optional passenger screen with Google AI/Gemini voice assistant
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For better comfort dual-zone climate control, wireless charging, ambient lighting, electrochromic glass roof, and leather/Artico upholstery
The all-new electric Mercedes-Benz CLA has been crowned Car of the Year 2026 at the Brussels Motor Show.
Thanks to 800V technology, up to 325 km of range can be added in just 10 minutes, redefining everyday usability.#MercedesBenz #CLA #carblog #switzerland #luxurycars pic.twitter.com/aesMdcE122— Luxury Cars (@luxurycarsch) January 12, 2026
Pricing for the car in Europe starts at €46,000 for petrol/hybrid model, €56,000 for CLA 250+EV model, up to €75,000 for full spec, and in US starts at $47,250 for Full EV model, hybrids/Shooting Brake model will be available in later 2026.
