2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA vs 2021 Ford Mustang

In recent years, first-time luxury shoppers have had plenty of choices, but those choices haven't always been great. In the past decade, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi have offered “fun-size” subcompact luxury cars and crossovers. But “subcompact” is typically synonymous with “budget,” and the German Big Three have had a hard time rectifying “small” with “upscale.” Look no further than the woeful Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class or the underwhelming BMW X1. These cars might have luxury badges on their hoods, but they hardly live up to them.

As subcompact luxury cars go, a “4-door coupe” like the 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class makes a lot more sense than I initially expected. For commuters and first-time luxury buyers who simply want a comfortable place to sit on their way to work, and who occasionally need a backseat for guests or kids, the CLA makes more sense than paying a premium for a crossover or larger sedan. It has the lines of a coupe but is more sensible than one.

The CLA has been redesigned for 2020, and as Mercedes has unveiled a more affordable A-Class sedan, the CLA is no longer the most affordable vehicle in the German luxury brand’s US lineup. This allows the CLA to grow in new and interesting ways, becoming a more dramatic performance luxury car. Read on to learn if the CLA-Class is the right choice for your first luxury car as well as which specific trim CarGurus recommends.