Test drive Mercedes Benz CLS class C218 since 2010 sedan

TWO

There are also eternal values: Yakut diamonds, Yugansk oil, Riva boats and fifteen centimeters. From now on, Mercedes-Benz CLS, successfully replacing one large beautiful sedan and one swift beautiful compartment, is trying to squeeze between them. In this regard, it has four doors, so that sitting from behind will not feel infringed. But all this is called Coupe, because the owner, that the hostess here will definitely go ahead. And, like a real compartment, CLS will be bought only by two closest people. For myself and her.
She: Before sitting on this steering wheel, I decided: I will be strict and incorruptible. Every fool can praise such a machine, here to find as many hidden flaws as possible in it - this is a real sport. True, in this competition I came to the finish line.
Advertising is zombie: they said in a press release that this is a compartment, and now it starts to imagine that it is a compartment with characteristic generic features: a doors, a hanging roof and an almost imperceptible trunk (which turned out to be quite roomy). In fact, CLS is a classic four -door sedan. Which has dreamed of being a sports car all my life. Its abilities (power - 270 horsepower and engine volume - 3.5 liters) rightly put it in a row of almost sports cars.
He: Outside, everything is very good. Although some details could have failed. Somehow, the headlights remind me of the new Citroen models very much ... True, the headlights of all cars were equally round or rectangular even relatively recently. You won’t argue with fashion: how they start to make your shoulders and cut your pocket, so all at once - from H&M to Yamamoto.
She: I don’t know what you think about the stitches from Gucci there, - only Mercedes reminded me of CLS personally. With the branded style of the car, everything is in order. Only one moment broke him in my eyes. Having forced the car from the remote control, I pull the handle of the driver's door. At the same second, glass drops a few millimeters, and mirrors are automatically opened. More precisely, they had to open up - only one mirror, left, drove away from me. Here it is, the first flaw! On the street, only minus six Celsius, but, it turns out, this is enough for the mirror to freeze and stick in a folded position. In general, only after the fourth attempt, the right mirror fell into place. And I was so sure that Mercedes is when everything works and always ... But the cut definitely has nothing to do with it.
He: The next day, in competent male hands, everything worked the first time, although there was no thaw that day either. Thank you for training the mirror drive! I always liked this automation. In addition to those moments when I recalled that the most reliable mechanism is the simplest. Like Kalashnikov or Apple Macintosh. But if you decide it, it’s just right to return to sticks and stones - they are most reliable.
She: A light leather salon is stronger than Versace. On the street is frost and depression of the gray Moscow winter, and inside the car is an eternal holiday. I turn on the maximum heating of the seats, insert a disk with electronic music atomizeri and completely forget about the winter: it becomes warm and comfortable after 3-5 minutes. As if she had moved to another hemisphere - in Durban now just the beginning of summer. Now, if the sun was shining through a glass hatch ...
The second obvious advantage of CLS is a low and convenient landing. In fact, this is a classic of all expensive cars: the position of the seat and back can be adjusted manually or using a special device, the memory of which allows you to program the position of the chair for one or more drivers. This model provides four programmed landing options. While the chair or its back is pushed back, lowers or makes other movements, the steering wheel also does not stand still: it rests on the knees, lowers below or, on the contrary, rises, thereby ensuring the most convenient planting for long -legged girls. Even if they love stilettos. Automatic gearbox helps to forget about the inconvenience of studs (not at all that to suffer in endless traffic jams, squeezing the clutch!).
He: Low landing did not seem at all. After all, the car is actually not much lower than e-klasse-only five centimeters. That is, almost equal to some sedan is more modest. Here, as with the appearance, the psychological effect works rather: a strong slope of the windshield. In addition to pleasant associations, this gives a bad effect-due to powerful racks, the review seems insufficient. Parktronic here is absolutely necessary.
She: Well, he is here, right? And quite visual: the front problems in front, the rear - in the rear view mirror. And in general, for example, I had enough viewing forward. And inside there is something to see. The panel is trimmed with wood in a dark color - a combination with the color of the cabin gives the interior CLS additional nobility. In the center of the front console is a huge monitor: it is a TV and a navigation system banned in Russia, and, probably, a lot more. If the monitor is used as a TV, during movement the picture, of course, will disappear - only the sound will remain. Only when the car is completely stopped, the image will appear again. On the right and left of the monitor are different buttons: they are responsible for adjusting everything. I probably would have needed at least an hour to deal with their purpose. Nothing complicated - there are just too many of them.
It seems that I found the second flaw - nowhere is the cup holder! In theory, he should be to the right of the driver's seat. But there are only two boxes with sliding lids: they are also nobly decorated with wood and put glasses in them would be blasphemy. The first, more, probably for documents or phone. And second? I pushing the lid, press the button and in front of me is neatly revealed the desired drink holder.
But the glove compartment at CLS is very small: a couple of dozens of music disks or DVD, a bottle of mineral water and a driver’s atlas will enter the maximum. However, is something else necessary?
He: try to put the documents there and the insurance policy there. The main advantage of the Command system with this large display is that you do not need to rummage in a multi -level menu using a handle, like the main competitors. But if I bought this car, I would remember that you can get used to the handles for both MMI and IDRive in a few days, and then calmly use them even on the go. And with these buttons, even remembering where what is located, you will not admire when moving: you need to look at them at least a little. However, this inconvenience compensates for different buttons on the steering wheel. Now, if Mercedes-Benz also logically approached this lever and produced the functions of light and wipers for two, like everyone else ... otherwise I have time to wean from this star specificity and on CLS several times instead of the washer included a distant light. And then he was surprised that this people were so actively dumping from my strip? I seemed to be driving unbearable ...
She: Yeah, and there are a hole in the elderly, and not just on the old woman. I haven’t blinded anyone, because I tried the lever before leaving. Do you know the number one advice from the support service by phone? Please read the instructions. The girls, by the way, read the instructions more carefully, this has already been proven. Just men write them.
I examined the car not only from the driver's seat, but also from behind. There are two individual chairs and the same as in front, drawers: more and smaller. There is a lot of place for a regular compartment in the back as an example. Almost like in a representative sedan. For a complete similarity, only a TV is missing. Which, however, is quite fixable if desired.
I turn on the headlights, click on the gas, smoothly move off the place - let's go! Under the wheels, dirt and wet snow. When accelerating, the yellow light with an exclamation mark no longer stops and no longer stops - the anti -circus system masterfully copes with its functions: the machine does not lead and does not. On the speedometer - 60 km/h, speed allowed in the center of Moscow. But I will test the car - and what! There are no traffic jams, no one is particularly interfering ... I press the pedal to the floor - CLS thinks for a couple of seconds (this is the main drawback that I was able to find in it) and then briskly gains speed.
He: Exactly! The stupid reaction of the box to the complete pressing of the pedal also surprised me. Somehow it looks strange in a car with a sports image. Have you tried to turn on the sports regime? In it, the picture is quite acceptable.
She: Yes, I was enough without sports speed ... and even with a margin. I did not have time to come to my senses, as an employee of the traffic police with a wand in one hand and radar - in the other loomed in the other. I stop, I lower the glass, wait. Classical scene!
- Well, why are you rushing around the city with such a speed?
I look at the radar and do not believe my eyes - on the display of 140 km/h. It seems that I had just set my own record - I had never been to move around the city center. Even at nine in the morning on Sunday. But the policeman was clearly not going to congratulate me on the record:
“They take away for such a violation of the law,” he grumbled.
I explain that I am a journalist, I am writing about cars, and I have only a couple of hours for Mercedes-Benz CLS. During this time, I must have time to evaluate how he knows how to accelerate, how - to slow down, well, everything else. The monologue was short -lived, but bright. Or this dress tightened the figure. But the result exceeded expectation: I again gained rights and was not even fine.
I did not set new records anymore. Having rolled around the city, on the way back, I decided to check how the car keeps the road. She arranged her with slalom at a decent speed and was convinced: she holds the road CLS well.
He: Machines that keep the road poorly - they do not live for a long time. And this, after all, is Mercedes: it was necessary to try different modes. On our car is a pneumatic active suspension, from which you can choose one of the three modes - from the maximum maximum to the extremely hard. In Moscow, the most severe is not suitable for all roads. This, of course, is not Lotus, but it turns out some not quite Mercedes-Benz. The average seemed optimal to me - irregularities are almost invisible and with normal movement, hardness is not felt.
She: And she completely arranged me and comfortable: the car behaves very carefully. And when I returned CLS, I did not want to get out of the car - I liked it. But I will try to be picky to the end: it would be more convenient to call into the garage if the three -pointed star flaunted not inside the front lattice, but on the hood - it would be easier to keep the middle.
He: Here I would again remember about Parktronic. In my opinion, in Mercedes-Benz, it is more convenient for everyone else-indicators on the panel and above the rear window clearly show what we have a distance of the distance to the obstacle and from which side. And the fact that it automatically turns on at low speeds is very convenient in traffic jams. I really liked CLS - in style this car is just for me. When the silhouette is sports, but there are many possibilities: it is quite possible to afford to second and several people can give up without much discomfort. But if you think about it, it was created only for two.

Text Irina Rybalchenko, Valery Chusov photo Konstantin Kokoshkin

Mercedes-Benz CLS 350
 
Gasoline engine V6
Working volume (cubic cub) 3498
Power (L.S. at rpm) 272 at 6000
Moment (Nm at rpm) 350 at 2400-5000
The rear drive
The gearbox is 7-speed-automatic
Length/width/height (mm) 4913/1873/1703
Wheel base (mm) 2854
Equipped mass (kg) 1730
The maximum speed is 250
(km/h)
Acceleration to 100 km/h (c) 7.0
Fuel consumption (medium, 10.1
l/100 km)
Price in Moscow from 72,000 ($ 94 500)
The price of the tested 98 400 ($ 129 500)

Irina Rybalchenko correspondent ID Kommersant
age see photo
the last accident entered its Peugeot 307 in the BMW 745L, owned by a financial holding.
Valery Chusov Vuzrevtor Autopilot, engineer-designer of cars and tractors
age 38 years
the first accident put on the roof of Mitsubishi Carisma on the day of its presentation in the Russian market.

 

Source: "Autopilot"