Brilliant review! I’m a total and complete CLS addict! I’m on my 4th and have owned them over a combined period of 10.5 years! I bought one of the first diesels (CLS320 CDi) that came out in UK in September 2005, loaded it and absolutely enjoyed it for the next 5 years and 50k miles, only selling as had to go work abroad. On my return years later I bought another loaded Mk 1 CLS320 CDi (used) which I owned for 3 years and 30k miles then bought a used, loaded 24k miles Mk 2 CLS350 CDi AMG Sport you just tested and that was an absolute joy to own and drive and covered 30k extremely happy and enjoyable miles in it up to Feb last year when I then bought a used extremely loaded low miles facelift Mk2 CLS350d with the premium plus package (recommended) plus optional air suspension (very rare) which I’ve enjoyed driving 6k pandemic limited miles! Absolutely love it’s looks! I’m still trying to decide if I like the current Mk3 shape which has lost most of the distinctive styling cues that CLS models have been known for, especially the wide rear haunch, low stance and swage lines on the sides... From the front it’s so generic looking you could easily mistake it for an A Class and it’s become a bit slab sided... These cars are par for the course in reliability terms but I’ve found that high miles versions of the Mk1 particularly between circa 80k and 105k miles (circa 9 to 15 years old) like other Mercs and BMWs (have owned a fair few) tend to have various parts expire from miles or age. That’s my (and many friends) experiences. Low miles full Dealer history cars maintained scrupulously are quite reliable. The only quirks I’ve found have been the odd electronic gremlin or 2 eg proximity sensor on my Mk 2 went at 25k miles. The other thing I found with CLS cars is that they do not like to be left sitting undriven on driveways for weeks at a time....things start seizing, rusting leaking etc. Drive them every 2 to 3 days and give them a motorway run at least fortnightly and I’ve found them to be fine. Maintaining them scrupulously and not letting things pile up keeps them going fine. From a DRIVING perspective, the Mk 1 cars are motorway cruisers and will eat up the miles with ridiculous ease, leaving you nice and fresh at the end of your journey. They are though average for handling. The Mk2 however and fitted up front with the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres (they don’t make the rear tyre size) which I can not recommend enough, make the handling of this car an absolute revelation!! I can’t speak for anyone else but I’ve owned multiple 5 and 3 series BMWs plus a host of other cars (owned over 40 cars in last 30 years) and can tell you unreservedly that this car on those tyres is the best handling car I’ve driven and by a mile.... The only down side to the brilliant handling is that the Sports suspension give it a slightly firmer ride than is normal, not harsh but you can feel the little lumps and bumps. My current used Mk2 facelift 350d had the optional Airmatic air suspension fitted and of course immediately fitted the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres to its front and its given me a nice balance between good handling (not as razor sharp as my Pre facelift Mk2) and a magic carpet ride, which is an absolute revelation. It has also had a lot of additional sound deadening fitted so is considerably quieter than my last one and is nice and hushed on the inside. It also has the syrupy smooth 9 speed auto which changes gears imperceptibly Final thing I love about my current and previous Mk 2 CLS350 CDi is the intelligent LED headlight system which simply put, turns night into daytime!! I used to hate night driving but it makes no difference to me now whether it’s night or day Will I upgrade to the Mk3 CLS in a year or so? I’m not sure... I love the interior but am neutral at best to the exterior... 70 to 80% of why I love the CLS is how it looks from the outside, so.... If I decide to go ahead from habit, a loaded CLS 400d with 4 wheel drive and a 0-62mph time of 5 seconds dead does sound enticing....
@@amhandweiser43 The 4matic must be a joy to launch off a junction on a cold wet day! The traction must be stupendous with 457 lbft of torque to deploy from near idle…!
For a 9 year old car it still looks new , a timeless shape that has not dated and like the colour combination . Good to hear that electrical issues are sorted out , my 2007 model had many electrical gremlins and did not like being left without being driven and was why I sold it last year which was a shame because I loved driving it.
Nearly went for the shooting brake myself. Stunning car and £1300 cheaper than the BMW 530d touring I chose with 10k more miles. The BMW just appeared better to me. All personal preference, but it's undeniable that's its a beautiful car
No one does used car reviews better than you. Your knowledge and expertise about the products and their respective engineering as well as the market is second to none.
@@jeremyaustin9103 I have one best car ever .. still stop and look at it just cos it’s so damn good looking and it’s a great car.. saving up for a low mileage younger one
I'm on my 4th CLS, genuinely can't think of anything to replace it with. BMW 6 Grand Coupe does nothing for me, Porsche Panameras were dumpy looking (new shape are SO much better). Try the CLS63, love mine 😁
Exactly mate! I just purchased a 13-year-old CLS63, for peanuts! 14,000 USD, for a car that originally invoiced at $125,000 USD, I've got plenty left over for repairs! Best car I've ever owned! Most people can't believe that it's that old! I personally think the gen one was far better looking than the gen 2. the gen one was like nothing on the road when it came out! And with the AMG 6.2 naturally aspirated engine, it's just a beast! 0 to 60 just a couple of ticks over 4 seconds
Would like to see you do something on the king of Mercedes pillar-less coupes! The mighty CL & one that at least has the AMG sports kit. If not the mighty AMG CL63 or the AMG CL55 themselves
@@raycroal I've had 2 - a 2004 - 54 plate 270 cdi (5 cylinder diesel) - with the 5 speed auto, beautifully finished in a high end blue, with a good spec list. The second, a facelift 2005 - 55 plate 320 cdi - 7 spd auto... this was an amazing car - but it had a lot of mechanical issues stemming from non mercedes mechanics fiddling... but the engine was brilliant, really powerful and quite fast - and surprisingly economical - all the way across france and back to the midlands on one tank, with fuel left over.
I own a 2011/12 CLS 350 AMG trim, 3.0 V6 diesel, I’ve had the car for 3 years now, it’s the best car I’ve ever owned so far, my previous car was a Jaguar XF luxury 2008, 2.7 diesel, that was unreliable, lots of people told me the newer 3.0 V6 engines are more reliable. I had a reverse camera fitted on my CLS, no heated seats, fortunately this magnificent car heats up really fast. I usually do urban driving not had any mechanical issues at all, I use Shell V power premium diesel only, it drives well, for a 3.0 it’s really good on fuel I get 30 mpg urban 53 mpg on the motorway, no electrical issues, it’s well built, looks the part for a 10 year old car, I used to take it to Mercedes for a service, I think they just rip people off with their fees so for the last 2 years I use Halfords major service ( I get a lot more for my money, highly recommended) the drive is so smooth and the suspension is solid well built all rounder, I cannot fault this car I fell in love with it when I watched Ray Donovan in one, as looks go, it’s one sexy beast it’s incredibly fast. I will keep this car for as long as it lasts,if I have one complain, the DAB cuts out from time to time, that’s an issue I can live with unlike the thousands of £££ I spent on repair bills for my former Jaguar XF. I was going to get the newer 15 plate model but the infotainment screen just sits there, it’s just ugly puts me right off plus most in that year are 2.1 Diesel engines,I think a car of this size must have the 3.0 diesel V6 for a better ride and comfort in my opinion.
The first gen CLS will always be a timeless classic and a trend-setter. It's probably the best design Mercedes has ever produced. Calling it dated is like looking at Mademoiselle Pogány and calling it simple.
Big CLS fan so been waiting all day to watch this, thought I had a moments peace to do so until the mrs stars rambling about something.....missed half the video!!!! REPLAY 0:00
Yessss, been waiting for you to do a merc with a 350 engine in it. I fancy an e350 estate. I know you're more of a 5 series kinda dude but you just seem to be able to get more car for the price with MB.
The 350 diesel is a peach of an engine on the open road at speed but as Matt says.. around town it keeps searching for the right gear. My e350 cdi returns me over 50mpg on a run. The power delivery when you floor it is more "surge" than throw you back in the seat, but 40 to 70mph it's fun
Thanks! I am driving 2011 CLS 250 which I bought to replace my 2010 CLS 350. But I was reluctant to sell my W219 and thus kept both of them. Both gens are special in a way. This one is much better built and more up to date, more economic , cheaper to tax and so on. But I so love the original looks of W219 , dated or not. Both gens are very cool. One thing you didn't mention - there is a wind-noise due to design of side mirrors on W218.
Great video Matt what a stunning looking car. This is an amazing looking car but the first generation will always be my favourite. I remember seeing it for the first time in around 2006 and I was 12 years old, ever since its been my dream car!
Solid review. Straight to the point. Also, I never heard anything bad about this car. Like it almost doesn't have any so called diseases and weak points. Definitely looks like a solid built car in terms of both quality and reliability.
This is one of the best cars Mercedes ever made until they completely ruined it in 2015 as well as with all their lineup with those horrendous ipad-wannabe interior screens
Sound advice as usual. I have been running a facelifted CLS 320cdi on a 58 plate for 11 years. Apart from fuel and serviceable items she has been a peach of a vehicle.Highly recommended. Only gripe: I hit 50 this year and the seats are getting more difficult to climb out of.
I like the CLS but I would prefer due to practicability the Shooting Brake version of it. Which to my opinion is one of the most beautiful estate cars on the market.
Great stuff as usual. Would run some DPF cleaner in the diesel twice a year. My old school mechanic was unconvinced till it got me through an MOT. He is now a convert.
I bought a CLS new in 2014 and loved it, such a calm cruiser it just chilled you out. The column gear selector was ace, nothing I’ve owned since has worked better
Great review of a lovely looking car. I've always liked the 2-rear-seats format, it gives the vehicle a sense of luxury, it's as if they can dispense with the vulgarity of squeezing in a 3rd seat!
Around 40mpg for a car like this does sound good. In some ways I think it's a shame the Japanese never had a higher end diesel luxury car like this. Best we had was the IS220D or arguably lower down the Honda Accord diesel auto or perhaps the Avensis diesel auto.
My take on the DPF is that they're absolutely reliable if used properly and if the engine is in good condition. Most DPF fails occur when either someone only does city driving (in which case why buy a diesel anyway?) or when the engine is used up and should be rebuilt or scrapped. I hear people complaining about DPFs failing but their car has done 400k miles and when they remove the filter all you can see is a black cloud for miles behind them. The DPF failing is just an indicator the engine's f'd.
Interesting, but you are wrong about the mark 1. It's a far more elegant design. The mark 2 is a compromise in looks in order to achieve more practicality. That's fine, but if you want practicality, just buy the e class.
Another truly informative and no-nonsense review, completely seeing through the car! In my view, the problem with the CLS is the E-Class. You get so much for your money there. I’d only consider the shooting brake as a compromise, so you get the extra refinement but you don’t feel that you are an antique dealer with a grandfather clock in the back!
Fantastic car to cover miles in. I had a W219 (Mk1) - bought it at 3yrs old, ran it 2 and a bit years for the work schlep ( up to 5-6hrs drive to suppliers, work all day, then head home). Lovely smooth V6 diesel, torquey, 40+mpg all day without trying, 80 litre tank (free option on CLS & E-Class that most seemed to have) meant I didn't have to figure on fuel stops. And it never missed a beat. Was looking for a W218 to replace it... got a bit distracted and ended up with a C63! #whoops 🤣
I got a CLS500 brand new in 2006 in around 75,000 USD. I wasn’t able to use it to much so I decided to sold it to a close friend who never used the car for another 10 years! 2 weeks ago I had the opportunity to re-buy it just at $8,000.00. with 20,000 miles ! What a great deal drive it in weekends and enjoy the power and smoothness of this great car !!!
I had a 2012 C Class Diesel Coupe for 6 years, NEVER had a problem with the DPF and only 2 faults weren't wear and tear ( headlight module and window regulator). As for the DPF you should always with ANY diesel take it on a Motorway run of at least 30 miles (till the engine is up to temp for 20+ mins) at least once per month. I shudder to think how many DPF's in diesel's in the UK have needed replaced or fixed (they can cost up to £2k to replace) as a result of the Lockdown's and the "stay local" mantra. As for the CLS all i'd say is you may want a Jag XF more than that, until of course the electrics or something else packs in due to their iffy build quality.
Brings back the memories. I had the 2009 model of this and it was bullet proof in respect of in 4 years I had it, it never broke down. Obviously the normal things needed looking after like the glow plugs and various other things. The one annoying problem I use to have with it was when the engine was cold and I would put my foot down it would sometimes go into limp mode. I finally managed to cure this problem by getting a new battery. Overall I was very happy with this car, on the motorway it was a joy to drive. I changed it for a BMW 520d in the end because of emissions charges will be coming into play around our area, so didnt fancy paying £15 per day to drive it.
I own 2013 cls250 shooting brake 2014 Range Rover sport super diesel 2013 ram 2500 Laramie longhorn long box 2021 Harley Davidson road king special And I love all of them. But the merc is by far the most refined.
My Dad absolutely loves the CLS and has done since day one! He would have one in a heartbeat if he could afford it! Always been a Merc fan myself but amazingly never got around to owning one either Lol 🙄
Always loved this car...I’m amazed the saloon version didn’t come with a 3 seat option. Massively cut out a huge market share in my opinion and is the only reason I never bought one.Love the rear lights and quarter panels.
Always enjoy your reviews but can't believe you have such a downer on the styling of a Mk1 CLS. They're gorgeous... iconic! Maybe I'm biased, I own one. Agree with the verdict on the 7g gearbox, they're not good. I would hope Merc have rectified the issues from the Mk1 as it fries the speed sensor in the conductor plate. Also, 80k before gearbox service?? Not sure about the Mk2 but 30-35k for the Mk1 if you want it to work right. Love yer channel, keep up the great reviews.
Very glad to see this vid of the CLS albeit 6mnths too late for me. I bought one! 2013 350d Shooting Brake in Magno Matte. Your closing argument against the comp. is valid for the coupe (and I would have gone 640d)....except you didn’t mention the shooting brake... this is unique (maybe even marmite to some people) but has no such rivals. (2 medium sized dogs do fit).
Thanks Matt at last a real car, although the mark3 is still the best looking, I have one and really love it, I agree the BMW gran coupe is stunning but a 2016 model is over 20.000,i got my 2015 2.2 cls amg line. Blue tec with only 27.000 on the clock for 18.000.smells and looks brand new. I did send you a picture in Your what car do we have, u have seen your video of 1 and 2 but you did not show it. So here it is. Great videos Matt.
I have had my Iridium silver 2007 CLS500, 5.5 litre V8 MK 1 covered 141,000kms for 3 years. Still in love with the looks. I use 95 RON fuel as recommended.In Australia or more to the point the state I live in Victoria, 95 fuel is about Pounds 0.78 per litre.
Classy looking CLS. Great thing maintaining servicing at mercedes maintains the breakdown service free. Good video, I think I personally would go for either: Jaguar XF, BMW 530d or my fav the Range Rover Sport TDV6. Cheers Matt.
@@HighPeakAutos great videos Matt. Love the witty commentary and humour. Look forward to all videos. Regardless of the car. I’m a huge fan of Rangeys as you know. 👌
I have an e350d coupe... always run it on V power diesel 💪... never had issues.. even the Mercedes dealer said the fuel filter needed changing but looked new... wow
Torque is expressed as pound foot not feet. It refers basically to the twisting for requires to move x pounds one foot. So 300 pound foot is the force required to move 300 pounds one foot. Then there is the gearing to consider.
My dad bought the CLS 220 d brand new on a 66 plate for £54.000. was an absolute beautiful car. Boot was a bit small for such a large car but was smooth and powerful and stunning in light silver and black hide. Definitely worth a look on the second hand market if you find one with Full MBSH .
I have always though and I still do thing that this is the most beautiful car Mercedes every made. I love them the only downside for me is I find them a little low but still gorgeous.
I have a 2013 CLS Shooting Break and find it hard to disagree with this video. Before buying it I also considered an A7 and BMW 6 series, but the CLS was considerably cheaper and had a larger boot (I have two young kids). The Shooting Breaking was also a cheaper second hand buy than an E Class estate, despite the CLS being more expensive when new, primarily I think because the E Class boot is "more practical" i.e. square, but it's considerably less attractive than the CLS. Old mercs, especially rare ones like the Shooting Break, usually start to go up in value as they get older, so I am going to keep hold of mine as long as I can.
Had my low mile 2014 CLS 550 for 6 months. Had to buy new tires for it since they were the originals and came out-of-round. BUT! Now that I have new tires, I LOVE my CLS W218.
I even like the interior multi media integration better that the facelift when they went with the tablet style display. No idea what they were thinking.
Ive owned a brand new CLS350CDI since 2011, done 135000 so far and still running perfect, brilliant car! to me its still worth the 65k i paid for it then
Quality upload as bloody normal Matt. Do you remember replying to my comment when I mentioned that your sub-base was increasing at an unbelievable rate ??? Your reply was " I can`t believe it, I nearly have more people subscribing than Stockport County get to a home game " Now look at you ( And may I say totally deserved ) more people than Barcelona, Man Utd or Real Madrid get to a home game😁👍😁👍😁👌 Reg`s as always Steve.
I have owned a 2007 CLS320 CDI from 3 years old and it still gets lots of looks for the right reason the Mk1 is the most pure and stylish, fast safe and economic - not bedfellows in many cars! The MK2 looked like a Blue Peter exercise with cardboard boxes stuck on the original design. Funny that the Mk3 has reverted to the MK1 -funny that!
The 4.6 V8 of that era was only 0.3 seconds slower to 60 than the 5.5 V8 in the full on AMG car, despite having about 100 bhp less. The torque figures were massive. The road tax was also about half that of the AMG.
Unless you have deep pockets don’t . Just got rid of mine , did just 1000 miles last year and over £2000 in bills , car had only done 115k miles and regularly serviced . Mot came around and headlight failed local MB specialist in Southampton charged £850 to change headlight , wouldn’t let me have old one back said it was an exchange part . Star had said igniter pack on Xenon had failed which were available approx £100 , Mot garage said it looked like the original headlight and I think I got charged £850 to replace a £100 part , the Labour wasn’t excessive . Previously they said the gearbox and engine mounts wanted changing at aprrox £900 , my MOT garage said they were fine . Some of the indys will rip you off .you’ve been warned .
I have one. Very well made, good value. Quality interior. No, it is not really suitable for 4 adults but do-able on short journeys, it is suitable for a couple of kids in the back. As said, needs looking after in terms of servicing.
Hi Matt, as soon as I saw new video, I said great a bit of Ray Donovan, almost, so chuffed when you agreed, keep up the great work, stay safe, regards Dave.
In my opinion this was the best looking generation of CLS
Facts !!
Yep these headlights and taillights were special
One of the best looking mercs! Hands down. New mercs look awdul on the outside
@@hedzt6667 in my opinion the 280 is the best looking or the 300sl in my opinion anyways.
I think so too. But when it came out I didn't like it, it looked too boring I thought back then compared to the first gen. Now I love it though.
Brilliant review! I’m a total and complete CLS addict!
I’m on my 4th and have owned them over a combined period of 10.5 years!
I bought one of the first diesels (CLS320 CDi) that came out in UK in September 2005, loaded it and absolutely enjoyed it for the next 5 years and 50k miles, only selling as had to go work abroad.
On my return years later I bought another loaded Mk 1 CLS320 CDi (used) which I owned for 3 years and 30k miles then bought a used, loaded 24k miles Mk 2 CLS350 CDi AMG Sport you just tested and that was an absolute joy to own and drive and covered 30k extremely happy and enjoyable miles in it up to Feb last year when I then bought a used extremely loaded low miles facelift Mk2 CLS350d with the premium plus package (recommended) plus optional air suspension (very rare) which I’ve enjoyed driving 6k pandemic limited miles! Absolutely love it’s looks!
I’m still trying to decide if I like the current Mk3 shape which has lost most of the distinctive styling cues that CLS models have been known for, especially the wide rear haunch, low stance and swage lines on the sides...
From the front it’s so generic looking you could easily mistake it for an A Class and it’s become a bit slab sided...
These cars are par for the course in reliability terms but I’ve found that high miles versions of the Mk1 particularly between circa 80k and 105k miles (circa 9 to 15 years old) like other Mercs and BMWs (have owned a fair few) tend to have various parts expire from miles or age. That’s my (and many friends) experiences.
Low miles full Dealer history cars maintained scrupulously are quite reliable. The only quirks I’ve found have been the odd electronic gremlin or 2 eg proximity sensor on my Mk 2 went at 25k miles.
The other thing I found with CLS cars is that they do not like to be left sitting undriven on driveways for weeks at a time....things start seizing, rusting leaking etc. Drive them every 2 to 3 days and give them a motorway run at least fortnightly and I’ve found them to be fine.
Maintaining them scrupulously and not letting things pile up keeps them going fine.
From a DRIVING perspective, the Mk 1 cars are motorway cruisers and will eat up the miles with ridiculous ease, leaving you nice and fresh at the end of your journey. They are though average for handling.
The Mk2 however and fitted up front with the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres (they don’t make the rear tyre size) which I can not recommend enough, make the handling of this car an absolute revelation!! I can’t speak for anyone else but I’ve owned multiple 5 and 3 series BMWs plus a host of other cars (owned over 40 cars in last 30 years) and can tell you unreservedly that this car on those tyres is the best handling car I’ve driven and by a mile....
The only down side to the brilliant handling is that the Sports suspension give it a slightly firmer ride than is normal, not harsh but you can feel the little lumps and bumps.
My current used Mk2 facelift 350d had the optional Airmatic air suspension fitted and of course immediately fitted the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres to its front and its given me a nice balance between good handling (not as razor sharp as my Pre facelift Mk2) and a magic carpet ride, which is an absolute revelation.
It has also had a lot of additional sound deadening fitted so is considerably quieter than my last one and is nice and hushed on the inside. It also has the syrupy smooth 9 speed auto which changes gears imperceptibly
Final thing I love about my current and previous Mk 2 CLS350 CDi is the intelligent LED headlight system which simply put, turns night into daytime!!
I used to hate night driving but it makes no difference to me now whether it’s night or day
Will I upgrade to the Mk3 CLS in a year or so?
I’m not sure...
I love the interior but am neutral at best to the exterior...
70 to 80% of why I love the CLS is how it looks from the outside, so....
If I decide to go ahead from habit, a loaded CLS 400d with 4 wheel drive and a 0-62mph time of 5 seconds dead does sound enticing....
Excellent write up.
I agree . Mk 2 was the best looking ones and I've got one parked in the garage. It'll grow old with me 😊
I can confirm every word on the 218 - I have a nice S218 350 SB 4Matic AirMatic after over 30 cars (5 Benzs): nice car !!!
@@amhandweiser43 The 4matic must be a joy to launch off a junction on a cold wet day!
The traction must be stupendous with 457 lbft of torque to deploy from near idle…!
@@paulkeaney1609 Thank you Paul
For a 9 year old car it still looks new , a timeless shape that has not dated and like the colour combination . Good to hear that electrical issues are sorted out , my 2007 model had many electrical gremlins and did not like being left without being driven and was why I sold it last year which was a shame because I loved driving it.
To me the 1st gen is one of the most beautiful cars ever made by Mercedes!
It was favourite looking cook back in 2007, second from that was the BMW 1 series.
Totally agree ,,,my favourite car
Absolutely spot on 👍
Yes I agree, nice clean uncluttered styling.
I'm in Australia, and we have a chain here called "Specsavers". Do you know it?
The shooting brake would be my choice, quite an underrated estate.
not underrated...its way too expensive for people to afford
Nearly went for the shooting brake myself.
Stunning car and £1300 cheaper than the BMW 530d touring I chose with 10k more miles.
The BMW just appeared better to me.
All personal preference, but it's undeniable that's its a beautiful car
I have one and its lush, pleasantly surprised
I have got cls 250 cdi shooting brake automatic 2013
And is amazing, very spacious .
Same!
one of the prettiest cars Mercedes ever made, I do like the first gen too
@Kli Psh ….without the style and va va voom!
Really enjoy watching this channel, helped keep me sane through all these lockdowns thank you
Great to hear!
I only just realized you're nearly at 100k. Holy Miata.
As a diesel one hopes its just getting broken in!
@@jonnycando I thinks he's talking about the amount of subscribers to this channel not mileage!
Now hey at 300k🥳
I had one of these as a company car for 6 months back in the day. As we say in Bristol, it was mint
This channel is the best in the UK right now. Honest and Encouraging reviews. You just gained a new sub. Thanks🙌🏾
Thanks! Welcome aboard!
No one does used car reviews better than you.
Your knowledge and expertise about the products and their respective engineering as well as the market is second to none.
Thanks! I appreciate that
Who’s been since the beginning ? It’s good to see the growth !
Always loved this car. Especially the Shooting Brake. It looks like it's 2-3 times more expensive than it actually is.
I absolutely agree. Next car will be one of those.
@@jeremyaustin9103 I have one best car ever .. still stop and look at it just cos it’s so damn good looking and it’s a great car.. saving up for a low mileage younger one
@@CGAT147 Brought one in May. waggon 350 prem plus...with tiny miles.
lovely motor
@@jeremyaustin9103 one thing and it s a Mercedes thing.. service costs are soo steep so find a reputable independent and save at least 50%
@@CGAT147 very very lucky local indy is awesome
Great review ! No long intro asking to subscribe etc. Straight to the point
I have to say Matt the sound quality is great now, well done on sorting it, O and yes another gret review
Thanks!
Looks like a car that will look great for years. Great review - thanks from Australia.
The estate version is even better looking with its shooting break design and in silver looks awesome
Keep the videos coming love them!
Loving the vids!! Keep them coming!!
Thanks! Will do!
The shooting brake version of this also looks amazing!
I'm on my 4th CLS, genuinely can't think of anything to replace it with. BMW 6 Grand Coupe does nothing for me, Porsche Panameras were dumpy looking (new shape are SO much better).
Try the CLS63, love mine 😁
Exactly mate! I just purchased a 13-year-old CLS63, for peanuts! 14,000 USD, for a car that originally invoiced at $125,000 USD, I've got plenty left over for repairs! Best car I've ever owned! Most people can't believe that it's that old! I personally think the gen one was far better looking than the gen 2. the gen one was like nothing on the road when it came out! And with the AMG 6.2 naturally aspirated engine, it's just a beast! 0 to 60 just a couple of ticks over 4 seconds
On my 4th one as well and not sure were to go next as the external looks of the Mk3 isn’t quite so appealing...
@@obez42 completely agree..! And there's no full-fat AMG version, just the E53. Sad times
Would like to see you do something on the king of Mercedes pillar-less coupes! The mighty CL & one that at least has the AMG sports kit. If not the mighty AMG CL63 or the AMG CL55 themselves
So would I!
65
Or my favourite - the wonderful CLK (not joking - they're great... honestly - just don't spend more than a grand)
@@coraandspink what clk s have you tried and whats your favorite
@@raycroal I've had 2 - a 2004 - 54 plate 270 cdi (5 cylinder diesel) - with the 5 speed auto, beautifully finished in a high end blue, with a good spec list. The second, a facelift 2005 - 55 plate 320 cdi - 7 spd auto... this was an amazing car - but it had a lot of mechanical issues stemming from non mercedes mechanics fiddling... but the engine was brilliant, really powerful and quite fast - and surprisingly economical - all the way across france and back to the midlands on one tank, with fuel left over.
I own a 2011/12 CLS 350 AMG trim, 3.0 V6 diesel, I’ve had the car for 3 years now, it’s the best car I’ve ever owned so far, my previous car was a Jaguar XF luxury 2008, 2.7 diesel, that was unreliable, lots of people told me the newer 3.0 V6 engines are more reliable. I had a reverse camera fitted on my CLS, no heated seats, fortunately this magnificent car heats up really fast. I usually do urban driving not had any mechanical issues at all, I use Shell V power premium diesel only, it drives well, for a 3.0 it’s really good on fuel I get 30 mpg urban 53 mpg on the motorway, no electrical issues, it’s well built, looks the part for a 10 year old car, I used to take it to Mercedes for a service, I think they just rip people off with their fees so for the last 2 years I use Halfords major service ( I get a lot more for my money, highly recommended) the drive is so smooth and the suspension is solid well built all rounder, I cannot fault this car I fell in love with it when I watched Ray Donovan in one, as looks go, it’s one sexy beast it’s incredibly fast. I will keep this car for as long as it lasts,if I have one complain, the DAB cuts out from time to time, that’s an issue I can live with unlike the thousands of £££ I spent on repair bills for my former Jaguar XF. I was going to get the newer 15 plate model but the infotainment screen just sits there, it’s just ugly puts me right off plus most in that year are 2.1 Diesel engines,I think a car of this size must have the 3.0 diesel V6 for a better ride and comfort in my opinion.
That interior looks so luxurious and good quality. Must be such a nice place to be on a long run.
It is!
The first gen CLS will always be a timeless classic and a trend-setter. It's probably the best design Mercedes has ever produced. Calling it dated is like looking at Mademoiselle Pogány and calling it simple.
I’d like to see a review of the Citroën C6 and BMW X5 F15.
C6 , bravo
Big CLS fan so been waiting all day to watch this, thought I had a moments peace to do so until the mrs stars rambling about something.....missed half the video!!!!
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Yessss, been waiting for you to do a merc with a 350 engine in it. I fancy an e350 estate. I know you're more of a 5 series kinda dude but you just seem to be able to get more car for the price with MB.
Youre right about the value for money
The 350 diesel is a peach of an engine on the open road at speed but as Matt says.. around town it keeps searching for the right gear. My e350 cdi returns me over 50mpg on a run. The power delivery when you floor it is more "surge" than throw you back in the seat, but 40 to 70mph it's fun
@@stueyboy1966is yours a 7g or a 9g? I just need to stop being 12 years old so the insurance isn't disgusting ☹️
@@mrboomboombaby 7g
Thanks! I am driving 2011 CLS 250 which I bought to replace my 2010 CLS 350. But I was reluctant to sell my W219 and thus kept both of them. Both gens are special in a way. This one is much better built and more up to date, more economic , cheaper to tax and so on. But I so love the original looks of W219 , dated or not. Both gens are very cool. One thing you didn't mention - there is a wind-noise due to design of side mirrors on W218.
Was just looking at reviews on these. Then this pops up.. I love the look of this model
Great video Matt what a stunning looking car. This is an amazing looking car but the first generation will always be my favourite. I remember seeing it for the first time in around 2006 and I was 12 years old, ever since its been my dream car!
Solid review. Straight to the point. Also, I never heard anything bad about this car. Like it almost doesn't have any so called diseases and weak points. Definitely looks like a solid built car in terms of both quality and reliability.
The odd electronic issue tends to be the thing that you may find with well maintained low mile ones
This is one of the best cars Mercedes ever made until they completely ruined it in 2015 as well as with all their lineup with those horrendous ipad-wannabe interior screens
Agreed, they had a nicely integrated design and then 🤷
They also dropped the NA V6 and I think the V8
I agree, I really hate the design after 2015
Sound advice as usual.
I have been running a facelifted CLS 320cdi on a 58 plate for 11 years. Apart from fuel and serviceable items she has been a peach of a vehicle.Highly recommended.
Only gripe: I hit 50 this year and the seats are getting more difficult to climb out of.
Hahaha😂@Mr Reindeer
That’s a very familiar problem!
Love that shape CLS and in that colour, looks amazing. Defo have that over an E-Class of the same era
I like the CLS but I would prefer due to practicability the Shooting Brake version of it. Which to my opinion is one of the most beautiful estate cars on the market.
Great stuff as usual. Would run some DPF cleaner in the diesel twice a year. My old school mechanic was unconvinced till it got me through an MOT. He is now a convert.
Personally I prefer the look of the mk1 over the mk2
That's a great looking car, specially with those rims. However, as you said, the competition is at another level. Good review!
Thanks! 👍
The cls exists, but has effectively been replaced by the gt63s as a competitor for the gran coupe (beem) and A7 (Aud)
@@tangodown86 I know, but we're talking about the car on the video. 2012 is the context.
I bought a CLS new in 2014 and loved it, such a calm cruiser it just chilled you out. The column gear selector was ace, nothing I’ve owned since has worked better
Ergonomically its great, once you're used to it
This generation design is really timeless
Great review of a lovely looking car. I've always liked the 2-rear-seats format, it gives the vehicle a sense of luxury, it's as if they can dispense with the vulgarity of squeezing in a 3rd seat!
Around 40mpg for a car like this does sound good. In some ways I think it's a shame the Japanese never had a higher end diesel luxury car like this. Best we had was the IS220D or arguably lower down the Honda Accord diesel auto or perhaps the Avensis diesel auto.
100k tomorrow 💪 well done matt. Well deserved. 🔥👍
Lovely colour combination. A real motorway muncher.
Indeed!
The 63 AMG Shooting Brake is my all-time favourite practical car.
My take on the DPF is that they're absolutely reliable if used properly and if the engine is in good condition. Most DPF fails occur when either someone only does city driving (in which case why buy a diesel anyway?) or when the engine is used up and should be rebuilt or scrapped. I hear people complaining about DPFs failing but their car has done 400k miles and when they remove the filter all you can see is a black cloud for miles behind them. The DPF failing is just an indicator the engine's f'd.
Interesting, but you are wrong about the mark 1. It's a far more elegant design. The mark 2 is a compromise in looks in order to achieve more practicality. That's fine, but if you want practicality, just buy the e class.
Excellent presentation, very good reviewer, on point and good delivery of facts. Keep up the good work!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Can't believe I caught this video before 30 seconds since it's upload! I love this CLS btw.
Another truly informative and no-nonsense review, completely seeing through the car! In my view, the problem with the CLS is the E-Class. You get so much for your money there. I’d only consider the shooting brake as a compromise, so you get the extra refinement but you don’t feel that you are an antique dealer with a grandfather clock in the back!
Thank you. Most of my suppliers’ representative’s have driven these, I’ve always hankered after one.
I always watch your reviews. Really good knowledge and I like your enthusiasm for cars. You don’t seem like a pointy shoe car sales man.
Easily the best commentary of any ' car world ' programme. How you are not fronting Top Gear ( for example ) beats me.
Nice review, I like the "straight to the point" style. You have a new subscriber
Fantastic car to cover miles in. I had a W219 (Mk1) - bought it at 3yrs old, ran it 2 and a bit years for the work schlep ( up to 5-6hrs drive to suppliers, work all day, then head home). Lovely smooth V6 diesel, torquey, 40+mpg all day without trying, 80 litre tank (free option on CLS & E-Class that most seemed to have) meant I didn't have to figure on fuel stops. And it never missed a beat.
Was looking for a W218 to replace it... got a bit distracted and ended up with a C63! #whoops 🤣
I got a CLS500 brand new in 2006 in around 75,000 USD. I wasn’t able to use it to much so I decided to sold it to a close friend who never used the car for another 10 years! 2 weeks ago I had the opportunity to re-buy it just at $8,000.00. with 20,000 miles ! What a great deal drive it in weekends and enjoy the power and smoothness of this great car !!!
I had a 2012 C Class Diesel Coupe for 6 years, NEVER had a problem with the DPF and only 2 faults weren't wear and tear ( headlight module and window regulator). As for the DPF you should always with ANY diesel take it on a Motorway run of at least 30 miles (till the engine is up to temp for 20+ mins) at least once per month. I shudder to think how many DPF's in diesel's in the UK have needed replaced or fixed (they can cost up to £2k to replace) as a result of the Lockdown's and the "stay local" mantra. As for the CLS all i'd say is you may want a Jag XF more than that, until of course the electrics or something else packs in due to their iffy build quality.
Brings back the memories. I had the 2009 model of this and it was bullet proof in respect of in 4 years I had it, it never broke down. Obviously the normal things needed looking after like the glow plugs and various other things. The one annoying problem I use to have with it was when the engine was cold and I would put my foot down it would sometimes go into limp mode. I finally managed to cure this problem by getting a new battery. Overall I was very happy with this car, on the motorway it was a joy to drive. I changed it for a BMW 520d in the end because of emissions charges will be coming into play around our area, so didnt fancy paying £15 per day to drive it.
In my opinion, the CLS MK2 is the best looking car Mercedes has built so far. Especially the CLS 63 amg🥵
I own
2013 cls250 shooting brake
2014 Range Rover sport super diesel
2013 ram 2500 Laramie longhorn long box
2021 Harley Davidson road king special
And I love all of them. But the merc is by far the most refined.
My Dad absolutely loves the CLS and has done since day one! He would have one in a heartbeat if he could afford it! Always been a Merc fan myself but amazingly never got around to owning one either Lol 🙄
Always loved this car...I’m amazed the saloon version didn’t come with a 3 seat option. Massively cut out a huge market share in my opinion and is the only reason I never bought one.Love the rear lights and quarter panels.
Always enjoy your reviews but can't believe you have such a downer on the styling of a Mk1 CLS. They're gorgeous... iconic! Maybe I'm biased, I own one. Agree with the verdict on the 7g gearbox, they're not good. I would hope Merc have rectified the issues from the Mk1 as it fries the speed sensor in the conductor plate. Also, 80k before gearbox service?? Not sure about the Mk2 but 30-35k for the Mk1 if you want it to work right.
Love yer channel, keep up the great reviews.
I used to love them but I can’t help but think they look a bit out dated now
1st gen gang. Starting right at 07 was the real sweet spot of engine/trans mating with raw naturally aspirated performance
Very glad to see this vid of the CLS albeit 6mnths too late for me. I bought one! 2013 350d Shooting Brake in Magno Matte. Your closing argument against the comp. is valid for the coupe (and I would have gone 640d)....except you didn’t mention the shooting brake... this is unique (maybe even marmite to some people) but has no such rivals. (2 medium sized dogs do fit).
Thanks Matt at last a real car, although the mark3 is still the best looking, I have one and really love it, I agree the BMW gran coupe is stunning but a 2016 model is over 20.000,i got my 2015 2.2 cls amg line. Blue tec with only 27.000 on the clock for 18.000.smells and looks brand new. I did send you a picture in
Your what car do we have, u have seen your video of 1 and 2 but you did not show it. So here it is. Great videos Matt.
It's very stylish and with petrol you can still drive it through London, whereas a similar diesel would be charged daily from this October.
I have had my Iridium silver 2007 CLS500, 5.5 litre V8 MK 1 covered 141,000kms for 3 years. Still in love with the looks. I use 95 RON fuel as recommended.In Australia or more to the point the state I live in Victoria, 95 fuel is about Pounds 0.78 per litre.
Personally I like this over both the BMW and Audi - the CLS Shooting Break is a beautiful thing too imo...
Classy looking CLS. Great thing maintaining servicing at mercedes maintains the breakdown service free. Good video, I think I personally would go for either: Jaguar XF, BMW 530d or my fav the Range Rover Sport TDV6. Cheers Matt.
Thanks for watching!
@@HighPeakAutos great videos Matt. Love the witty commentary and humour. Look forward to all videos. Regardless of the car. I’m a huge fan of Rangeys as you know. 👌
I have always loved this car, Matt. It's such an elegant design. Absolutely love it. Great job.
Own a 2012 CLS550 and it's a complete beast of a car. No AMG put proper quick for a TT V8. Great car and would recommend it to anyone on the fence!!
I have an e350d coupe... always run it on V power diesel 💪... never had issues.. even the Mercedes dealer said the fuel filter needed changing but looked new... wow
Well done. I always think it’s better to use premium fuel
Torque is expressed as pound foot not feet. It refers basically to the twisting for requires to move x pounds one foot. So 300 pound foot is the force required to move 300 pounds one foot. Then there is the gearing to consider.
Thanks for that
My dad bought the CLS 220 d brand new on a 66 plate for £54.000. was an absolute beautiful car. Boot was a bit small for such a large car but was smooth and powerful and stunning in light silver and black hide. Definitely worth a look on the second hand market if you find one with Full MBSH .
With you from 6k!! Good growth almost at 100 keep going bud
I love it but the Volkswagen Phaeton is much better right?????
Love this model. I owned it for the last 5 years. So far so good. No major maintenance issues
Pleased to hear it
I have always though and I still do thing that this is the most beautiful car Mercedes every made. I love them the only downside for me is I find them a little low but still gorgeous.
I have a 2013 CLS Shooting Break and find it hard to disagree with this video.
Before buying it I also considered an A7 and BMW 6 series, but the CLS was considerably cheaper and had a larger boot (I have two young kids). The Shooting Breaking was also a cheaper second hand buy than an E Class estate, despite the CLS being more expensive when new, primarily I think because the E Class boot is "more practical" i.e. square, but it's considerably less attractive than the CLS. Old mercs, especially rare ones like the Shooting Break, usually start to go up in value as they get older, so I am going to keep hold of mine as long as I can.
Had my low mile 2014 CLS 550 for 6 months. Had to buy new tires for it since they were the originals and came out-of-round. BUT! Now that I have new tires, I LOVE my CLS W218.
The design is pretty good for a 9 year old car. Love it!
I agree
I even like the interior multi media integration better that the facelift when they went with the tablet style display. No idea what they were thinking.
The design is so intentional, influential and meaningful
One of the best mercedes benz ever produced, gorgeous, beautiful n sporty design 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Ive owned a brand new CLS350CDI since 2011, done 135000 so far and still running perfect, brilliant car! to me its still worth the 65k i paid for it then
Quality upload as bloody normal Matt. Do you remember replying to my comment when I mentioned that your sub-base was increasing at an unbelievable rate ??? Your reply was " I can`t believe it, I nearly have more people subscribing than Stockport County get to a home game " Now look at you ( And may I say totally deserved ) more people than Barcelona, Man Utd or Real Madrid get to a home game😁👍😁👍😁👌 Reg`s as always Steve.
Haha I know that’s right. I remember that. Cheers!
I have owned a 2007 CLS320 CDI from 3 years old and it still gets lots of looks for the right reason the Mk1 is the most pure and stylish, fast safe and economic - not bedfellows in many cars! The MK2 looked like a Blue Peter exercise with cardboard boxes stuck on the original design. Funny that the Mk3 has reverted to the MK1 -funny that!
I pick up my 2015 cls next week! thanks for such an insightful video and great review!
Glad it was helpful!
The 4.6 V8 of that era was only 0.3 seconds slower to 60 than the 5.5 V8 in the full on AMG car, despite having about 100 bhp less. The torque figures were massive. The road tax was also about half that of the AMG.
This has been my company car opt out choice for ages...if I ever do it. I’d have the shooting brake 250d. Good to see it reviewed here. 👍🏼
A friend of mine had one of these and it was lovely. Great review. thank you.
Can you please try get your hands on a 2015 - 2017 cls400 and do a review on it.. no content on a uk spec found on you tube.. very scarce I guess.
Unless you have deep pockets don’t . Just got rid of mine , did just 1000 miles last year and over £2000 in bills , car had only done 115k miles and regularly serviced . Mot came around and headlight failed local MB specialist in Southampton charged £850 to change headlight , wouldn’t let me have old one back said it was an exchange part . Star had said igniter pack on Xenon had failed which were available approx £100 , Mot garage said it looked like the original headlight and I think I got charged £850 to replace a £100 part , the Labour wasn’t excessive . Previously they said the gearbox and engine mounts wanted changing at aprrox £900 , my MOT garage said they were fine . Some of the indys will rip you off .you’ve been warned .
I've got one, love it. CLS550, dyno tuned to 502 whp and ~600 ftlbs! ~40xxx on the tune with no issues.
Great choice!
I think those mk1’s aged like fine wine
Agree. He's way off on this one.
I have one. Very well made, good value. Quality interior. No, it is not really suitable for 4 adults but do-able on short journeys, it is suitable for a couple of kids in the back. As said, needs looking after in terms of servicing.
I love the fact it's a 4 seater and think they have ruined the current one with adding a middle rear seat.
Ray Donavan is the reason I’m considering moving my W220 4matic on to its next caretaker for the 2012 CLS 500. That look in So Cal is money!
Yeah I agree!
Hi Matt, as soon as I saw new video, I said great a bit of Ray Donovan, almost, so chuffed when you agreed, keep up the great work, stay safe, regards Dave.
Haha, he literally said the same thing I say to my wife “buy the CLS500, that’s the one Ray Donovan drives!” Great video
Great vid again . Great advice everytime . Keep going . 👍👍👍