2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Coupé

Mercedes made one AMG coupe to replace two, and it mostly pulls it off, presence over purity

Can one model replace two? Mercedes says yes: the CLE has taken over from both the C-Class and E-Class Coupe. But can it capture the spirit of both entry-level AMGs? To find out, we took the CLE 53 into the endless corners of the Black Forest. The 43 and 53 badges have won a place in enthusiasts' hearts for years, more nimble, more affordable and more accessible, and now the C43 and E-Class coupes are gone, replaced by this single car.

The answer came quickly when we collected it: this CLE shouts that it is something new, and comparing it to its predecessors makes little sense. Nostalgia crept in now and then, the noise and weight are an issue here as in so many modern cars, but it faded the deeper we drove, with Beau's 1M and a friend's Porsche Cayman GT4 for company.

Design and size: big, wide and mean

The CLE looks big because it is. At 1,925 kg it is one of the heaviest coupes AMG has built, 4.85 m long, over 2 m wide (Range Rover territory), with a 2.88 m wheelbase and a low 1.43 m roof. Flared arches, huge if slightly exaggerated air ducts, the AMG grille and a matte finish turned plenty of heads. As we said about the CLA, this car has an AMG GT vibe about it, rare presence for something relatively low in the range.

Engine: a boosted straight-six

Under the bonnet sits the 3.0-litre inline-six with a helpful starter-generator. Power peaks at 445 hp, with a temporary 23 hp boost from the mild-hybrid system, and 560 Nm that feels ever-present under acceleration. Zero to 100 km/h takes the low four seconds, but it is the mid-range pull at higher speeds that impresses most.

Handling: Active Ride Control hides the weight

Sharing roads with two analogue heroes made objectivity hard, the CLE weighs almost as much as the 1M and GT4 combined. Yet after a day it was clear the CLE was at home on the twisting Black Forest roads. The trick is AMG Active Ride Control, which replaces metal anti-roll bars with hydraulic lines and pressure chambers, the same tech that gave the GT 63 S so much of its composure. It makes a near-two-tonne car feel genuinely nimble.

The sound: the real straight-six is gone

What stood out in a bad way is the sound, or lack of it. The old pure straight-six note is dead unless you spend on aftermarket parts, and inside the cabin there is a synthesised engine noise played through the speakers. For a car with this much character everywhere else, it is a shame.

Interior: Mercedes quality, AMG GT presence

Step inside and it is a familiar, high-quality Mercedes environment. The CLE shares its interior with the C and E-Class, and that is a strength: quality rarely slips, and lower models feel like they get what the flagships get. The generous wheelbase feels luxurious and should appeal to former E-Class Coupe buyers, while the looks work for everyone. The transmission, Active Ride Control, driver assistance and head-up display all feel fancy for this rung of the ladder.

Price and value: brilliant, but pricey

Then reality arrives: €90,387 in Belgium. Its closest rival, the BMW M440i, starts far lower at €78,150. There is a 75 hp gap, but real-world performance is close, so on paper the BMW makes more sense. Yet the CLE scores highly on feel: the looks, the build quality and the above-average dynamics all count. The price gap is big, arguably too big to justify rationally, but then, who said luxury coupes were ever rational?

AutoNext Verdict

The Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 answers its own question: one coupe can indeed replace two. It looks fantastic, feels beautifully built, and thanks to Active Ride Control it disguises its considerable weight far better than it has any right to. As an everyday luxury AMG with real presence, it is very easy to like.

It is not perfect. It is heavy, it is expensive next to the obvious rivals, and the synthesised engine sound robs it of the aural magic a straight-six should deliver. But taken as the modern, do-it-all AMG coupe it is meant to be, the CLE 53 is a genuine success, just not a purist's one.