Several years ago, Mercedes-Benz decided they needed to tweak their image. They realised they needed a broader appeal to capture the markets of the younger and upwardly-mobile. Evidence of this can be seen in their investment in tech such as Mercedes’ own MBUX smartphone-like interface, and even stretches so far as their determination to achieve dominance in Formula 1.

But nothing has quite shown their intent to appeal to an impressionable audience more than the introduction of models like the CLA. Now in its second generation, the CLA is a car that screams style. The four-door couple body shell is one that is becoming increasingly prevalent in the saloon-car landscape.

It combines the practicality of having four doors and a boot with the suave air of a coupé — or so the marketing types would have you believe. In truth, it has quickly become one of the most popular ways to inject life into the ageing saloon bodyshell.

Mercedes may have started it in the early 2000s with the larger CLS, but everyone from Peugeot (508) to Hyundai (i30 Fastback) are jumping on the bandwagon. The car you see here is an “Edition One” variant — a level of trim Mercedes offers for the first 12 months after the introduction of a new model. With it, you get AMG-line styling. This includes many fake vents, a fake diffuser and orange accents all over.

The good bits are Alcantara-lined sports seats, a Nappa leather steering wheel, lowered suspension and 19” multi-spoke alloys. The cockpit is virtually identical to the A-Class. As such, you’re treated to swathes of screen front and centre, with some of the crispiest of graphics you’ll find. The platform is what debuted Merc’s new interior design language.

Also present and correct is the aforementioned MBUX system. The voicerecognition can pick up on a variety of accents, and what you ask of it is successfully carried out 90% of the time — from changing the interior temperature to interpreting the correct (and not phonetic) pronunciation of names in one’s phonebook. You’re given two ways of interacting with the functions on-screen: either via a touchpad on the steering wheel, or a much-larger wristplaced pad on the centre console.

The CLA makes no bones about being style-heavy. And with a Sedan variant of the A-Class that caters to those who need practicality, headroom has been compromised to maintain the low-roofline. Rear legroom is passable, but under-thigh support is virtually absent, as too is an unobstructed view out of the side windows.

The CLA is available in Sri Lanka with just one engine: a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo that has been co-developed with Renault. It is available in two states of tune: The CLA180 and CLA200. Putting out 136bhp, the CLA180 does the 0-100 sprint in 9.0 seconds which is hardly brisk. The 7-Speed DCT manages to compliment the torque curve the majority of the time. But at lower speeds the transmission can get rather confused in its selections, leading to a jerk or two as it tries to decide which cog is best. Although not fast in the guise we tested, there has been attention paid to ensuring the handling of the CLA matches the looks.

Despite being front-wheel drive, the rear track of the CLA has been made wider than that of the A-Class it’s based on. The CLA also features multilink rear suspension across the range — significant because Merc left that off the lower grades of A-Class, opting for a cheaper torsion-beam instead. You also get Mercedes’ “Direct Steer” progressive steering that adjusts the ratio on the fly to keep things sharp. Combined, you get an immensely sharp front-end, with enough feedback from the front wheels to stop you from washing out at high cornering speeds.

Despite not sending the power to the back the CLA successfully manages to be sportier than the bigger C-Class. The biggest challenge boils down tothe CLA’s proximity in pricing to the C-Class. With the CLA180 starting from Rs13 million (the tested car with options described is Rs13.4 million), and the C180 starting from Rs14 million(C200, Rs15.6 million), the stretch to the more established Merc may not be enough to preclude it from contention. In the current absence of both the Audi A3 and BMW’s 2-Series GT, the CLA’s greatest competition is from within.

Is the C-Class an objectively better car? It’s certainly a better Mercedes, doing everything expected of it (comfort, balanced power, and is comparatively roomy). But the current generation misses out on the MBUX tech, the dynamics in the bends, and looks rather staid in comparison to the CLA. If the extra cost is a concern, bar an absence of power, the CLA is a still a wonderful car. But a C200, albeit it over LKR2.0mn more, presents less compromise all-round. But you won’t get the CLA’s trump cards: sporty looks, sporty handling and the best-in-class interface.