2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250: Car Seat Check

CARS.COM — We last tested Mercedes-Benz’s smallest sedan when the CLA-Class was new for 2014; it did not fare well in our Car Seat Check. This time, we tested the 2017 CLA 250 and ran into many of the same problems; most frustrating is the difficult top tether anchor. For 2017, the CLA got minor revisions, including lightly tweaked styling, additional standard features and new technology options.

More Car Seat Checks

How many car seats fit in the second row? Two

What We Like

• The two sets of outboard Latch anchors are among the best we’ve used because they sit out in the open, but the tether anchor problems caused us to give the Latch system a C grade.

What We Don’t Like

• There are three top tether anchors, but the anchor opening is so small that we couldn’t connect the convertible’s tether hook to it, so the seat isn’t safe to use. Connecting the top tether strap is essential because it reduces a child’s head movement in a crash. On the grounds that we couldn’t connect to the tether anchor, we gave the fit of the forward-facing convertible seat an F.
• To fit the rear-facing infant-safety seat, we had to move the front passenger seat as far forward as possible and then adjust the seatback to an uncomfortably upright angle. Our 6-foot tester in the front passenger seat was extremely uncomfortable.
• Although the rear-facing convertible was easy to install, we had to move the front passenger seat forward significantly. Our front passenger’s knees were raised and legroom was cramped, though his knees weren’t pushed into the glove box.
• The CLA 250’s rear seats are heavily bolstered and our booster seat barely fit into the seat bottom cushion. The booster sits right against the stable seat belt buckle, crowding it.

Grading Scale

A: Plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn’t impact driver or front-passenger legroom. Easy to find and connect to Latch and tether anchors. No fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. Easy access to the third row.  

B: Plenty of room. One fit or connection issue. Some problems accessing third row when available.

C: Marginal room. Two fit or connection issues. Difficult to access third row when available.

D: Insufficient room. Two or more fit or connection issues.

F: Does not fit or is unsafe.

About Cars.com’s Car Seat Checks

Editors Jennifer Geiger, Jennifer Newman and Matt Schmitz are certified child safety seat installation technicians.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide Classic Connect 30 infant-safety seat, a Britax Marathon convertible seat and Graco TurboBooster seat. The front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter passenger. The three child seats are installed in the second row. The booster seat sits behind the driver’s seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.

We also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row’s middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. If there’s a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. Learn more about how we conduct our Car Seat Checks.

Parents should also remember that they can use the Latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that Latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.