Many car enthusiasts have vehicles they hate for one reason or another; maybe they're too common, or maybe the person doesn't like said car based on styling. For me, the Mercedes CLS fits both of those criteria nicely. In Uptown, Minneapolis, these things are everywhere in all trims. AMG, CLS350, CLS500, CLS550, any model, you want it, Uptown delivers. So I really kind of brushed it off as a "cliched luxury car", much like I did with the VW CC.
Once I sat down, and had time to engulf myself in the CLS' supple interior, I began to appreciate the car for what it was. Smooth alumalook trim, or wood compliments the leather surfaces nicely, much better in here than in the E-Class line. The dials give off a sporty ambiance without sacrificing any ounce of luxurious feel. Even the non AMG models have a certain "sportiness" about them, a character than is lacking in all but the C-Class' non AMG models.
Outside, the CLS looks much different than that of its siblings. Often nicknamed the "banana-Benz", the 2005-to-present CLS was launched when the rest of Mercedes' lineup was more round; it fit in better with the lineup. In 2010, with the revival of the "square Benz" look, the CLS looks too old-hat. For me, though, that's good. I dislike almost every single car or truck Mercedes offers in the US. Now, when they redesign the CLS next year, I'm worried it'll get lost in the shuffle of post-square-edge Benzes. For now, though, the CLS stands out just enough to deserve a second look.
At near $100,000, I doubt I'd buy a new one. That kind of money could buy a much faster, much quicker Mercedes C63 AMG. But that's not the point of a CLS. The CLS is supposed to be a luxury car that oozes sportiness, not a sports car that oozes luxury. Think of it as the Range Rover Sport of cars, and believe me, that's no bad thing.
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