Model tested: Mercedes-Benz CLK 220 CDi Elegance
Price: £35,522
Date tested: November 2007
Road tester: Keith Collantine

Overall rating: 82%
The CLK will be instantly recognisable to F1 fans as the Safety Car. It's an appropriate role for a car which, though luxurious inside and rewarding to drive, has a high level of safety equipment in road-car trim.

1. Looks
The CLK's looks are unmistakably Mercedes: a large three-pointed star dominates the grille and the creases from the pairs of rounded headlights sweep up the bonnet. What marks the CLK out is the lack of any central pillars.
8/10

2. Looks inside
The interior is luxurious, organised and very well put together with quality materials and no rattles. Only the hand element of the parking brake felt a little flimsy; are separate levers for applying and removing the parking brake really needed?
7/10

3. Practicality
Mercedes has done a good job of making the CLK easy to use everyday, opting for two decent-sized seats in the rear rather than a cramped bench arrangement. The boot is more than adequate and easy to access.
8/10

4. Ride and Handling
The CLK is based on the chassis of the previous C-Class and thus handles nicely. Rear wheel drive improves the balance of the car; compared with the 3-Series Coupe the CLK is more of a luxury cruiser.
8/10

5. Performance
Our CLK featured the 150bhp 2.2 litre four-cylinder diesel, giving 340Nm of torque. Acceleration is sluggish but it cruised effortlessly and the responsiveness of the engine was good for overtaking.
8/10

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6. Running Costs
Mercedes hold their value well and the CLK is no exception. But one of the best reasons to consider a CLK is its excellent fuel economy. Our diesel averages 44mpg combined and its CO2 emissions of 169g/km (180g/km for the automatic) are fairly low.
9/10

7. Reliability
The CLK feels extremely solid. The build quality is excellent inside with plenty of dampening to isolate you from road noise. The CLK has been in production since 2002 so expect current models to be highly dependable.
9/10

8. Safety
The CLK has an excellent complement of safety mechanisms as standard: front passengers each get front, side and head air bags. There are ISOFIX mountings in the rear while standard are anti-lock brakes, braking assistance and ESP.
9/10

9. Equipment
The base CLK comes with a decent level of standard kit including electric windows all round, climate control and 16 inch alloy wheels.
8/10

10. X-Factor
In the luxury coupe section the two German rivals dominate sales. The BMW has the sporty end of the market covered and the CLK, quite justifiably, is favoured by those looking for a less demanding drive.
8/10