Category: Compact Executive 
Price Range: £33,411 to £68,923
Svelte pillarless looks, ample equipment, refined performance, bulletproof quality.
Handling could be sharper, high-performance versions come at a high price.
Classy if dated and largely uninspiring, although AMG versions are in a different league.
It's a comfortable car: good seats with lots of adjustment, a steering wheel adjustable for rake and reach, a smooth ride and little noise. There's not much room in the back for big adults; treat it as kiddie perches or - thanks to the fold-down seatbacks - an extension of the already decently sized boot.
Standard equipment includes climate control, automatic headlamps and wipers, and arms to pass you your seatbelt. Options include radar-assisted cruise control, and voice activation for the audio system.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mercedes CLK-Class Cabriolet
wrote on 17 07 2006