Category: Large Executive 
Price Range: £45,950 to £74,555
A style sensation, with the added benefit of extra doors and a spacious boot.
Relatively cramped rear seat. And you'd better be ready for lots of attention.
Bold looks with significant practicality, although it's no family car.
The CLS350's CO2 figure of 217g/km means it is now just outside the highest tax bracket, and its combined fuel consumption figure of 31mpg isn't bad for a big, heavy car, although the diesel beats it hands down on both fronts; they're both group 18 insurance, whereas the 500 is categorised as group 19 and the AMG version is group 20.
Servicing intervals are determined by the onboard computer, which should reduce the number of trips to the dealer. Big Mercs are never exactly cheap to run. High-mileage E-Class drivers will tell you that they're very good value if you take a long-term view, but the CLS is likely to be more of a style-driven purchase. On the basis that what's in fashion can very easily go out of fashion, it may become harder to find big-money buyers on the used market. But for now its residual values are holding up very well.
