At first glance, it’s hard to believe the Mercedes CLA 250+ Electric is an “entry-level” model. Many luxury EV brands are still following the minimalistic interior design pioneered by Tesla, but Mercedes is not doing that with its new electron-powered compact sedan. It’s going full-blown hedonistic luxury with huge interior pillar-to-pillar screens, bright contrasting colors and a multitude of tech features. That’s why the Mercedes CLA 250+ Electric earned its place on the 2026 Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX winners list.
Given the $48,500 base price (our loaded test vehicle was still reasonably-priced, at an estimated $60,330), Mercedes’ most affordable EV is clearly designed to make a statement in the increasingly competitive EV market, and it is doing it from the inside out.
Eye-catching, entertaining interior
Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX judges were impressed by the CLA’s lavish and colorful cockpit design, and dazzled by the interior’s — and exterior’s — sound and light shows: 64-color ambient lighting enhanced many areas of the cabin, from the instrument panel to the rear doors.
The pillar-to-pillar MBUX Superscreen was a highlight. Indirect light sources emphasize the floating design of the three central features: the MBUX Superscreen, center console and door center panels.
The Superscreen extends across the entire width of the interior and features a 10.25-inch driver display, 14-inch central display and an additional 14-inch display for the front passenger — all behind a large glass surface.
The fourth-generation Mercedes-Benz User Experience software platform features artificial intelligence from Microsoft and Google integrated into the displays, touch-sensitive controls and voice assistant to create a system that responds more naturally to commands of the driver and passengers.
“Wow, the CLA had me on the approach,” said Wards judge Dave Zoia. “Clever accent lighting shines through the grille like twinkling stars, puddle lamps light the way to the door and spacey sound effects accompany you along the way. The cabin’s striking color scheme mixes white, black and red, and combines with an illuminated sill plate, white birch-like trim and pillar-to-pillar screens that absolutely pop.”
“The CLA makes a welcoming sound as you open the door, adding an extra level of positive first impressions,” added Wards judge Robin Warner. “Moreover, you have a choice of several sounds with futuristic euphoric names like Silver Waves, Vivid Flux and Roaring Pulse.”
Round climate control vents are integrated at either end of the Superscreen, enhancing the modern design. The rings appear to float in front of the conical-shaped form. A flat central vent with a high-tech appearance replaces traditional vent louvers.
Pleasant charging, ADAS and UX surprises
Charging an electric car is a user experience, and any EV owner will tell you plugging in successfully can make or break your day. The CLA has two plugs, one for the North American Charging Standard for high-speed charging and another for Level 1 or 2 for charging at home or work. It may sound simple, but it requires a lot of engineering. For people who must charge frequently, it’s a brilliant feature.
The CLA’s ADAS functions got high marks from judges, but we were shocked one day to hear the car tell us to beware of a pothole ahead. Sure enough, we were able to swerve around it, given the advance notice.
According to Mercedes, the CLA and other related models rely on “Car-to-X communication,” a cloud-based network that lets your vehicle share and receive real-time hazard data anonymously with other connected Mercedes vehicles.
Mercedes introduced its pothole and speed bump detection feature in 2021. It uses the vehicle’s chassis and control algorithms to register sudden jolts and then uploads the hazard’s exact location to the cloud via the Mercedes’ Car-to-X communication network.
Beyond warning drivers about potholes and speed bumps, this system — combined with various other sensors in the car — can warn drivers about how to react to several other events such as broken-down vehicles, active accident sites, heavy rain, fog or slippery conditions.
This vehicle-to-vehicle network also can warn about sudden hard braking by vehicles ahead, temporary road work and crosswinds. Mercedes says this technology has been in use for five years and continues to get better.
“The interiors of some electric vehicles make you feel like you’re sitting in something you’d be more likely flying than driving,” said Wards judge Gary Vasilash. “Yet the interior of the CLA is something that tells you you’re driving a car that is of-the-moment. You are in command, not confused by having to search for things like the adjustment control for the vents. It brings the Mercedes sense of elegance and purpose with the 21st-century expectation of technology.”
“The CLA technology and interior styling is among the industry’s best,” summed up Zoia. “This one lands on all the key marks for me.”
