With the C and E-Class Cabrios gone, the CLE is carrying the baton.
Both the Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet and E-Class Cabriolet are no more. That means if you want Mercedes’ entry-level open-top cruiser, you’re going to have to get one of these—the 2024 Mercedes CLE Cabriolet. With a starting price of $65,500, it’s more expensive than the drop-top C-Class, but cheaper than the E-Class Cab was. It’s also headed to dealers this spring.
As you could guess by its name, the CLE Cabriolet is based on the CLE Coupe, which means it has the same face, headlights, taillights, and shoulder line. It’s sleeker and more stylish than the C-Class Cabriolet it replaces, but also sportier looking than the E-Class Cabriolet.
However, inside the CLE Cabriolet looks more like the SL-Class convertibles, with its vertical infotainment screen, squircle air vents, and split-spoke steering wheel. And just like those SL-Class convertibles, the new CLE Cabriolet comes with Mercedes’ Air Scarf and Air Cap technologies. The former keeps front passengers’ necks warm via an air vent under their headrests, so they can comfortably drive with the top down in chilly weather. The latter uses a pop-up wind deflector at the top of the windshield to deflect air over the passengers, which works in tandem with an automatic wind deflector behind the rear seats.
Speaking of rear seats, the CLE-Class Cabriolet separates itself from its SL-Class cousins by housing four seats, rather than two. So it combines the practicality of the old C and E-Class convertibles with the style of the new SL-Class.
Two models will be offered from the jump: the CLE 300 4Matic Cabriolet and CLE 450 4Matic Cabriolet. The former is the one with the $65,500 starting price that comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, paired to a 48-volt mild hybrid system and integrated starter-generator (ISG) that makes 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. As for the big-dog CLE 450, that starts at $77,600 and gets a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, with 375 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque.
The Mercedes CLE Cabriolet cleans up the brand’s convertible lineup, by replacing two cars that pretty much did the same job with one that looks better and is priced more sensibly than both. So if you want some drop-top, three-pointed start cruising, get your checkbooks (no one uses checkbooks anymore, right? Apple Pay, maybe?) ready, because the CLE Cabrio is on its way to your local dealer.
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