Mercedes CLC Overview: Specs, Generations and Which Version to Buy
A guide to mercedes clc specs across the 2008–2011 coupe range: generations, power figures from 143 to 272 hp, and which of the 10 versions to buy.
The Mercedes CLC is a rear-wheel-drive coupe produced from 2008 to 2011, with engine outputs ranging from 143 to 272 hp. Anyone comparing mercedes clc specs will find one generation and 10 modifications, from an economical diesel to a 3.5-litre petrol — a compact coupe suited to drivers who want Mercedes engineering in a two-door body without moving up to a larger class.
Mercedes CLC generations
1 generation
The 1 generation Mercedes CLC was built from 2008 to 2011 in a single coupe body style. Power output spans 143 to 272 hp across 10 modifications, all with rear-wheel drive, offered with both Automatic and Manual gearboxes. The volume version of the lineup is the Mercedes CLC 1.8 MT with 184 hp and a 1796 cc engine, which accelerates to 100 km/h in 8.6 seconds and consumes 7.8 l/100km. At the top sits the Mercedes CLC 3.5 MT: a 3498 cc engine producing 272 hp, a 6.3-second sprint and 9.5 l/100km. The efficiency choice is the Mercedes CLC 2.2 MT diesel, whose 2148 cc engine makes 150 hp and uses just 5.8 l/100km, though acceleration takes 11.3 seconds.
Which Mercedes CLC to buy
- 1.8 MT (184 hp) (1 generation): the mass-market version with the best balance — 184 hp, 8.6 seconds to 100 km/h and 7.8 l/100km.
- 3.5 MT (1 generation): the most powerful CLC at 272 hp, reaching 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds — the quickest in the range.
- 2.2 MT (1 generation): the economical diesel at 5.8 l/100km, the lowest consumption of the notable versions, with 150 hp.
Buying used is straightforward in one respect: with a single generation spanning 2008–2011, there are no cross-generation differences to research — the choice comes down to engine and gearbox. The newest examples are from 2011, so every Mercedes CLC on the market is well over a decade old; searches for mercedes clc reliability should be answered by inspecting the specific car rather than by model year, since the lineup itself changed little.
Which Mercedes CLC to avoid
The base end of the range starts at 143 hp. Among the documented versions, the Mercedes CLC 2.2 MT (150 hp) is the slowest at 11.3 seconds to 100 km/h — but it earns that trade-off with 5.8 l/100km, so it is not a dominated choice. No version in the data is beaten on every number by another, so there is no CLC to rule out purely on the figures; pick by priority — pace (3.5 MT, 6.3 s), balance (1.8 MT, 8.6 s) or economy (2.2 MT, 5.8 l/100km).