Lap of Luxury

As in the S-Class, the cabin is a highlight of the CL-Class, with exceptional-quality materials and perhaps the best-executed ambient lighting in the market, with a line of yellow-orange LEDs that encircle the cabin, providing both illumination and decoration after dark. The excellent Comand multimedia control system lets you select the intensity.

More than just luxury, it's high-tech features that make a car like this exclusive, and the CL doesn't disappoint. There are only a handful of stand-alone options, including a heated steering wheel, Bluetooth cell-phone connectivity, an iPod control cable and 19-inch wheels. The most interesting stuff comes in option packages, though, such as the radar-intensive Distronic Plus Package.

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    Nuts & Bolts
    Overall reliability for the current C-Class has been average. In crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the car earned the top score of Good in front, side, rear and roof-crush ...

    Safety
    The G500’s antilock brakes have Brake Assist for automatic full-power braking in panic stops. Electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) enhances stability when braking in curves. ...

    Treadwear indicators
    Narrow bars (tread wear bars) that are distributed over the tire tread. If the tire tread is level with the bars, the wear limit of 1/16 in (1.6 mm) has been reached. ...