Safety

The CLS has not been crash-tested by either the federal government or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

It comes equipped with seat-mounted side airbags for front passengers and side-curtain airbags for front and rear passengers.

High-tech features like blind spot and lane departure warning systems are available in an $850 option package. The two are also available in another package, for $2,950, that also includes active cruise control that enables the car to sense a forward collision and apply full braking.

The market for luxury cars is a funny thing. A stylish car with performance chops can be just as popular as a more practical selection at a lower price. The fact that the CLS sacrifices less against both its E-Class sibling and the competition should make it even more appealing to this group of buyers.

    See also:

    Ruts and gravel roads
    Observe the following rules when driving along ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with loose gravel: Check that the ruts are not too deep and that your vehicle has sufficient clearance. ...

    Off-road ESP®
    An ESP® system specifically suited to off-road terrain is activated automatically if the offroad drive program is activatedor if the LOW RANGE off-road gear is selected. It intervenes with a delay ...

    System language settings
    This function allows you to determine the language for the menu displays and the navigation messages. The selected language affects the characters available for entry. When you set the system l ...