Mercedes-Benz CLS (C257) review: the four-door coupe idea, done for the last time
3.9/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The C257 CLS is a car bought with the heart, and it rewards that purchase honestly: the cabin is the best-finished four-door Mercedes has offered short of an S-Class, the 2.0-litre turbo is more than adequate for Bahrain's speed limits, and the styling has not dated in the way some flashier rivals already have. Buy the CLS 350 over the 450 unless you specifically want the extra shove — the four-cylinder is smoother than the badge suggests and the running-cost gap is real. Just accept the back seats are for occasional use only.
Pros
- Cabin quality and infotainment are close to S-Class level
- 2.0L turbo four is smooth and noticeably cheaper to run than the six-cylinder 450
- Styling has aged well and still stands out on Bahrain roads
- Shares E-Class mechanicals, so parts and service coverage is good
Cons
- Rear headroom is genuinely tight for tall adults
- Nameplate is now discontinued, which will weigh on long-term resale
- Frameless doors need occasional adjustment as seals age in the heat
- Not a car for unpaved or high-clearance situations
Mercedes invented the four-door coupe segment with the original CLS in 2004, and the C257 is the version that finally got everything right: proper frameless doors, a cabin lifted almost wholesale from the S-Class, and sheet metal that still turns heads on King Faisal Highway two decades into the idea.
The CLS 350's 2.0-litre turbo four is the sensible choice and, credit to Mercedes, it does not feel like a compromise. Paired with the smooth 9G-Tronic gearbox it is quiet, quick enough for real-world use, and noticeably cheaper to insure and service in Bahrain than the six-cylinder CLS 450.
Style over space
The trade-off is exactly what the shape promises: two rear seats, not three, with headroom that a tall passenger will notice on anything longer than an airport run. This was always the CLS's honest bargain and it has not changed — buy this car for how it looks and drives, not as a family's only vehicle.
In Bahrain's climate the CLS's cabin cooling and seat ventilation cope well with August, and the low, wide stance feels planted through the sweeping bends on the Budaiya Highway. Ground clearance is the one thing to respect — this is not a car for unpaved shortcuts.
The end of the line
With CLS production now finished, buying one used means buying the final and best-resolved version of the idea, with Mercedes' full current-generation infotainment and safety suite rather than an older interim system. Service network coverage in Bahrain is good since the car shares most mechanicals with the E-Class — this was never a low-volume oddity from a parts perspective, whatever it looked like from the outside.