As many industry experts confidently predicted, the new Mercedes-Benz CLS had simply too much class and ran out comfortable winner of the coveted Executive/Premium Car of the Year crown at the 2019 Irish Car of the Year awards, in association with Continental Tyres.
What can you say about this car? The CLS is a high-end fusion of elegant design and captivating driving dynamics, underpinned by a simply incredible safety package that provides reassurance by the bucket-load. “Risk an affair,” says the official blurb, tantalisingly.
The CLS is equipped with the company’s ‘Intelligent Drive’ system as well as a range of driver assist technology including Blind Spot Assist, Active Distance Assist, Head Up Display and AIR Body Control, while the car also features the ‘Mercedes me connect’ system.
ICOTY jurors Martin McCarthy and Tony Toner were the lucky ones given the task of reviewing the new Mercedes-Benz CLS for our video series.
Special praise for the CLS
Here, Martin pays tribute to the CLS’ “incredibly aerodynamic shape”, praising the car’s suspension system that can be tuned to suit the real-time road conditions. He also reserves special praise for the interior design and detail, with “top quality materials” deployed throughout.
For Tony, meanwhile, he highlight of the new CLS is the safety package which includes a “full complement” of airbags, lane-keep assist, active brake assist (with a vital visual distance warning if you are closing in on the vehicle ahead) and adaptive cruise control.
Performance is another key metric, with Tony noting approvingly that the CLS “can cover ground with indecent haste at the slightest bit of provocation”! What was it Mercedes-Benz said about risking an affair?
The Mercedes-Benz CLS saw off some high-grade competition to land the Executive/Premium Car of the Year award, including the Volvo V60, Lexus LS 500h, no fewer than three Audi models (A6, A7, A8), BMW 6 Series GT and the Kia Stinger GT.
A stunning coup for Mercedes-Benz and a truly luxurious winner of our Executive / Premium award 2019.