First Drive: 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Next year the 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class E-Class platformmate is in for a thorough redo, and the first of its sincerely flattering quasi-competitors (Volkswagen's CC) arrives on the scene, so Mercedes-Benz is freshening its swoopy CLS-class four door "coupe."

Nothing too outrageous or trendy, mind you; the CLS550 and CLS63 AMG each get a new two-bar grille (replacing the original four-bar grille), LED taillights, and side-view mirrors with 32-percent-larger glass and built-in arrow-shaped turn signals. The base car (which accounts for 90 percent of sales) also gets new 18-inch wheels with a five-twin-spoke design, a new rear bumper with trapezoidal dual exhaust pipes (replacing oval ones).

Inside, both models get three-spoke steering wheels (the CLS's has thumb-rests and is squared off at the bottom to indicate extreme sportiness) and a brand-new center screen and user interface to control the audio, climate, and navigation systems. The new hard-drive-based (36-gig) navigation system is now standard on all models, as is an SD-type memory-card slot for playing up to two gigabytes of MP3 music (four gigs can be stored to the audio-system's internal hard-drive).

The COMAND system evolves with slightly different directional buttons to navigate the menus, new buttons to go back a screen or cancel a function, and the little buttons that used to line the left and right sides of the screen to control various functions are gone. I personally miss those buttons a bit, as most things now have to be navigated to via the round directional switches. There's a bit of a learning curve, but in short order, I and my driving partner both acclimated and at no time did either of us feel the urge to plunge a fist through the screen, as still happens frequently with "The Evil Interface" at Brand B.

Despite the fact that none of the dirty parts have changed noticeably, we were invited to flog new CLSs on autobahns and Austrian switchbacks alike, so that I might report with no equivocation that the larger mirrors provide excellent visibility and no wind noise, the three-spoke steering wheels command helms that are paragons of accuracy if not road feel, and that the trapezoidal tailpipes didn't alter a note of the sweet sonorous exhaust music. If you can swing the price of admission ($68,775 for the CLS550, $94,500 for the bad-boy AMG), you'll applaud either car's performance.

2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS-class