The Poorest Man's CLS

When I got into the Mercedes-Benz business in the spring of 2005- the then, all-new Mercedes-Benz CLS500 was just making its debut.

For half a decade now, I haven't forgotten it- nor have I let anyone forget that, in my opinion- CLS stands for "Coupe Like Sedan," though I cannot officially claim it as original (I don't honestly know- it could be?)- I've written about at least a half-dozen times since its inception in various publications.

And you would think I like the car...

I really don't love the Mercedes CLS- it's just not my cup of tea- but I do admire the boldness in which Mercedes-Benz taught us to specify- "it's a coupe."

Well, who said a coupe had to have only two doors? Defying tradition- Mercedes-Benz even built a little "value" into the mix- like "it's a coupe with two extra doors..." as if they were doing us any favors for $70,000- plus, plus, plus.

Anyway, enough of the Mercedes CLS- I think its lines resemble a banana or a biscotti- if you want to know my honest opinion...

Volkswagen saw a niche with the CLS and gave us the "poor man's" CLS- the CC. It's like a sleek, sexy Passat- because no matter what has ever become of the Passat- it just never captured "sleek and sexy," neither has a Jetta... or most any other VW save for maybe the Corrado- but here I go dating myself...

The CC- nice CLS if you're $40,000 short and have to keep-up appearances with the Swabian Gangster Squad (I just officially made that up... don't go looking for it...)
I thought the notions of Coupe Like Sedan ended with the CC- but no... Meet the Poorest Man's CLS- the 2011 Hyundai Sonata.

Funny but... I like the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. A lot.

The Mercedes CLS is nice, but it's a gangster's Mercedes-Benz, pure and simple. Any asshole willing to buy a sedan and call it a coupe and ride-around like she (or he) is Stefanie Powers in Hart to Hart looking for trouble and adventure, well... I'll stop there.


And the VW CC is just a plain, cheaper, poser's version of the CLS. It is. It's too obvious- maybe because they're both German?

However the Hyundai- at under $20,000 is a true winner.

It's funny how at over $70,000 or even at half the price- the CLS concept is shaky in my opinion; but at under $20-grand- it works, and looks great!

200-horses, four cylinders, great warranty... And for the price- you can't beat the styling.
I love what Hyundai has done in the last five years- they're a great car company that's just now starting to come into their own- and I'm a fan.

They took the Sonata- which, like the VW Passat mentioned prior, was an aging, dull sedan- clearly a contender but not a winner over the Accord and Camry faithful and made it into something, well... Unique. For the price point anyway.

Mercedes-Benz, always a trendsetter in the automobile world- created a concept that took Hyundai of all car companies to perfect- in my humble opinion.

Again- at $70,000 it's silly. At starting under $20,000 MSRP it's beautiful and it makes sense.

In fact, I don't think you've heard Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai in the same sentence since around 2002- when a few auto magazines posed the "$27,000 Question" pitting the cheapest Mercedes-Benz, the C230 Coupe, against the most expensive and well-appointed Hyundai- then, the XG300.

Interesting argument...

At $27,000- their argument/message was- you could drive the "worst" Mercedes-Benz or the "best" Hyundai... Either way- you were trying to be something you clearly were not. Or trying to get away with something and not spending the money.

You could drive a Mercedes-Benz CLS550 today, or an all-new Hyundai Sonata.... For the fraction of the price, the CLS550 has clearly lost the price argument; but as far as "image" goes- the Mercedes has also lost the sentiment... at any price or point originality.

My father always questions me- "why does expensive always look better?" he then rephrases himself "why can't they make a Honda look like a Bentley?"

I think he may be concentrating on price more than anything... Then again- beauty is in the eye of the beholder, no matter how deep the pockets. Is there any accounting for taste?

The Hyundai Sonata... So much for being the "original."

Cheaper in this case, does it much, much better.

At under $20,000- looking up looks better than looking down from $70,000 and beyond.