Given the history and prestige of the Mercedes badge, you’d be surprised to learn you can buy a brand-new Benz for about the price of a loaded popular midsize family sedan. While you probably wouldn’t choose the diminutive 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA as your primary family car, this entry-level Benz otherwise delivers many of the same qualities found on bigger and more expensive sedans.

If you think the CLA strongly resembles another car — the Mercedes A-Class, for example — you’re not wrong. The two are strikingly similar, but with some key differences. The CLA, first introduced to the U.S. in 2014, was once a quick and responsive car with awful comfort and ride quality, opposite of what you’d expect from Mercedes. The A-Class arrived a few years later with a more conventional sedan look and set a new benchmark for small luxury sedans.

This current, second-generation CLA uses the A-Class underpinnings and represents a comprehensive improvement on the earlier model. Compared to the A-Class, the CLA is the rowdier sibling. The base trim CLA offers about 30 more horsepower than its A-Class counterpart, and the CLA range tops out at 382 hp, compared to A-Class’ 302 horsepower. The CLA also offers more trunk space, making it slightly more practical for cargo, if not passengers.

Picking between the A-Class or CLA might be one decision you’ll have to make. But there are other challengers that include the Audi A3, BMW’s 2 Series Gran Coupe and possibly even the Mazda 3, which is competitive in its loaded-up trim levels. But packed with features and personality, and backed by an impeccable pedigree, the CLA makes a fitting entry into Mercedes-Benz ownership.