Auto News 5

Since the "Baby Benz" 190E of 1982-93, Mercedes has been trying to get back into the small, relatively affordable segment -- call it entry-luxury or semi-premium -- in the United States. Now, the builder of everything from Western European taxicabs and semi-trucks to S-Classes and AMGs finally has the right product. It was saved for a pre-Detroit auto show reveal Sunday night, although Benz was not planning to display the car on the North American International Auto Show floor during press or public days following the reveal. The 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class has neither the Bauhaus minimalism of the 190 nor the creased conservatism of the more expensive C-Class. It's a baby CLS.