The CLE 53 comes as standard with AMG Ride Control adaptive dampers, which adjust to the road surface and driving conditions. Cruise around in Comfort mode and it’s relaxing and easygoing, even if the large alloy wheels and sporty suspension do pick up sharper edges.
Sport and Sport+ modes both make the car firmer, but neither of these are as harsh as Race. Sure, you get the benefits of greater throttle response and a more reactive gearbox, but this comes at a cost of ride comfort. And you get a more noticeable jolt in your back when you shift up using the paddles. Thankfully, you can mix and match settings.
On steep and twisty roads, the CLE 53 is composed and engaging. Turn in to a bend at pace and there’s an initial dose of body roll before the car tightens up through the corner. You do feel the weight through bends, but it maintains a neutral stance.
There isn’t much feel to the steering, however. Sure, it’s accurate, but there is no change to its weight as you turn into a corner. Four-wheel-steering comes as standard on the CLE 53: you notice its effect more when manoeuvring at lower speeds, for example around roundabouts. When pressing on, its effects are nicely subtle.
There’s plenty of grip, thanks to four-wheel drive, although this does limit the car’s playfulness. In Sport mode or above, the 4Matic+ system gets more rear-biased and the ESP more lenient, yet the car rarely feels like it’s going to break traction, even with more abrupt throttle inputs.
There’s a Drift mode as part of the Pro Performance Pack, which sends all of the power to the rear wheels, but we will have to wait for some track time to test that.