Mercedes is also bucking the traditional method of introducing a new platform as an ICE vehicle and then wedging the design into an EV platform. Instead, the company is going “EV first,” launching the CLA as an EV first and then later as an internal combustion with a mild hybrid in 2026.

The electric CLA is the first Benz to put cargo in front of the driver in nearly 100 years. The last time was the W23 Mercedes-Benz 130, a small car with a rear-mounted engine and a luggage space in the front that Mercedes built during the early 1930s.

Mercedes splits the CLA-Class into EV and hybrid offerings, as it tackles some of the most efficient small cars on the road.

Mercedes-Benz CLA is the latest in a spate of new vehicles reversing the technology trickle-down process we normally see from the three-pointed star. In the past, Benz's latest and greatest technologies would debut on the S-Class limousine before making their way to more affordable models.

Mercedes-Benz CLA may be an entry-level model, but it's leading the way with new tech and EV hardware improvements.The Latest Tech News, Delivered to Your Inbox

The new-generation Mercedes-AMG CLA45 will follow its Benz sibling and go electric, with more than 370kW and active aero to feature.

The CLA's two-speed gearbox adds cost, but Mercedes told The Drive that the investment is worth it, especially at highway speeds.