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Mercedes-Benz · Compact Sedan

2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Hybrid
Compact Cars
1 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
C
Safety Signal
74 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical 3
Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 3
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 25 mpg
20232022202120202019201820172016

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid compact sedan. The most efficient version, the CLS450 4matic, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 3 complaints, most often about the wheels.

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class · Photo: Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
CLS450 4maticHybridAWD3.0L 6-cyl turbo + 48V Li-Ion223025$3,300

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 46050.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
CLS450 4matic6 / 10California LEV-III ULEV50 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 50All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSedan/Saloon
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders6
Displacement3 L
Engine configurationIn-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower362 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Transmission

DrivetrainAWD/All-Wheel Drive

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Blind-spot monitoring

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes one configuration rather than every trim (seen: CLS450 4MATIC). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length196.5 in
Width (body, without mirrors)73.2 in
Height57.1 in
Wheelbase115.7 in
Track, front64.2 in
Track, rear63.8 in
Curb weight4,255–4,456 lb

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 450 4Matic 4-door Coupe, AMG Cls 53 4Matic 4-door Coupe. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Factory warranty running out?

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical

Electrical System

2024MMNNNN
12,191 vehicles 95% reported repaired
Problem Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2023 CLS450, E450, E450 All-Terrain, AMG E53, AMG GT43, AMG GT53, and 2021 AMG CLS53 vehicles. The 48-volt ground cable connection located in the engine compartment may not be tightened properly and may result in the ground cable overheating. Risk An overheated ground cable increases the risk of a fire. Fix Dealers will inspect the 48-volt ground cable connection and repair it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 22, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024MMNNNN.
NHTSA campaign 24V100000 reported Feb 9, 2024 Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Electrical System

2023080005
880 vehicles 97% reported repaired
Problem Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023 E450, E350, AMG E63 S, AMG E53, CLS450, AMG GT53, and AMG GT43 vehicles. Due to a software error, the exit warning system audio and visual warnings may fail to alert occupants about approaching vehicles. Risk Failure to alert occupants of an approaching vehicle can increase the risk of a crash or injury. Fix Dealers will update the exit warning system software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023080005.
NHTSA campaign 23V574000 reported Aug 11, 2023 Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

2023070012
143,551 vehicles 92% reported repaired
Problem Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2023 C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS, SL, GT, GLC, GLE, GLS, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The fuel pump may shutdown, which can result in a loss of drive power. Risk A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 14, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023070012.
NHTSA campaign 23V445000 reported Jun 26, 2023 Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific CLS-Class

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2023 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Mercedes-Benz publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this CLS-Class →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
3complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

20 per 10,000 built · Mercedes-Benz reported 1,478 CLS-Class built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2024: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Wheels 3

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Description of Defect: I am reporting a chronic and dangerous structural failure of the factory-equipped alloy wheels on my 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS 450 4MATIC. Since purchase, this vehicle has suffered 8 documented incidents of wheel failure, consisting of 5 rim cracks and 3 complete wheel replacements.
Wheels Mar 16, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11724619
This vehicle has 6,600 miles on it. All 4 wheels have been bent driving on normal roads at normal speed. There have been 2 sidewall tire bubbles as a result. And after having all wheels straightened one of the wheels has now cracked. This caused the tire to deflate and the vehicle can no longer be driven.
Wheels Feb 8, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11641516
The car is equipped with Continental ProContact GX SSR 245/40R19 runflat tires in the front. Since January of this year I have replaced the front tires 5 times. Once for the left front and four times for the right front. One time it was due to a bubble in the sidewall.
Wheels Aug 15, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11608769

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Mercedes-Benz warranty extension (9) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 114
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 100 service bulletins, 4 others, 4 over-the-air updates

Most often about: Electrical System, Power Train, Structure, Exterior Lighting, Steering.

  • LI27.00-P-073124 Service bulletin
    2026-09-26 · Power Train
  • Complaint Customer complaints relating to automatic transmission 725.0 (NAG3 Classic /9G‑TRONIC automatic transmission) and 725.1 (NAG3 facelift/9G‑TRONIC automatic transmission facelift) For faster, more effective and more targeted diagnosis, Intelligent Predictive Repair (IPR) has been developed and integrated into XENTRY Diagnosis. This ensures an automated diagnosis process. Cause As part of t
  • LI18.00-P-073137 Service bulletin
    2026-09-26 · Engine
  • Complaint Sporadic warning message in instrument cluster "Engine oil pressure, stop switch off vehicle" (or similar) is shown in red on vehicles with low mileage. Cause Directional control valve may stick. Remedy 1‑ Read off oil level in instrument cluster and correct if necessary. 2‑ Perform approx. 10‑15 engine starts, then clear fault codes. 3‑ Perform road test with vehicle. If fault code reoc
  • LI42.10-P-078779 Service bulletin
    2026-09-22 · Service Brakes
  • Complaint Repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60MPH. NOTE: Although the symptom is similar to a tire or wheel vibration, it is usually readily noticeable that it is distinctly different if it happens at all times or only while braking. Cause Although the cause of the vibration is most likely due to excessive lateral runout on the rotor or hub/wheel bearing, the system as
  • LI20.10-P-075374 Service bulletin
    2026-09-17 · Engine
  • Complaint Red coolant warning in instrument cluster. Fault codes U019F00 or U019F87 current/stored in MRG1 control unit. Cause Various causes Remedy Perform guided test for fault code U019F with XENTRY diagnosis. Verify the following connections are clean and tight. Correct any problems and retest pump actuation: ‑12V plug at M75/11 ‑48V plug at M75/11 ‑48V connector X192/4 ‑Connections at 48V fus
  • LI82.62-P-078631 Service bulletin
    2026-09-14 · Structure — Body
  • Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the noise continues to occur even with the door trim removed, then continue the diagnosis working towards the speaker and if necessary, create a TIPS case with an informative video as an attachment. Note: Please refer to this document i
  • LI27.00-P-073124 Service bulletin
    2026-09-04 · Power Train
  • Complaint Customer complaints relating to automatic transmission 725.0 (NAG3 Classic / 9G‑TRONIC automatic transmission) and 725.1 (NAG3 facelift/9G‑TRONIC automatic transmission facelift) For faster, more effective and more targeted diagnosis, Intelligent Predictive Repair (IPR) has been developed and integrated into XENTRY Diagnosis. This ensures an automated diagnosis process. Cause As part of
  • LI46.35-P-067339 Service bulletin
    2026-08-28 · Steering
  • Complaint During part of the steering movement, it feels heavier or more difficult to steer in the same spot every time. OR Rattling, humming, dry sliding/gravel noise from the electric steering system when steering (see attachment). Complaint does not impact the ability to safely steer or control the vehicle. Cause Ball screw drive (KGT) of electric steering damaged by: 1. External force due to:
  • LI72.20-P-075746 Service bulletin
    2026-08-24 · Structure — Body
  • Complaint Tailgate opens unintentionally. Cause Accidental or unnoticed activation of the button to open the tailgate on the vehicle key. EXAMPLE: when stored in trouser pocket, handbag etc. Remedy As of the 6th generation, the vehicle key can be recoded so that the tailgate no longer opens as a result of a long press on the button, but by double‑clicking on the button instead. This reduces the li

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
U019F
U019F on Mercedes-Benz →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine1 bulletin

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Common questions about the 2023 CLS-Class

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 24V100000, covering Electrical System. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it C (74/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class?

For the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, the best EPA combined figure is 25 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class?

Transport Canada measured it at 196.5 in long, 73.2 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.1 in tall, on a 115.7 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,255–4,456 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class?

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, most often about wheels. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class?

The EPA smog rating for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class is 6 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV50, Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class?

The manufacturer has filed 114 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, most often covering electrical system, power train, structure. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations1 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates1 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls3NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints3NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratingsnoneNHTSA NCAPNHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins114NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA9 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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