2019 Mercedes-AMG CLS53 review: Accessible power with a touch of hybrid

Mercedes Benz is going all in on electrification and the company says it will offer juiced up versions of every car in its portfolio in the near future. But that doesn't mean that every Benz is going to be fully electric. Case in point here is the 2019 Mercedes AMG CLS 53. It's everything that an AMG should be just a few electrons running through his veins. [SOUND] The first thing you need to know about this CLS is that it is a delight and I am not giving it back. It's three liter turbo charged in line six cylinder engine puts out 429 horsepower and 384 pounds of torque Now that's enough for you to have a lot of fun, but it's not so much that you're gonna wrap yourself around a tree. That power goes through a nine speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. [MUSIC] But what of all that hybrid-y-ness I was talking about? Well, Mercedes-Benz calls it EQ Boost and it's a 48 volt mild hybrid system that essentially makes turbo lag a thing of the past. I've got a hundred and eighty four pound feet of the twist at my beck and call so I've always got power whenever I need it now. Does it do you know fuel economy and efficiency things as well. Sure it makes the starts up system a really really smooth I mean you never feel it working and it allows the bends to coast under certain situations. But the question is how well does it work? [MUSIC] So the EPA gives this car a fuel rating combined of 23 miles per gallon. During my time with it, I'm only getting 21.5,No, not as good but in my defense, I've pretty much had my right foot buried on this gas pedal for the entire time I've had the car. Because AMG is a performance brand, right. I mean all I need to do is just flick it into sport or sport. Plus an awesome I've got really quick shifts really stiff suspension and excellent excellent tourney. And then, when I'm done carbon of some canyons, I'll just put it back in the comfort mode, turn on some ADHD feature on massaging seats are on full blast, and I've got a commuter car. Sorry Mercedes, you ain't getting this bad boy back, she's mine. The 2019 Mercedes AMG CLS 53 starts at just under $80,000 but that does not include the $995 for destination. Now the EQ Boost system, that is standard across all CLSs, AMG or no. However, what's not standard? All the ADAS and comfort features. Once you start getting going, you can easily make this car cost in the mid 90s. Now, hybrids used to mean a car that's primed more for fuel economy than for fun. But it looks like Mercedes-Benz is completely reinventing that definition. [MUSIC]