The interior materials are the finest in any recent Mercedes. Soft polyurethane sprayed onto the dashboard provides an attractive appearance and a luxurious feel. While there have been complaints about the use of plastic in the M-Class and C-Class, it's hard to imagine anyone not being seduced by the look and feel of the CLK interior. Nice touches of wood and gathered leather on the doors panels make for a very attractive cabin. The cabriolet has a beautifully lined top. The cup holder on the passenger side is attractive but cantankerous, and was the only thing negative we could find in the interior.
The instrument panel is a departure for Mercedes, but it works admirably. A large round speedometer and tachometer dominate the center of the gauge cluster. Small thermometer-like gauges for the fuel level and coolant temperature flank them, harking back to a Mercedes design of the 1950s. While they take some getting used to in a brief test drive, the design has the look of something so intuitive for daily use that it's a wonder nobody else uses it.
The sound system has been upgraded for 2005 to a Harman/Kardon LOGIC7 system with seven-channel digital surround sound. Next Page