Mercedes-Benz CLA250 C118 / X118: a coupé that dares to speak up, the exhaust system guide

The 2.0-litre turbo: the four-cylinder of the CLA250 C118

The CLA250 C118 uses a 2.0-litre direct-injection four-cylinder with a turbocharger. It produces 224 hp and 350 Nm, with torque available from low revs that makes the car pleasant and responsive, in town and on the open road. Mounted transversely, it powers a four-door coupé with dynamic handling and a flexibility that suits everyday journeys as well as livelier outings.

On this type of engine, the turbo and the factory exhaust combine to erase almost all the sound. The result is comfortable but characterless, out of step with the car's style. The Rog valved exhaust hands control back to you: a more assertive sound with the valves open, factory discretion with them closed, without changing either the engine or its mapping.

What makes up the exhaust on your Mercedes-Benz CLA250 C118 / X118

An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what Rog replaces.

The figures for your Mercedes-Benz CLA250 C118 / X118

An exhaust system is judged first by ear and on the scales. The extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap.

Published factory and Stage 2 figures.

The Rog exhaust works with or without an ECU remap. To get the full potential out of your Mercedes-Benz CLA250 C118 / X118, we advise taking it to an approved tuning centre for a remap afterwards.

The CLA250's turbocharged four-cylinder keeps some headroom that a Stage 2 remap can exploit by reworking the mapping and the boost pressure. That potential depends on the condition of the car and on the tuner you choose. The Rog exhaust, which is independent of the ECU, plays no part in it: it gives the tuned engine a sound more in keeping with its temperament.

Configuring your exhaust, step by step

3 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.

1. 1

   Step 1 of 3: Material: stainless steel or titanium

   Titanium costs more than stainless steel; the price of each version is shown on the product page, in your currency.

   304 stainless steel

   Weight

   Baseline

   Sound

   Full and rounded

   The safe bet: strong, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The best value for money.

   Titanium

   Weight

   Around 40% lighter

   Sound

   Metallic, crystal-clear

   It makes the exhaust around 40% lighter for the same design. Its note is more metallic and clearer higher up the rev range, and its finish ranges from brushed to blued.

   No worries on durability: 304 stainless steel shrugs off winter road salt and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.

2. 2

   Step 2 of 3: Front section: downpipe and catalytic converter

   Optional: the downpipe on your Mercedes-Benz CLA250 C118 / X118, with its catalytic converter. Each option is placed on our sound scale of 0 to 10, valves open, with the factory exhaust at 3.

   Cat-back only

   Included

   7/10

   Factory emissions control

   The factory front section stays in place. It is already a complete transformation, and the choice of many of our customers.

   200-cell sports catalytic converter

   8/10

   Road use and inspection

   More flow, emissions control retained: the right option for road use.

   100-cell sports catalytic converter

   9/10

   Inspection: depends on local rules

   More open than the 200-cell: the sound hardens at high revs and emissions control is reduced.

   Decat

   10/10

   Track use

   Flow with no filter at all: the rawest sound and the sharpest response.

   Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10

   1. 10/10Decat downpipe + Rog cat-back
   2. 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + Rog cat-back
   3. 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + Rog cat-back
   4. 7/10Rog cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
   5. 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison

   Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.

   What about the engine warning light? With a sports cat, it can come on with some engines: the sensor placed after the catalytic converter measures a different level of emissions control from the original. It is not a mechanical failure, but a warning light should never be masked or cleared without dealing with its cause: the right answer is a catalytic converter suited to the engine, with a map by a tuner who takes it into account. The decat version, for track use only, almost always triggers it. If this happens to you, write to us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing vehicle inspection with a sports exhaust.

3. 3

   Step 3 of 3: Valves: Rog remote or factory control

   Two ways to control the valves on your Mercedes-Benz CLA250 C118 / X118.

   Rog remote

   

   A discreet control unit in the trunk and a two-button remote: you open and close whenever you like, independently of the drive modes. For fitting, we support you by email.

   Factory control

   • Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
   • Controlled by the drive modes

   For vehicles fitted with factory valves: the exhaust connects to their control and the drive modes stay in charge, with no extra control unit.

   At 130 km/h, many sports exhausts drone. Here, with the valves closed, the exhaust flows through the muffler and stays composed when cruising; open, it makes itself heard when you choose. More about exhaust drone.

The Rog sound signature on the CLA250 C118

When it is allowed to speak, a turbocharged four-cylinder has a lively, slightly metallic voice that picks up a muffled grain as the boost rises. In the standard CLA250, that voice is almost entirely absorbed: you hear more wind and road noise than engine, even under hard acceleration.

With the valves open, the Rog exhaust gives the CLA a full sound on start-up and a sporty note under acceleration, in keeping with its coupé profile. With the valves closed, it regains the refinement of a Mercedes, perfect for daily journeys and long highway runs.

From order to fitting

1. Configuration

   You configure the exhaust and enter the VIN from box E of your registration document or from the base of the windshield.

2. Check

   Your VIN is checked before any manufacturing begins.

3. Manufacturing

   The exhaust is produced to order, for your vehicle.

4. Delivery

   Free, insured parcel, tracking number from dispatch.

5. Fitting

   Around two hours in the workshop, with no welding or cutting.

20 working days from order confirmation to delivery

Warranty

3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of purchase

Payment

Card, PayPal or bank transfer

Installation

At the garage of your choice

Is your Mercedes-Benz CLA250 C118 / X118 still under the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, the manufacturer cannot refuse it simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it is up to them to prove that the fault stems from it. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.

Our recommendations for your Mercedes-Benz CLA250 C118 / X118

• Daily driving

  • Stainless
  • Cat-back only
  • Rog remote

  Your Mercedes-Benz CLA250 C118 / X118 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you choose.

  View this configuration

• Fast road

  • Titanium
  • 200-cell downpipe
  • ECU remap

  The best of both worlds: character and breathing, with emissions control retained.

  View this configuration

• Track

  • Titanium
  • Decat downpipe
  • Stage 2

  The most extreme configuration, for track use only.

  View this configuration

Every Mercedes-Benz CLA250 C118 / X118 has its own history and use: if none of these profiles sounds like you, let's talk it over.

Mercedes-Benz CLA250 C118 / X118: your questions

Further reading

• All Mercedes-Benz exhaust systems
• Mercedes-AMG CLA35 C118 / X118 2.0 turbo
• Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S C118 / X118 2.0 turbo
• Stage 2: the role of the downpipe
• How to pass vehicle inspection with a modified exhaust
• Pop & Bang: how it works, and is it risky?
• Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes
• The 28 brands we cover