If there is one thing we do more than driving on the job, it’s eating. But while we may know our way around cars very well, we don’t necessarily know where the best nasi kandar outlets or the most popular cendol trucks are located. Which is why some extra help is needed every now and then.

Recently, we were loaned a Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 4Matic in all its scarlet glory over an entire weekend. We identified the Karak Highway as a road on which the Merc’s all-wheel-drive system might make sense – we found it heavy and unnecessary in the pre-facelift counterpart – but wanted to include some food stops into the mix as well.

In hopped our friends from popular F&B site HungryGoWhere Malaysia and their checklist of what to eat around Bukit Tinggi and Bentong.

The first stop identified by our foodie friends was at a quaint eatery nestled within the lush greens of Janda Baik called Kopi n Kraf. We got there earlier than expected, with the CLA’s 211bhp proving to be quite corrupting for a car of its petite build. The two-litre turbo’s 6.5-second century sprint went undisputed as we zipped in and out of traffic and kept the throttle planted on the open straights.

As we merged onto the windy Karak highway, our unscientific hypothesis was proven as the AWD CLA danced around the road’s challenging sections with absolutely no hint of breaking traction – its healthy albeit non-AMG output more than sufficient to launch us out of the corners effortlessly. We were eating our words before we even got to our first meal of the day. And we loved it.

After an affordable local breakfast spread, teh tarik and nasi lemak included, we steered the car deeper into Janda Baik’s lesser known trails to kill time before our next meal and give the car a different sort of workout. On less even tarmac that don’t stretch wide enough for us to bury the throttle, the CLA reminded us why we didn’t like it as much as the C-Class before it was facelifted – its stiffly-sprung ride. The setup that worked tremendously well round Karak’s famous corners are a tad too taut for the casual driver on imperfect roads. At least it keeps bodyroll well in check, which means no nausea getting in the way of our lunch.

Back along the edge of the highway, we stopped in front of a row of rustic shop-lot restaurants with no clue as to which one’s best. Our foodie friends insisted on dining at the one called Siong Sinn (non-halal) despite our reservations about an unappetising frog featured on its signboard. However, a deal’s a deal. And we were glad we kept our word after enjoying the sumptuous Chinese-style lunch headlined by a steamed tilapia served in an asam sauce.

With some time to spare, we decided to head to Bentong for ais kacang at a shop called Kow Po before calling it a day. The CLA felt like it was back in its element as we returned to the highway, its dual-clutch gearbox impressing as the highway straightened out into the east. Given the criticisms we’ve directed at it before, Stuttgart’s 7G-Tronic transmission felt surprisingly fluid in the updated CLA 250 4Matic. Its smooth power delivery is one of the reasons why we weren’t fatigued by a day of driving in the searing tropical heat. Or maybe that’s just the dessert talking…

Now, where should we go to next?

* This feature was originally published in the May issue of TopGear Malaysia. For more comprehensive reviews of the restaurants we visited, check out HungryGoWhere Malaysia’s version of the story.

SPECS
Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 4Matic

Price: RM278,888
Engine: 1,991cc, 4-cyl turbo, 211bhp, 350Nm
Transmission: 7-spd DCT, AWD
Economy: 6.5L/100km, 160g/km CO2
Performance: 0-100kph in 6.5 secs, 240kph