The CLE’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The 718 Cayman doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.
In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the CLE are reminded to check the back seat. The 718 Cayman doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.
The CLE has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The 718 Cayman doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.
The CLE has a standard Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The 718 Cayman doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.
Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CLE has standard Maneuvering Assistance that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The 718 Cayman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.
The CLE offers four-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The 718 Cayman doesn’t offer four-wheel drive.
Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The CLE has Car-to-X Communication, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The 718 Cayman doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.
The CLE’s optional lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The 718 Cayman doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.
The CLE offers an optional Surround View System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 718 Cayman only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.
The CLE has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the 718 Cayman’s blind spot costs extra.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CLE’s standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Active Brake Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The 718 Cayman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.
The CLE’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The 718 Cayman doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the CLE and the 718 Cayman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.
The Mercedes CLE weighs 823 to 1446 pounds more than the Porsche 718 Cayman. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.