Some interesting elements.
I used to go a high mileage as one of those "damn sales minkeys" and unless it was a particular car I always paid for the sports/comfort seats to aid comfort over long mileage. Volvo 850T5 standard seats were among the very best. AMG upgraded sports seat (Recaro in some) also excellent. Otherwise I stayed away from the options list, most of my cars were black!
I agree re the modern design languages being just another cube with a cheese grater run around the edges and decorated with silly LED forms. Wonder what they will cost to replace for insurance and how that will all hit premiums. Mazda has been consistently a lighter touch and more pleasing for quite a long time, even the SUV boxes in most cases? I will admit to liking the current brutal judge dread statement that Hyundai are bringing to the market if only because it means they are choosing to do something different. The vans are very solid.
I was going to comment on the CLA daily mileage issue. The limited throughput of the home charging (subject to getting a 20amp fitted?) would result in having to do consistent public, high power, top ups, These high power public chargers are usually quite expensive per kW? It feels like a case for a petrol-electric hybrid? I would say a diesel hybrid but given the way diesel is pricing I do wonder. I am guessing that as it is a company car this will be paid through a company provided "fuel card" in which case the additional use of public charging becomes their issue. I wonder if it was calculated into the savings. Still the way petrol pricing is going who knows what it end up looking like to tax vs savings etc.
I did look at the Merc E400de Estate. Quite a smart compromise for power and electric short hops. I failed and bought an AMG E63 in the end, I know, save the planet. However my mileage now is tiny and you need something to smile about in life. I also looked at the complexity of the 400de and asked the service specialist I use. The mechanics face and slow deep swallow of fear as soon as I said 400de told me what I needed to know. He said anyone needing to fault find one of those would be the person who drew the short straw among the staff. They were all scared having been on the course!
I think the next couple of years will see some real improvement around battery technology coming through into the cars. Increased charging rate being the remaining challenge for high mileage replacement exactly as you outline. It feels like they have fixed the lifetime/lifecycle issues and cost per kW descending rapidly.
I do worry about the service backup of many of the companies as the dealer channel is being eroded and service pricing is being used to replace the profits of sales. The price and availability of parts is under pressure. The Jacoooooo owners threads on Fishbook are quite funny/worrying to follow. The lack of established backup, spares, trained engineers does seem to stand out. We said that about the first wave of Japanese and Korean cars didn't we?
They will have to prise the keys of the V8 from my dead cold palm. It's starting t feel a little like we are walking towards the opening of the original Mad Max film, the last of the V8 interceptors! The roads are not far off either.
