Striking front-end features include the diamond grille typical of Mercedes-Benz coupés, with a single louvre. The silhouette of the radiator grille widens towards the base, adopting the contours of the grille on the Mercedes-AMG GT. The bonnet is completely surrounded by body surfaces. The very flat and wide headlamps with inward-slanting flanks dynamically follow the contour of the grille.

The side design is characterised by the high, arching waistline and the sporty, low greenhouse with frameless side windows. The forward-slanting front end is reminiscent of a shark's nose, and appears longer thanks to the fully inset bonnet.

Also typical of the Mercedes-Benz CLS is the muscular rear shoulder line which blends smoothly into the flat rear end. Characteristic Mercedes coupé features include the two-section tail lights, reflectors positioned in the rear bumper, location of the registration plate in the bumper and the Mercedes star on the boot lid. Depending on specification, this houses an extendable reversing camera.

Like the headlamps, the LED tail lights with Edgelight backlighting have a crystalline appearance and create a three-dimensional effect. Their low positioning accentuates the width of the vehicle.