Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
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Engine family
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class 3.0L six-cylinder turbo
The M256 is the most common engine code the VIN decodes to on the 3.0L six-cylinder configurations below; hybrid variants of the same displacement carry their own code. Rated at 362–429 hp. We decode it on 11,067 VINs across 18 factory builds, and 355 of those cars are on sale today at a typical $34,146.
- Cylinders
- 6
- Power
- 362–429 hp
- Induction
- Turbo
- Fuel
- Gasoline
- Fitted
- 2015–2023
- Drive
- AWD
- Gearboxes
- Automatic · Automated manual
◷ Updated August 30, 2026 ▤ National asking prices, refreshed nightly
Which CLS-Class years got a 3.0L 6-cyl engine
Every model year this engine was fitted to, newest first. The bar is how much of the family's VIN volume sits in that year — long bars are the years this engine was everywhere.
VIN counts come from our decode of the model's build patterns, not from live listings. A year link opens the full CLS-Class report for that year — every engine of the model, not just this one.
18 factory configurations with this engine
Each one is a distinct build as the VIN decodes it — trim, body, gearbox and equipment. Open a build sheet for its full spec and the VINs recorded on it.
2023
1 build2022
1 build2021
3 builds2020
6 builds2019
3 builds2016
2 builds2015
2 buildsThe 3.0L 6-cyl CLS-Class: common questions
Which CLS-Class years have the 3.0L 6-cyl?
2015–2023 — 7 model years in our VIN decode, across 18 factory configurations and 11,067 VINs.
What does a 3.0L 6-cyl CLS-Class cost?
$34,146 is the typical asking price across the 355 cars with this engine on sale today. The year-by-year ladder above splits that by model year — the spread between the oldest and newest year is far wider than the spread between engines.
Is the 3.0L 6-cyl turbocharged?
Yes — every configuration in this family decodes as turbocharged.
What is the engine code, and does it matter?
M256 — the code the VIN decodes to on the configurations on this page. It matters when you order parts or read a service history: the same displacement badge on another model can be a different code with different outputs.
3.0L 6-cyl CLS-Class on the market
Individual vehicles carrying this engine, each with its own listing-history page. The sample is pinned to fixed VIN buckets, so it does not reshuffle day to day.