Traditional passenger vehicles such as sedans, hatchbacks and wagons continue to be sold in fewer numbers, but that hasn’t stopped Mercedes-Benz from adopting the latter body style for its latest electric vehicle.
Revealed overnight, the CLA Shooting Brake is the long-roof version of the new CLA, which will first launch as an EV before later becoming available with a mild-hybrid petrol engine.
Set to go on sale in Europe from March 2026 – following the region’s debut of the CLA sedan ‘coupe’ later this year – the Shooting Brake is the first electric Mercedes-Benz wagon, complementing the brand’s existing lineup of battery-powered sedans, coupes and SUVs.
It’s not the first time Mercedes has sold the CLA Shooting Brake though, with the first-generation model launched in Australia in 2015, before being pulled from showrooms in 2019 with the arrival of a second-gen CLA – a model which is now on the out.
While it’s almost identical to the sedan forwards of the B-pillar, its roof is extended – incorporating a single panoramic glass panel – as a new C-pillar, rear design and boot door also feature.
The CLA Shooting Brake’s exterior dimensions are identical to that of its sedan counterpart, however its boot capacity has understandably grown, now able to hold 455 litres – up 50 litres on the four-door CLA, but down 30 litres on the previous-gen CLA wagon.
With the rear seats folded, Mercedes-Benz quotes a boot capacity of 1290 litres, again down on its predecessor’s 1350 litre space. There is however 101 litres of space under the bonnet, at least in electric versions.
Carry-over equipment includes an optional MBUX Superscreen – combining a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 14-inch infotainment screen, and 14-inch passenger display – and 12.2-inch head-up display.
Like its sedan counterpart, the CLA Shooting Brake will first be available with a choice of two electric powertrains: a single 200kW/335Nm rear motor, and a 260kW/515Nm dual-motor layout.
Both are powered by an 85kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC), providing up to 761km of range in single-motor guise, and 730km for the dual-motor, against the WLTP lab tests.
A 48-volt mild-hybrid petrol engine will be launched at a later stage, mating a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with an integrated 20kW electric motor, the latter fed by a 1.3kWh, 48-volt lithium-ion battery.
Mercedes-Benz has previously said this engine will be available in three states of tune, with 100kW/200Nm, 120kW/250Nm or 140kW/300Nm, and in either front- or all-wheel drive.
Torquecafe has contacted Mercedes-Benz Australia to find out if the CLA Shooting Brake is a possibility for local showrooms.
Discussion about this post