Third-Gen Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake Bows In with New EV Version

The third-gen Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake bows in with a new EQ all-electric version and bold new design.

Months after its saloon twin debuted, the third-gen Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake finally bows in. And just like the CLA saloon, this new sporty estate gets bolder yet familiar design cues, as well as two new EQ all-electric variants.

And just like any other saloon-wagon duo, the new CLA Shooting Brake looks the same as its sedan twin from up front. It adopts the new CLA’s front face, featuring sleek LED headlights with a full-width DRL bar and a new bumper design.

New CLA Shooting Brake EV version (left) and ICE version (right).

Similarly, the EV and ICE variants of the new CLA estate are differentiated by the grille design, with the EV getting a faux front grille with Merc’s three-pointed star pattern, while the combustion model gets a ‘real’ unit with star-studded inserts and a large centre emblem.

Naturally, the design differences took place beyond the B-pillars, as the new CLA Shooting Brake gets an extended roof, which is mated to a new LED taillight design featuring a full-width light bar.

Size-wise, the new Shooting Brake spans 35 mm longer, 25 mm wider, and 27 mm taller, while having a 61 mm longer wheelbase than the previous model. Not to forget, the extended roof grants the new CLA estate an extra 26 mm of headroom at the rear, while its cargo space can now be extended to over 1,290 litres with the rear seats folded down.

The similarities between the estate and the saloon continue inside the cabin, as the new CLA Shooting Brake adopts the same MBUX Superscreen layout as its saloon twin. It features a triple-screen setup that takes up the entire front dash, leaving no space for dedicated controls and luxe trims at the front. There's also a full panoramic glass roof made of heat-insulating safety glass, featuring 158 stars that can be illuminated alongside the cabin’s standard ambient lighting.

Depending on the trim, buyers can expect to find comfort and premium amenities like the leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated and powered front seats, a multi-colour ambient light system, multi-zone climate control, optional wood veneers and leather trims, and many more.

As mentioned above, the new estate now comes with two new all-electric variants, aptly named the CLA 250+ Shooting Brake with EQ Technology and the higher-specced CLA 350 4MATIC Shooting Brake with EQ Technology. The base variant uses a single electric motor rated at 268 hp (200 kW) and 335 Nm that is good for a century sprint time of 6.8 seconds and a V-max of 210 km/h.

Meanwhile, the top-spec version gets a peppier dual-motor setup delivering 349 hp (260 kW) and 515 Nm, which grants it a faster 0 to 100 km/h time of 5.0 seconds flat, although its V-max is still capped at 210 km/h. What’s more interesting is that both the CLA Shooting Brake EVs come with a unique two-speed gearbox, granting drivers flexibility even at higher speeds.

Regardless of power, both variants are juiced by the same 85 kWh NMC battery pack with an 800-volt architecture, granting the CLA 250+ up to 761 km of WLTP range, while the peppier CLA 350 is good for 730 km, which is quite impressive for a dual-motor EV. Said battery supports DCFC at up to 320 kW, meaning that it can get up to 310 km of range in just 10 minutes of charging.

As of now, Mercedes-Benz only confirms the two all-electric variants of the new CLA Shooting Brake in Europe, with the 48-volt mild hybrid (MHEV) ICE version set to arrive sometime in 2026. Predictably, no pricing details were shared for now, but European buyers can expect the new estate to hit their showrooms before the end of this year.