Item: Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake
Rating: 3
Author: Steve Huntingford

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

Unlike the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/review/n88">Mercedes A-Class</a>, the CLA range doesn’t offer an entry-level Sport trim; this lifts its starting price considerably, and the Shooting Brake adds a further premium to its Coupe stablemate. AMG Line trim gives you plenty of kit, but you might want to jump up to AMG Line Premium; it brings the bigger instrument display, keyless entry and an upgraded stereo. We’d avoid the Premium Plus package due to its head room-eating panoramic sunroof.

The CLA’s official CO2 emissions figures may not be spectacularly low, but they are competitive, especially for the 220d diesel; this engine is RDE2 compliant, which means there’s no 4% diesel surcharge on BIK (Benefit in Kind) <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/company-car-tax-calculator">company car tax</a>.

And it’s worth noting that the CLA is one of the safest cars around, not only earning a full <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a>&nbsp;five-star rating, but with scores of well over 90% for adult occupant, child occupant and pedestrian protection.

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The CLA 220d Shooting Brake is powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine that’s also found in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/estate/review/n17346">Mercedes C-Class Estate</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/estate/review/n17209">Mercedes E-Class Estate</a>, and is a big step forward from the clattery 2.1-litre unit in the previous-generation CLA.

Yes, you’ll feel a few vibrations through the seat, steering wheel and pedals at idle, but these all but disappear as soon as you start moving. What’s more, there’s little gruffness, even under hard acceleration, and engine noise is virtually non-existent at a cruise.

In addition, it takes only a relatively gentle squeeze of the accelerator pedal to get the 220d to pick up significant speed, although the petrol-powered CLA 250 feels much faster again, and will see off any similarly priced <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a4/estate/review/n101">Audi A4 Avant</a> with ease. As a bonus, the 250 is an even smoother and quieter choice than the 220d, as well as being a little cheaper. It’s our pick of the range.

The petrol-powered AMG 35’s 302bhp makes it feel significantly swifter, thanks in part to a standard four-wheel drive system that helps it fire off the line with virtually no wheelspin. At the top of the tree is the bonkers-fast AMG A45 with its 4.0sec 0-62mph time.

As for cheaper options, the 1.3-litre petrol engine in the CLA 200 is perfectly adequate when you’re just pottering around town. However, you need to work it hard for it to feel as potent as its 161bhp output suggests, and when you do, it sounds rather coarse and thrashy. We’re yet to try the entry-level CLA 180.

All petrol-engined Shooting Brakes get Mercedes’ seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox as standard, while the diesel gets an eight-speed. Both ’boxes hold onto gears for an unnecessarily long time when in Sport mode, but switch them back to Normal and gearshifts are impressively smooth, especially with the eight-speeder.

In town, the CLA feels pretty compact and nimble compared with the majority of estates. That’s thanks in part to quick steering that prevents you having to twirl the wheel endlessly when negotiating a multi-storey carpark. Move out of the city and onto some twisting roads, and the CLA is perfectly pleasant when being driven briskly. However, get closer to the car’s limits and you’ll find the steering doesn’t give a great sense of connection to the front tyres and it runs out of grip surprisingly early. If you’re a keen driver, an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a4/estate/review/n101">Audi A4 Avant</a> is more composed and grippier in the bends, while a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/estate/review/n108">BMW 3 Series Touring</a> is genuinely good fun.

The CLA also bounces around more than those models over dips and crests, but it stops well short of being uncomfortable, and its ride is suitably smooth on the motorway.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

We've yet to try this entry-level engine

http://example.com

CLA 180

cla-180

The 1.3-litre petrol engine in the CLA 200 is perfectly adequate when you’re just pottering around town. However, you need to work it hard for it to feel as potent as its 161bhp output suggests, and when you do, it sounds rather coarse and thrashy

CLA 200

cla-200

Engine noise is virtually non-existent at a cruise in the 220d, and it takes only a relatively gentle squeeze of the accelerator pedal for it to pick up significant speed.

CLA 220d

cla-220d

CLA 250e

cla-250e

The AMG 35’s 302bhp makes it feel rather swift, and this engine's standard four-wheel drive system helps it fire off the line with virtually no wheelspin.

CLA 35 4Matic

cla-35-premium-plus-4matic

At the top of the CLA tree is the bonkers-fast AMG A45 with its 4.0sec 0-62mph time.

CLA 45

cla-45

When is an estate car not an estate car? When it’s the Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake, of course. That’s because, unlike many rivals that just have a big box tacked onto the rump of a hatchback, the Shooting Brake focusses on style just as much as practicality, just like the regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/cla/coupe/review/n19245">Mercedes CLA</a>.

But despite having a raked roofline and no additional length over the coupé version, the Shooting Brake actually has more boot space than a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/estate/review/n17346">Mercedes C-Class Estate</a>. It’s also worth pointing out that there’s a bit more rear head room in the Shooting Brake than the coupé; perfect if all your mates are basketball players in their spare time.

Engines range from a tiddly 1.3-litre petrol with a mere 134bhp in the CLA 180, right up to the AMG-fettled CLA 45S and its turbocharged 2.0-litre with a mighty 415bhp. There’s even a 187bhp diesel CLA 220d if you’re expecting to rack up plenty of miles every year.

Unlike the A-Class on which it's based, there’s no entry-level Sport trim level. That does push the price up, but the upshot is that every Shooting Brake is generously equipped. Rivals are tricky to define; after all, the only other part-coupe, part-estate available for similar money is the cheaper <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/pro-ceed/estate/review/n18812">Kia Proceed</a>.

Of course, there’s the far cheaper and much more spacious <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/estate/review/n40">Skoda Octavia Estate</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/estate/review/n17344">Skoda Superb&nbsp;Estate</a>&nbsp;but the only ‘premium’ estate car options are the larger <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a4/estate/review/n101">Audi A4 Avant</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/estate/review/n108">BMW 3 Series Touring</a> and of course the C-Class Estate.

So, to find out where the CLA fits into this disparate bunch, keep reading for our full review. We’ll tell you how it drives, what it’s like inside, how practical it is and how much it’ll batter your bank balance. We also have a full <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/cla/coupe/review/n19245">Mercedes CLA review</a> if you're looking for the coupé version.

Don’t forget to check out our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/category/estate">New Car Deals pages</a>&nbsp;too. You could save thousands on your next new car, and there are lots of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/category/estate">new estate car deals</a>.

The interior of the CLA Shooting Brake has a serious wow factor, especially if you specify it with dual 10.3in screens (as standard, the infotainment screen is that size, but instrumentation is displayed on a 7.0in monitor).

It helps that its graphics are razor-sharp, and usability is similarly impressive. The various menus are logically laid out and you can choose between pressing the on-screen icons, scrolling with the responsive touchpads or issuing voice commands; the latter interface recognises natural speech instead of requiring you to remember specific phrases.

Wireless phone charging is also provided via a handy tray located in front of the main infotainment touchpad. Similarly cutting-edge is Mercedes’ standardisation on USB ‘C’ sockets, the drawback being that you may need to buy an adaptor before you can plug in some of your devices.

It’s definitely good news, though, that, whether you’re tall or short, it won’t be too tricky to find a driving position that works for you. This is thanks to a wide range of adjustment for the steering wheel and seat, and good under-thigh support.

And while there are some hard plastics if you really go looking for them, you’ll probably be far too distracted by the relaxing ambient lighting, flashy air vents and classy wood or metal finishes for this to bother you. Indeed, on interior pizzazz points, the&nbsp;CLA Shooting Brake outguns the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a4/estate/review/n101">Audi A4 Avant</a> demonstrably, and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/pro-ceed/estate/review/n18812">Kia Proceed</a> by a country mile.

Estate

Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Jaguar and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is probably the most comfortable for a long motorway journey.

MERCEDES-BENZ

The Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake is great to look at, but rival estates are more practical and better to drive

Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake

There’s plenty of head room up front, especially if you avoid the panoramic sunroof that comes with the optional Premium Plus package. As is the case with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/review/n88">Mercedes A-Class</a> hatchback on which the CLA Shooting Brake is based, oddment storage is pretty good, too.

Space in the back is adequate rather than generous when compared with the wider estate car class. Leg room is decent enough, but those over six feet tall will find there isn’t a vast amount of space between the top of their head and the car’s roof lining. If rear seat space is your priority, you can pick up a very well specified <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/estate/review/n17344">Skoda Superb Estate</a> with limo-like leg and head room for similar money.

Move to the boot and things are a little mixed; the CLA has a bigger capacity than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a4/estate/review/n101">Audi A4 Avant</a> (and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/estate/review/n17346">Mercedes C-Class Estate</a>), but is trickier to load. That’s because its wide rear lights reduce the width of the lowest section of the loading aperture. There’s also a high loading lip to lug heavy items over before you drop them into the boot. At least you get a handy 40/20/40 split folding rear seat backrest as standard; you can set these to accommodate various combinations of passengers and luggage.

Petrol, Diesel, Petrol/Plug-In Elec Hybrid

Entry-level AMG Line trim gives you plenty of kit, with climate control and an excellent infotainment system, but we reckon it's worth stepping up to Premium.

AMG Line

amg-line

We have yet to try this range-topping model

We have yet to try this model

AMG S

Although on paper the CLA Shooting Brake has a pretty big boot, a high load lip and narrow aperture hurt its practicality. But although we could point out a Superb Estate is far bigger for the money, the CLA’s attractive interior, strong engines and decent driving experience hold plenty of appeal.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Huge boot and excellent practicality</li> <li>Plenty of interior space so you can carry passengers as well as luggage </li> <li>Strong engines to pull a heavily laden car</li> <li>Comfortable ride, especially on the motorway</li> <li>Low running costs for company car drivers</li></ul>

If you’re after bags of space but you don’t want to commit to the van-like dimensions and styling of an MPV, there are some great estate cars on offer that should do the job.

Tricks to look out for include an electric tailgate&nbsp;that opens automatically when you wave your foot under the rear bumper; this is&nbsp;particularly handy if you’re trying to load in a heavy or&nbsp;bulky item. You should also look for handles in the side of the boot itself that can drop down the rear seats; these are much more convenient than having to walk around the side of the car to do it.

There are some terrific estates at most price ranges. The humble Skoda Fabia Estate offers cavernous space for not much cash at all, for example.

Further up the price range, another of our perennial favourites is the Skoda Superb Estate;&nbsp;it’s great to drive and as practical as most people should ever need. Meanwhile, for serious mile-munching ability and a premium, well-finished interior, it’s hard to look beyond the BMW 5 Series Touring.

Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake review

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Unlike the Mercedes A-Class, the CLA range doesn’t offer an entry-level Sport trim; this lifts its starting price considerably, and the Shooting Brake adds a further premium to its Coupe stablemate. AMG Line trim gives you plenty of kit, but you might want to jump up to AMG Line Premium; it brings the bigger instrument display, keyless entry and an upgraded stereo. We’d avoid the Premium Plus package due to its head room-eating panoramic sunroof.,The CLA’s official CO2 emissions figures may not be spectacularly low, but they are competitive, especially for the 220d diesel; this engine is RDE2 compliant, which means there’s no 4% diesel surcharge on BIK (Benefit in Kind) company car tax.,And it’s worth noting that the CLA is one of the safest cars around, not only earning a full Euro NCAP five-star rating, but with scores of well over 90% for adult occupant, child occupant and pedestrian protection.For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

Buying advice for the Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake covering running costs, MPG, Fuel Economy, Reliability and Safety, from the expert What Car? review team.

Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake review

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