New Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake: luxurious estate gets 473-mile range
Available with electric power for the first time, the Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake has an impressive range and can accelerate from 0-62mph in 5.0sec...
On sale March 2026 Price £49,000 (est)
In recent years, more and more Brits have been embarking on road trip holidays. They’re relatively affordable, can be tailored to any destination or time limit and let you enjoy the scenery from the comfort of your own car.
On face value, the new Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake looks like it’s the perfect choice for long-haul journeys. It’s a low-slung estate car, often required for all your luggage and the odd souvenir. Plus, in saloon guise, the new Mercedes CLA holds the world record for the longest distance travelled in an electric car in 24 hours. In the space of a day, it covered 2140 miles – the equivalent to driving from London to Madrid and back.
The first generation of CLA to be available with electric power, all versions of the Shooting Brake will feature the same 85kWh (usable capacity) battery as the record-breaking saloon – giving the CLA 250+ a likely range of 473 miles and the more powerful CLA 350 4MATIC a 454-mile range. That means both models can cover more ground than the Audi A6 Avant e-tron (435 miles) and the Volkswagen ID 7 Tourer (422 miles).
Pitstops should be quick, too, with the CLA Shooting Brake’s battery able to handle up to 320kW. As a result, 192 miles can be added to the battery in as little as 10 minutes. That said, very few public chargers are currently able to deliver power at this rate.
Two versions will be available from launch, with the entry-level CLA 250+ using a 268bhp motor to power the rear wheels. The CLA 350 4MATIC has an extra motor for all-wheel drive, making a total of 349bhp. In its most powerful form, the CLA Shooting Brake can sprint from 0-62mph in 5.0sec – 0.4sec quicker than the A6 Avant e-tron Performance and 0.5sec faster than the ID 7 Tourer GTX. Both models have a top speed of 130mph.
However, if you’re not ready to make the switch to an electric car just yet, a mild hybrid option will be added to the range later on in 2026. This will feature a 1.5-litre petrol engine working in tandem with a miniscule 1.3kWh battery. According to Mercedes, this setup will allow the CLA Shooting Brake to travel on pure electric power at steady speeds of up to 62mph for several miles.
Since the new CLA Shooting Brake has a higher roofline than the current model, front and rear passengers benefit from more head room. Passengers should also find getting into the back of the car a lot easier, with the new CLA Shooting Brake featuring a wider set of rear doors.
Unfortunately, rear leg room is slightly reduced compared with the outgoing model, whereas the boot is 30 litres smaller. At 455 litres, the CLA Shooting Brake’s boot is no match for the Audi A6 Avant e-tron (502 litres) or Volkswagen ID 7 Tourer (605 litres). Nevertheless, the electric versions of the CLA Shooting Brake do have an extra 101 litres of under-bonnet storage space.
Mercedes claims that the new CLA Shooting Brake will be better equipped than any other car in its segment. All models will come equipped with a half synthetic leather interior, 14in touchscreen, heated seats with lumbar support, climate control and a panoramic glass roof as standard.
If that’s not enough tech for you, you’ll also be able to opt for a second 14in touchscreen. Designed specifically for the front passenger, this touchscreen can be used to watch YouTube videos and play games on. Another option is an enhanced glass roof, which can be made opaque to prevent glare on sunny days and lights up at night to depict a starry sky – featuring no fewer than 158 ‘stars’ that pay homage to the Mercedes logo.
Prices for the new Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake are expected to start at around £49,000 – slightly undercutting the Volkswagen ID 7 Tourer (£51,005) and considerably less than the Audi A6 Avant e-tron (£64,340).
