CLA Shooting Brake Electric
Alternatives: Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer, BMW i5 Touring, Audi A6 Avant e-tron, Zeekr 7GT
Overview
The Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake EV represents a unique offering in the EV market, blending sleek estate styling with exceptional electric efficiency. Positioned as a versatile premium alternative to traditional saloon options like the Tesla Model 3 and BMW i3 and more upmarket estates like the BMW i5 Touring, it provides extra practicality without sacrificing the traditional aesthetic of a classic shooting brake. Built on Mercedes-Benz's dedicated 800V modular architecture, the car sits at the entry point of the brand's luxury lineup while delivering flagship-level range and rapid charging capabilities.
Design
The exterior of the CLA Shooting Brake retains the low-slung, swooping profile of the Shooting Brake badge, paired with Mercedes' modern EV styling. At the front, it features a smooth panel with an illuminated star-pattern grille and integrated LED headlights linked by a subtle light bar. The roofline gently slopes back towards an integrated rear spoiler, flowing into a distinctively curved tailgate with full-width rear LED lighting on higher trims. Wheel choices range from aerodynamically optimized 18-inch alloys on base models up to 19-inch wheels on AMG Lines. Flush-fitting pop-out door handles are featured on mid-to-high trim levels to further reduce drag, enhancing overall aerodynamic efficiency.
Interior
Inside, the cabin is focused heavily on digital integration, headlined by the optional full-width MBUX Superscreen that spans across the dashboard. Base variants utilize high-gloss dashboard trim, while higher trims house dedicated driver, central, and passenger display screens running on the AI-powered MB.OS with integrated Google Maps navigation. Quality across the upper cabin is solid, incorporating soft-touch materials, turbine-style air vents, and customizable ambient lighting, though some hard plastics lower down reflect its entry-level premium positioning. Multi-contour sports seats provide strong support and long-distance comfort, while physical switchgear is kept to a functional minimum in favour of touch and advanced voice controls.
Performance & Powertrains
The powertrain lineup begins with the single-motor RWD CLA 200, which uses a 58 kWh LFP battery paired with a 224 hp electric motor. This variant delivers a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 7.6 seconds, a top speed of 130 mph, and a range of 318 miles. Its 200 kW peak DC fast-charging capacity allows a 10% to 80% recharge in approximately 20 minutes. The mid-tier CLA 250+ steps up to an 85 kWh NMC battery and a rear-mounted motor producing 272 hp and 335 Nm of torque. It covers 0-62 mph in 6.8 seconds and achieves a class-leading range of up to 465 miles. Thanks to 800V architecture, its peak DC charging speed reaches 320 kW, replenishing 10% to 80% capacity in 22 minutes or adding up to 192 miles of range in just 10 minutes. At the top of the standard range, the CLA 350 4MATIC adds a front electric motor for AWD, generating a combined 349 hp. This reduces the 0-62 mph sprint to 5.0 seconds while maintaining a strong range of up to 450 miles. On the road, the chassis delivers a refined, well-balanced ride with composed body movement, making it quiet and comfortable at motorway speeds.
Practicality
Thanks to its estate shape, the CLA Shooting Brake EV offers notable practicality advantages over the standard CLA saloon. Rear passenger space is adequate for adults, though knee room remains compact due to the 2,790 mm wheelbase. The main luggage compartment provides 455 litres of volume with all 5 seats in place, expanding up to 1,295 litres when the 40:20:40 split rear seats are folded flat. In addition to the rear cargo area, the vehicle includes a generous 101-litre frunk under the bonnet, ideal for storing charging cables and smaller bags.
Buying
Prices for the Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake EV start at £40,150 for the entry-level CLA 200 in Sport Executive trim. The long-range CLA 250+ opens at £44,250, while the AWD CLA 350 4MATIC starts from £52,800. The trim structure spans Sport, Sport Executive, AMG Line Executive, AMG Line Premium, and AMG Line Premium Plus. Entry-level models come well-equipped with a panoramic sunroof, LED headlights, wireless smartphone charging, and key safety assistance systems. Moving up to AMG Line trim adds aggressive body styling, larger alloy wheels, and power pop-out door handles, while top-spec Premium Plus models introduce the complete MBUX Superscreen layout and matrix LED headlamps. The EV Hub recommended configuration is the CLA 250+ in AMG Line Executive trim. It pairs the larger 85kWh battery's outstanding 463-mile range and ultra-fast 320 kW charging with sporty styling enhancements and flush door handles without pushing the total price into the highest trim brackets.