Mercedes-Benz Electric CLA Shooting Brake Review 2026

Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake: Everything you need to know

German car manufacturers’ adventurous spirit rarely attracts the praise it deserves. Rarely manifested through the medium of daring styling but rather occupying market niches with models that are tricky to pigeonhole. Some disappear after a single generation while others gain a small yet loyal following, such as this one – find out how good it is in our full Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake review.

Quite the mouthful and that’s not even the full extent of it for the latest CLA Shooting Brake, which like its Mercedes CLA Saloon counterpart – note, no longer marketed as a coupe – is sold in both EV and combustion-engined formats. 

One commonly cited barrier to EV adoption remains the perceived need to have long-driving range potential. In this respect the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake delivers, with a best WLTP Combined cycle claim of 469 miles for the CLA250+, slightly down on the 483-mile high of the Saloon equivalent.

Although the CLA250+ is the line-up’s high-point in terms of range, it’s in the middle performance-wise – an entry-level CLA200 is already available to order with deliveries commencing later in 2026, while the swiftest CLA350 4Matic is already in showrooms. 

We reckon the CLA250+ Shooting Brake is the sweetest spot of the line-up and not simply because it can go the furthest without being plugged in. It produces 272PS and 335Nm of torque, sufficient for a 0-62mph sprint time of 6.8 seconds – plenty rapid for a car of this type.

Which rather begs the question, what type of car is the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake? Returning to our opening gambit, its credentials evidently champion efficiency but aren’t commodiously estate-like when it comes to carrying people and their belongings – consider it more a CLA hatchback than a capacious wagon. 

It’s also short of direct rivals, so prepare to think more laterally and include more conventionally shaped EV estates and lower-slung SUVs. That broadening of horizons produces an obscure assortment, encompassing alternatives as disparate as the intriguing DS No8 E-Tense, the undeservedly slow-selling Genesis GV60 and even the recently refreshed Peugeot E-308 SW.

Not that we regard the Mercedes as being a stand-out leader from that ensemble, driving-range potential aside, in no small part because we don’t believe is delivers a sense of imperiousness that one might expect of a car wearing the three-pointed star logo. Or all of them in this model’s case.

There’s a similar sense of ‘you can only tell you’re in a Mercedes because of the badges’ once you’ve climbed aboard. It’s all very shiny, screen-y and not nearly upmarket enough in our view.

Still, the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake is a relatively inexpensive way to get a car wearing the three-pointed star onto your driveway, with prices starting at just north of £40,000 for the CLA200 Sport. Factor-in the cost of the more desirable CLA250+ drive system in a more generously appointed trim level and you can easily add £10k to that.

How we tested the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake

At Honest John, we test cars in a manner which reflects how they will be used or a multitude of real-world roles, including urban, cross-country and motorway runs. So far, our experience of the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake has been limited in scope and mileage, so we will enrich our review when we have had more time behind the wheel. 

Test routes so far have included quaint villages and undulating rural single-carriageways in England’s Thames Valley. Road surfaces were primarily asphalted, occasionally cobbled, with plenty of surface imperfections and speed bumps to arrest pace in residential areas. 

Time was taken to assess the Mercedes’ front and rear seat passenger space, including the central bench position, as well as studying the practicality of its boot and in-car storage facilities.

In addition to judging outward visibility and the clarity of the dashboard’s displays from the driver’s perspective, we determined how simple its screen-based and physical controls were to use, as well as gaining insights about the effectiveness of its Advaned Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

So far we have not had an opportunity to observe first-hand what the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake is like to recharge.

Is the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake a good car?

While we think the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake is a generally decent car with an impressively long potential driving range. Its practicality advantages over the Electric CLA Saloon are worthwhile, but as an EV estate it falls short of the space offered by the Peugeot E-308 SW. 

Elsewhere, the unrelenting shininess of its plasticky dashboard are also likely to fall short of many buyers expectations of what a Mercedes’ interior should feel like, regardless of whether they are new to the brand or not. Sit inside the Genesis GV60 and you will soon realise how much plusher it feels – even the DS No8 E-Tense manages to feel more special than the CLA.

In short, the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake is a more desirable CLA, but it’s more likely to appeal to those who adore its styling and are wowed by its long range than other considerations.

Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake: Driving range

Its engineers have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake scythes through the air effortlessly. Combined with a new wave of more efficient drive motors and a two-speed transmission with a cruising gear for energy-saving motorway munching, it delivers eye-wideningly high range figures.

Specification choices cause the variation in figures between each model type, with the CLA250+ Shooting Brake delivering a WLTP Combined cycle best of up to 469 miles, followed in short order by the CLA350 4Matic at a maximum of 451 miles. Lowest of the ranges belongs to the entry-level CLA200, peaking at 321 miles.

Our tests so far have been too brief to determine what a realistic expectation should be, but under most circumstances we expect both the CLA250+ and CLA350 4Matic to deliver comfortably in excess of 400 miles.

Explaining the sizeable range differential between the CLA200 Shooting Brake and the others is that it has a battery capacity of 58.0kWh – for reference, the other versions each have an 85.0kWh pack. That said, the smaller capacity version still delivers a potential driving range far in excess of most buyers’ weekly needs, let alone their daily requirement.

Of the Mercedes’ rivals, the DS No8 E-Tense fitted with its smaller 74.0kWh battery choice has a WLTP Combined cycle range of 281-364 miles, while the Long Range FWD alternative at 97.2kWh ups that ante to 374-471 miles, just trumping the CLA’s best.

All versions of the Genesis GV60 feature an 84.0kWh battery for a maximum driving range of 348 miles for the entry-level RWD Pure derivative, while the 55.0kWh battery in the Peugeot E-308 SW yields a less impressive 275-mile potential.

Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake: Charging 

As well as the capacity difference, the CLA200 Shooting Brake’s 58.0kWh battery pack is composed of a different chemistry. It’s a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) type, which limits both how densely the cells can be packaged and quickly it can be recharged relative to the 85.0kWh lithium-ion batteries in the lineup’s pricier models.

When connected to a typical UK domestic wallbox charger delivering 7kW – incidentally, its AC on-board charger handles up to 11kW – a 0-100% recharge takes 9 hours 15 minutes to complete with the CLA200 and 13 hours 27 minutes for the other models.

Using the same connection type, DS quotes 20-80% times of 7 hours 48 minutes for the 74.0kWh No8 E-Tense and 8 hours 48 minutes for the Long Range 97.2kWh alternative, while Genesis states the 84.0kWh battery in the GV60 requires 7 hours 35 minutes albeit for a 10-100% charge at 11kW. For its 55.0kWh battery, Peugeot’s E-308 SW needs 4 hours 25 minutes, but as with the DS, that’s from 20-80%.

Fitted to the CLA200 is a DC on-board charger capable of accepting an energy flow rate of up to 200kW meaning a 10-80% top-up using a sufficiently powerful public charge point could take just 20 minutes for its smaller battery.

The larger pack installed in the CLA250+ and CLA350 4Matic has a significantly more capable DC on-board charger, managing energy flows of up to 320kW at ultra-rapid public stations, meaning a 10-80% state-of-charge boost could take as little as 22 minutes. There is, however, a rather significant ‘but’ to these DC charging claims.

In order to have any chance of getting close to such a short plug-in duration, the public chargers have to be the 800-volt variety. These are few and far between across the UK right now but will be rolled out to significantly increase their coverage over the coming few years.

However, as standard the Electric CLA’s DC on-board charger isn’t compatible with the more commonly found 400-volt type of public chargers. To solve this, Mercedes offers an £850 option to enable it to also be successfully charged at 400-volt stations, but only to a maximum rate of 100kW across all models. No charging times are officially quoted, but we guesstimate the 10-80% top-up to take around 40-45 minutes.

DC charging for the No8 E-Tense is pegged at 160kW, meaning a 20-80% top-up takes 26 minutes with the 74.0kWh pack and 27 minutes for the 97.2kWh alternative. At 240kW the Genesis GV60 is much brisker from 10-80% needing just 18 minutes, while the Peugeot E-308 SW is capped at 100kW with its 20-80% recharge quoted at 30 minutes despite being the smallest capacity.

All Electric CLA Shooting Brakes have an illuminated charging port on the right rear wing, so not too long a stretch for heavy cables to reach when parked at a public station.

If you’re expecting us to tell you that the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake is a thrill-a-minute sports wagon, then we would politely advise you that all AMG references in this review related to trim levels and not indicative that this petite estate has been fettled by the firm’s tuning division. 

Comfort is the watchword here and it’s all the better for it. In fact, how pliant the CLA goes about its business is even more remarkable considering that it doesn’t have the option of adaptive suspension dampers, let alone cushiony air springs.

While you’re aware of road surface imperfections and ruts, the Mercedes successfully rounds them off, so there’s no sense of jarring or jolting your passengers. Body control is also well-managed, with little evidence of the car moving in the opposite direction to undulating roads, while lean when changing direction through sweeping bends is also kept neatly in check. Its heavy battery pack mounted low within its platform play a significant role here.

There’s a useful lightness to the steering at low speeds, which weights up progressively as the performance extracted increases, but never becomes tiresomely heavy. Grip is fine from the efficiency-boosting tyres, with little evidence of tail-biased playfulness from the rear-wheel drive versions. 

All-wheel drive traction is the preserve of the CLA350 4Matic Shooting Brake, but it’s unlikely many buyers will really need it – the CLA250+ fitted with grippy winter tyres will do what most require of this Mercedes when road adhesion is limited.

Braking feels natural and progressive when using the pedal in the conventional manner, with varying selectable levels of energy regeneration selectable via the drive selector wand on the right of the steering column. Which you choose is down to personal preference, with the strongest setting effectively enabling one-pedal driving due to its braking effect, with free-wheeling coasting being the order of the day at the other end of the scale.

Overall refinement quietly impressed us with very little wind noise, tyre roar and suspension clonks audible to disturb the Mercedes’ in-car hush, although selecting the Sport driving mode plays an augmented sound through the speakers under acceleration.

Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake: Batteries and motors

Three drive systems are available for the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake, all of which are somewhat unusual being fitted with a two-speed automatic transmission rather than the single-speed typically installed in EVs. The reason is purely to enhance its energy efficiency – and therefore range – when traveling at higher, cruising speeds.

Entry-point to the range is the CLA200 Electric Shooting Brake fitted with a 58.0kWh battery, giving the Mercedes a minimum total weight of 2071kg. Despite it being the most junior in terms of performance, it’s hardly sluggish – 224PS of power and 335Nm of torque are delivered to the rear wheels, enabling a 7.6-second 0-62mph benchmark, running on to an electronically capped top speed of 130mph, which is common across the line-up.

In the middle of the line-up is the CLA250+ Electric Shooting Brake, which maintains the rear-drive layout but has an 85.0kWh battery – despite the increase in capacity, the Mercedes’ overall minimum weight only rises by 10kg.

There’s no more torque for the CLA with this motor, but its maximum power output is cranked-up to 272PS, with the overall performance effect being a reduced 0-62mph, now down to 6.8 seconds.

At the top of the range is the CLA350 4Matic Electric Shooting Brake, that extra detail confirming that not only are all four-wheels driven here, but that there’s a second motor under the bonnet propelling the front pair. Those extra mechanical components see its minimum weight jump to 2188kg, with the same 85.0kWh battery as the CLA250+.

As may be reasonably expected, with two motors working in unison, this CLA’s outputs are dialled-up much further than its less costly siblings. A punchy 354PS and 515Nm grab the headlines as much as the Mercedes’ 5.0-second 0-62mph time does.

How urgent the Electric CLA Shooting Brake feels when delivering its performance can be varied not only by your right foot’s delicacy with the sensibly modulated accelerator pedal, but also by selecting different driving modes.

Called Dynamic Select in Mercedes-speak, there are four modes to switch between – Comfort, Eco, Sport and Individual. Comfort balances performance and efficiency well and is likely to be the one most buyers keep their cars in for perpetuity.

As their names imply, Eco reduces the performance available in a quest to eke out every mile of range, whereas Sport swaps the focus around. Individual enables drivers to select various elements from each to suit their preferred driving styles.

Euro NCAP’s five-star safety rating awarded in 2025 is applicable to all flavours of CLA available, not only the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake.

Impressive individual category scores comprise 94% for adult occupant protection and 89% for children, while vulnerable road user protection was rated at 93%. Euro NCAP scored the CLA’s on-board safety assist package at 85%.

All versions have a wealth of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) as standard, including Attention Assist, Blind Spot Assist Plus, Evasive Steering function and Lane Keeping Assist.

We are disappointed to note that while all of the necessary hardware and software is in place for Distronic adaptive cruise control, it’s something Mercedes terms a Digital Extra – that’s a euphemism for something which requires an ongoing subscription to enable it to function. Not cool.

Braked towing capacities for the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake vary according to the drive system chosen. 

CLA200 versions can pull a maximum of 1500kg, while the CLA250+ sees that limit increase to 1800kg. For the heaviest-duty hauling the all-wheel drive traction of the CLA350 4Matic ups the ante to 2400kg.

Slightly longer, wider and taller than the outgoing generation, Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake provides more space overall for those up front, while those in the back – a space better-suited to two passengers, not three – have less room than before for legs and arms, yet can afford for their hair to grow 7mm more without glancing the headlining.

Up front the experience is cosy rather than tight, helped in part by the angle of the windscreen – the point where the glass meets the top of the dashboard is pushed forwards, increasing the sense of spaciousness. 

So far we’ve only experienced the sportier, contoured front seats fitted to the various AMG Line trim levels, finding them firm yet supportively comfortable. Manual adjustments to them are fiddly, yet broad in scope – electrically operated alternatives are only standard on the two most expensive levels of specification.

Although you’re sat relatively low compared with typical SUV fare, it’s easy to determine a sound driving position with decent visibility all-round, despite the Electric CLA Shooting Brake’s aggressively tapered tail. We did feel the glass area of the door mirrors was on the small side, though, doubtless to reduce the housings’ surface area to boost aerodynamic efficiency.

It does feel more snug in the back, although our 6ft tall tester was able to sit behind their own driving position, albeit with legs slightly splayed. Three seatbelts are fitted to the rear bench, but the central position is very narrow, so even a petite adult would likely struggle to be comfy between to other grown-up passengers, let alone a pair of Isofix-mounted child seats.

Worsening matters is that the cushion and seatback for the centre position are proud of the more scalloped and supportive outer positions. Usefully the floor is flat, so passengers’ legs don’t have to straddle a central tunnel, but the rear end of the central console does rob them of foot space.

Sat in either the front or rear, each of the DS No8 E-Tense, the Genesis GV60 and the Peugeot E-308 SW are all more generous with their space than the Mercedes. 

In-cabin storage for odds and ends is fine rather than novel or especially generous. In addition to door pockets, the glovebox, a lidded front centre console doubles as an armrest, with a pair of cupholders mounted ahead of it on the bridge section that connects to the dashboard, along with a smartphone-sized recess which doubles as a charging pad on all but Sport specification versions.

Beneath that bridge is an open-sided storage space, with sensibly elevated edges to prevent items sliding out into the footwells while driving. In the rear are traditional style nets on the front seatbacks while all except for the entry-level Sport trim have a central fold-down armrest complete with two cupholders.

Also smaller than its predecessor’s is the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake’s boot, in part due to the relocation of various ancillary components. With the rear seats in use its 455-litre capacity is 30 litres down over the outgoing generation, but a still-useful 50 litres more than the four-door Electric CLA Saloon musters. Hooks mounted onto the sides of the boot area are useful for hanging shopping bags and not having groceries careering around the space.

With the rear seats in use, the DS No8 E-Tense has 620 litres of boot space when loaded to the luggage cover height, although that drops to 560 litres on all-wheel drive versions. Far less generous is the Genesis GV60’s 432-litre space, with the Peugeot E-308 SW also trumping the Mercedes with 505 litres.

While having a tailgate to access the boot is a welcome boost for practicality, its reclined angle when closed limits the height of what can be transported in the back, whether cargo or pets – we’d advise Great Dane and St Bernard owners to look elsewhere as the CLA Shooting Brake is better regarded as a generous hatchback than a traditional estate.

With the 40/20/40 split-fold seatback lowered, a 1290-litre volume when loaded to roof height is yielded, some 60 litres down compared with the old CLA wagon. Those seats don’t lie completely horizontally or even on the same plane as the boot floor, but we noted there’s no step between them to guide heavy cargo over, so sliding in such items shouldn’t prove too tricky.

Usefully there’s a 101-litre ‘frunk’ at your disposal when you’ve popped the bonnet, making it a useful space for more than simply chucking your charging cables into.

DS doesn’t quote a seats-down capacity for the No8 E-Tense, but the Mercedes’s volume is trumped by the 1550 litres in the Genesis and the Peugeot’s 1402-litre capacity. Of that trio, only the GV60 has space beneath its bonnet for storage, but its inferior to the Electric CLA’s – 53 litres on rear-wheel drive models and just 20 litres when all-wheel drive-equipped.

Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake: Dimensions

From bumper-to-bumper the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake measures 4723mm in Sport specification and 4731mm in AMG Line form. Overall bodywork width is 1855mm, extending to 2021mm when the door mirrors are included. Height is recorded at 1460-1470mm depending on the version.

For reference, the Mercedes C-Class Estate, which may be perceived as being a much larger model is 4739mm long, 1820mm wide at the body and 1462mm tall, but its boot is larger at 490-1510 litres.

Of those highlighted rivals, the DS No8 E-Tense is 4820mm long, 1900mm wide and 1580mm tall, the Genesis GV60 has a length of 4545mm, a width of 1890mm and a height of 1580, while the Peugeot E-308 SW is 4636mm, 1852mm and 1454mm respectively.

While our initial experiences with the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake indicate that there are no obvious issues with how well it’s been assembled, all isn’t as well as we would like for a car from this storied brand. That should also be concerning for three-pointed star loyalists, because each of the three key rivals also feels at least comparable in terms of interior plushness – and in the Genesis GV60’s case, significantly ahead.

We’re minded that the main issue the Mercedes has is that it simply doesn’t feel Mercedes-y enough. Being cynical, that may well explain why there are so many three-pointed star logos all over it, inside and out, including 142 illuminated facsimiles in the blanked-off grille. Lots of reminders to overcome the lack of surety from your other senses.

It’s inside that the Electric CLA especially underwhelms, primarily because of its glossy, flat dashboard panel which is almost free of any kind of physical relief. On versions without the third screen directly in front of the passenger, they’re faced with a panel that mimics the grille’s finish. 

That unyielding shininess cheapens the overall impression, but isn’t necessarily remedied by other plastics with a more textured finish around the front cupholders and replicated on the doors. Four looks are available with something Mercedes calls Matt White natural silent trim on the priciest AMG Line Premium Plus specifications. Taste is a very personal matter, but to us it looks odd, not helped by its abstract pattern of grey lines.

It’s also worth noting that the standard seat upholstery for all AMG Line models has Clean White Pearl Artico faux leather outer edges, which was already looking grubby in places on the weeks’ old test cars. Black and Power Red alternatives are usefully a zero-cost option.

More glossy plastic is found on the steering wheel spokes containing the haptic areas to control various functions. We’ve not been fans of these in other models fitted with them and the Electric CLA Shooting Brake hasn’t changed our minds, either. Mercedes, do as other manufacturers are doing and bring back physical buttons. Quickly.

Dominating the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake’s interior is the sheer, glossy dashboard facade of up to three display screens. 

Immediately ahead of the driver is a configurable 10.25-inch display, with sharp resolution, crisp graphics and sensibly sized fonts. It’s all very easy to read at a glance, so you won’t feel like you’re missing out significantly by choosing a version without the windscreen-projected head-up display – it only comes as standard on the most expensive AMG Line Premium Plus specification. 

In the middle of the dashboard is the 14.0-inch multimedia touchscreen running the MBUX operating system. It’s similarly easy to fathom, with rapid responses and intuitive menus, which is useful given how much it has to be used to access various controls, including the climate settings. At least the virtual temperature toggles are permanently displayed at the base of the screen, but physical switches would be a Godsend, Mercedes.

A Google Maps-based navigation system is integrated which can be used to encompass finding charging stops en route for longer journeys, although it will do so based on 800-volt charging locations. 

If you prefer using mapping apps in Android Auto or Apple CarPlay you can do so wirelessly, but very disappointingly these are now part of Mercedes Digital Extras scheme. In short, they’re free to use for a short period when the car’s new, beyond that becoming a paid-for subscription. We would urge Mercedes to think this over pronto.

Dubbed MBUX Superscreen is a third touchscreen immediately in front of the passenger, enabling them to while away the time by using its 14.0-inch display to play games, watch YouTube videos and so forth. It’s only standard on AMG Line Premium and Premium Plus versions.

In order to prevent the driver from being distracted, monitoring software is supposed to make the screen go blank if it detects they are also watching the video – on test we found that cut-off was sometimes several seconds kicking in.

All Electric CLA Shooting Brakes are equipped with a dashboard-integrated selfie and video camera, presumably to entertain your social media followers after a particularly exciting drive to the supermarket. 

As standard an eight-speaker, 125W sound system is fitted to all Electric CLA Shooting Brakes aside from the range-topping AMG Line Premium Plus. That’s the only one fitted with the upgraded Burmester 3D sound package, comprising 16 speakers and 850W of output. 

These are the current on-the-road (OTR) prices for the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake, as of April 2026. No version is in receipt of the government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG). Prices can and do change, so use these as a guide but also check on Mercedes’ UK website for up-to-date price lists.

Is the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake good value compared with its rivals?

Surprisingly, yes it is. Both the CLA200 and CLA250+ are available in the less expensive Sport and Sport Executive specifications, with the CLA350 4Matic joining the range at AMG Line Executive level in the middle of the line-up.

Most expensive in the range is the CLA350 4Matic Electric AMG Line Premium Plus at £57,350.

Just remember that you will likely also want the 400-volt on-board DC charger, which is a further £850 to factor in for every Electric CLA.

Night Black solid is the standard paint colour, while two other solid finishes – Polar White and Aqua-Mint – are no-cost options.

Cosmos Black, High-tech Silver and Sapphire Blue metallic paint finishes are £715 options, with Mercedes’ special Manufaktur finishes of Alpine Grey solid and Patagonia Red metallic are £825 extra.

All trim levels barring Sport have alternative upholstery options for no cost while Black genuine leather is a £1300 extra on AMG Line Premium and Premium Plus versions.

Compared those figures to the DS No8 E-Tense which ranges from £50,790 for the Pallas FWD 230hp up to £68,790 for the range-topping Jules Verne AWD Long Range 350hp. The Genesis GV60 is a similarly pricey option – £54,115 buys the RWD Pure while the AWD Performance at the opposite end of the range is £67,715.

In this company, the Peugeot E-308 SW is a bargain, helped by being the only one in receipt of the government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG) which lops £1500 from the price. Inclusive of that discount the cheapest Allure 55kWh 156 version is £30,695 rising to £34,495 for the GT Premium specification.

For the lowest EV running costs it’s best to have a wallbox installed at home and the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake is no exception to this. Such a device enables you to potentially access cheaper, electric car-friendly tariffs of around 8-9p/kWh, making a full charge for the larger 85.0kWh battery cost less than £8. Eight quid for over 400 miles of driving range.

Public rapid charging is expensive, although is set to become less so with the value added tax (VAT) set to fall from 20% to 5%. Still, we recommend these are only used when necessary and for as short a period as you can safely do so before heading home. Public charging points are not cost-effective solutions if installing a wallbox at home isn’t viable.

From April 2026 the annual VED car tax bill from the second year of a car’s first registration onwards is £200, including for electric models.

One tax advantage of choosing an EV is that the Expensive Car Supplement only applies when the retail price inclusive of optional extras was £50,000 or higher, rather than £40,000 for models fitted with combustion engines.

Of the Electric CLA Shooting Brake’s 13-strong range in April 2026, only four derivatives cost over £50k excluding options. They face a £440 annual bill at today’s rates in years two to six of ownership.

Low Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) taxation for electric cars means they are usually very sought-after by company car drivers who can take advantage of their 4% taxation rate for the 2026/27 financial year.

While it’s too soon to yet know of any reliability concerns for the Electric CLA Shooting Brake, as with all Mercedes it comes with a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty, while the battery pack is separately guaranteed for eight years or 100,000 miles to maintain at least 70% usable capacity.

Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake: Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between the Mercedes Electric CLA and the Electric CLA Shooting Brake?

They are different body styles of the Electric CLA range. Shooting Brake is used to signify the rakish five-door estate, while the one without a suffix is a four-door saloon.

Is the Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake also sold with an internal combustion engine?

Yes it is. Mercedes calls the combustion-engined CLA Shooting Brake a hybrid, when in reality it’s a mild hybrid system. It comes in CLA180, CLA200 and CLA220 4Matic forms. All a petrol engines with no diesel availability.

What’s the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake’s driving range?

According to the WLTP Combined cycle tests, the highest range figure achieved is 469 miles for the Mercedes CLA250+ Electric Sport Shooting Brake.

The lowest potential driving range is 299 miles for the Mercedes CLA200 Electric AMG Line Premium Plus Shooting Brake.

How big is the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake’s boot?

With the rear seats in place the overall volume up to the luggage cover is 455 litres. When they are folded over and the space up to the ceiling is counted, that increases to 1290 litres. All versions also have 101-litre ‘frunk’ beneath the bonnet.

Is the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake available through Motability?

No it isn’t. Mercedes models previously available through the scheme were removed in 2025 due to being perceived as luxury cars.

Since the Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake was launched it has been available in five levels of specification – Sport, Sport Executive, AMG Line Executive, AMG Line Premium and AMG Line Premium Plus.

Mercedes Electric CLA Shooting Brake: current trim levels

Mercedes Electric CLA Sport Shooting Brake standard equipment (November 2025 to date):

• 18-inch 5-twin-spoke alloy wheels in High-Gloss Black and High-Sheen finish
• Comfort suspension
• Sport exterior body styling
• Automatic LED High Performance headlights with integrated LED daytime-running lights
• LED tail lights
• Electrically adjustable and folding door mirrors
• Automatic windscreen wipers
• Panoramic sunroof
• Roof rails
• Body-coloured exterior door handles
• 10.25-inch driver’s display screen
• 14.0-inch touchscreen MBUX multimedia system
• DAB digital radio
• Facial recognition
• Selfie and video camera
• Eight-speaker, 125W Mercedes-Benz sound system
• USB-C ports – 2x front and 2x rear
• Heated front seats with four-way electrically adjustable lumbar support
• Black Artico faux leather and Black Sortland fabric seat upholstery
• Leather-wrapped, three-spoke, multifunction steering wheel
• Anthracite anodised-look interior trim elements
• Velour floor mats
• Thermatic one-zone climate controlled air-conditioning
• Electric windows front and rear
• Auto-dimming interior rear-view mirror
• 40/20/40 split-folding rear seatbacks
• Anti-slip boot floor mat
• Dynamic Select driving modes – Comfort, Eco, Sport and Individual
• Heat pump
• 11kW AC on-board charger
• 200kW DC on-board charger – CLA200 only
• 320kW DC on-board charger – CLA250+ and CLA350 4Matic only
• Acoustic vehicle presence indicator
• Emergency Brake Assist
• Attention Assist
• Blind Spot Assist Plus
• Driver’s Eye-Tracking technology
• Evasive Steering Function
• Hill Hold and Hill Start Assist
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Manoeuvring Assist
• Radar-based brake energy recuperation

Mercedes Electric CLA Sport Executive Shooting Brake standard equipment (November 2025 to date) – differences from Sport include:

• 18-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels in High-Gloss Black and High-Sheen finish
• Flush-fitting, automatically retractable and extending exterior door handles
• Heat-insulating, dark-tinted rear side and tailgate glass
• Wireless smartphone charging pad
• Black Artico faux leather seat upholstery
• Light brushed aluminium interior trim elements
• 64-colour LED interior ambient lighting
• Rear central armrest

Mercedes Electric CLA AMG Line Executive Shooting Brake standard equipment (November 2025 to date) – differences from Sport Executive include:

• 18-inch AMG 5-spoke alloy wheels in High-Gloss Black and High-Sheen finish
• AMG exterior body styling
• Electrically adjustable and folding door mirrors with Mercedes logo-projecting downlighting
• Sporty, contoured front seats with integral-look headrests 
• Clean White Pearl Artico faux leather and Black Microcut microfibre seat upholstery
• Nappa leather-wrapped, flat-bottomed, multifunction steering wheel
• Light carbon-grain aluminium interior trim elements

Mercedes Electric CLA AMG Line Premium Shooting Brake standard equipment (November 2025 to date) – differences from AMG Line Executive include:

• 19-inch AMG 5-spoke alloy wheels in High-Gloss Black and High-Sheen finish
• Keyless-Go unlocking, locking and starting
• Electrically adjustable front seats with memory function
• Light brushed aluminium interior trim elements
• Thermotronic two-zone climate controlled air-conditioning
• Illuminated door sill treadplates

Mercedes Electric CLA AMG Line Premium Plus Shooting Brake standard equipment (November 2025 to date) – differences from AMG Line Premium include:

• 19-inch AMG multi-spoke alloy wheels in High-Gloss Black, Dark Platinum Gloss and High-Sheen finish
• AMG Plus with Night Package exterior body styling
• Automatic Multibeam LED High Performance headlights with integrated LED daytime-running lights
• Animated LED lighting strip between tail light clusters
• Heated windscreen wiper blades
• Head-up display
• 16-speaker, 850W Burmester 3D surround sound system and Dolby Atmos
• Heated, Nappa leather-wrapped, flat-bottomed, multifunction steering wheel
• Matt White natural fibre silent lines interior trim elements
• Pre-Safe system comprising preventative occupant protection with Pre-Safe Curve, Pre-Safe Sound and closing function for side windows

Subscription-type Digital Extras:

• Adaptive main beam headlights
• MBUX Navigation – free for the first seven years
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity
• Distronic adaptive cruise control
• MB.Drive Parking Assist with front and rear parking sensors plus reversing camera