Here’s why the new Shooting Brake bodystyle makes the already ace Mercedes-Benz CLA an even better EV

Introduction

I was blown away by the Mercedes-Benz CLA when I drove it at the tail-end of last year. It drove like a dream, was super-efficient and the base level 250+ Sport trim wasn’t short on kit. Now that I’ve spent some time behind the wheel of the Shooting Brake version, though, it’s absolutely the estate that gets my vote.

Yes, CLA 250+ AMG Line Premium Plus Shooting Brake is a ridiculously long name, but it clues you in as to the abundance of extra features and functions to expect in the cabin – as well as a more generous luggage allowance at the rear compared to the saloon. Note I didn’t say wagon and sedan there; Mercedes won’t be bringing the Shooting Brake to North America any time soon.

My test car’s heap of goodies included multibeam LED headlights, the capacious MBUX Superscreen set across the dash, a head-up display and a rather fabulous Burmester 3D Surround Sound audio system. The excellent ambient lighting pack topped it all off for night-time driving. Some may disapprove of the bling, but I loved every minute – even if they pushed the asking price to a heady £56,075. All things considered, I actually think it’s great value for a junior executive EV that leaves nothing out.

The styling

The CLA is a good looking saloon, but I think it works even better in the shooting brake format. This car is beautifully sleek, with the AMG Line Premium Plus trim’s pop-out chrome door handles and gloss black alloys giving it a little extra edge. It just seems better proportioned to these eyes.

Don’t go expecting a TARDIS-esque trunk at the rear, though. With 455 litres of seats-up boot space it’s not a whole lot larger than the 405-litre saloon. Usefully there’s a 101-litre frunk under the bonnet, and with the seats down the Shooting Brake is undeniably practical when it needs to be.

The interior, complete with more AMG flourishes, was a dream too, with man-man leather and suede-effect coverings adding to the comfort levels. I did find the stark white door card panels a little distracting at first, but the effect was less of an issue the longer I was behind the wheel. A full-length panoramic glass roof topped it off. Delicious.

The drive

I found the CLA saloon bliss to drive and the CLA 250+ shooting brake was all that and more. This is a such a comfortable car, with everything to hand and very little effort required to pilot it. I loved the column shifter, the nicely balanced steering and overall manoeuvrability. This didn’t really feel like an estate car either and even parking it was a doddle thanks to the excellent on-board cameras. Getting the CLA 250+ shooting brake around unfamiliar streets was less stressful than I expected and the turning circle was impressive too.

However, the real joy came when I got out on to the open road for a two-day journey that covered lots of motorways and plenty of A and B roads. On the motorway, where many EVs start to lose their charge quite dramatically, the CLA seemed to carry on regardless and only sipped at the sizable battery level. It really was impressive to see how far I could get without using much energy. Even later one evening, when I was on a glorious backroad and pushing the car quite enthusiastically, the CLA still didn’t seem to get flustered. By contrast, I’ve driven some electric cars where it’s possible to see the range dropping by increments in real time.

The other brilliant thing about the CLA is the way it handles. The car feels quite low and sits on the road really nicely. As a result, there’s little worry about throwing it through tight bends and my car felt like it was on rails. Considering so many EVs feel a little dull to drive, I think the CLA offers a much fizzier experience. It’s certainly a driver’s car and one that has to be up there with the best of them. At the same time though, being behind the wheel does feel decidedly upmarket. That said, I also got the feeling that the posh CLA irritated some folks who were probably feeling bitter they weren’t driving one themselves.

The technology

I get on extremely well with the latest MB.OS and MBUX infotainment software found inside the CLA range. While some might say it’s all a little too much, especially when there’s another screen spread right across the dash to the passenger side, the features and functions are as good as they come. I clocked up some high miles and being able to use the voice assistant was really handy. It was as intuitive and genuinely helpful as any other system I’ve tried.

After trying all the different view options for the 10.25in driver display I settled on traditional (yet still digital) dials; to my mind they’re the easiest on the eye. Meanwhile, the 14-inch main screen was excellent, especially when it came to navigation, finding chargers and generally working as expected. Topping it off was the head-up display, which was concise but fully customisable. The way the MBUX Superscreen has been laid out and the overall colour and clarity of what was on offer is very hard to beat.

Some of the controls on the steering wheel were quite sensitive, so a couple of times I inadvertently changed my dials or cancelled something by accident. But that’s a minor grumble in the big scheme of things. I also made full use of the connectivity in this car, choosing to watch some YouTube videos during a stop via both the main screen and the otherwise pointless 14in passenger side viewing area whenever I took a break. The quality of the picture from both was second to none.

A quick mention should go to the Burmester audio setup too, which was also fantastic.

Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ Shooting Brake verdict

While the term shooting brake might be just a fancy way of saying ‘estate’, the Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ AMG Line Premium Plus is a class act. It’s got all the appeal of the saloon but boosts the practicality levels a little too. Sure, legroom in the back wasn’t quite as generous as I’d expected it to be, but there was no quibble with the quality and comfort of the seating in either row.

Best of all though, is the driveability of this car, which is a dream to be behind the wheel of and that is topped only by the superb efficiency. Anyone who’s ever suffered from range anxiety should drive the CLA because it has an innate knack of never feeling like it’ll run out of juice, even when there are only mere miles left on the range clock.

Granted, it could still eventually go flat, but what a great place to sit it out if it did.

Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ Shooting Brake technical specifications