For years now, the popularity of station wagons or estates has slowly been eroded by the onslaught of tough-looking, high riding, practical SUVs, but the all-new Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake definitely has the potential to bring the style back into fashion.
Of course its very name, Shooting Brake, means it is not strictly speaking an estate, like its older cousin the C-Class Estate. So what exactly makes it different and what is a Shooting Brake?
The term originated in the early 19th century to describe custom-built coaches and later wagons used for hunting parties, which usually included racks for guns and game. Over time the definition has evolved and today the easiest explanation is that it is basically a combination of wagon and coupe. And with its swooping side profile inherited from its CLA Coupe sibling, the CLA Shooting Brake certainly meets this definition.
The Shooting Brake is actually the fifth model to be built on the very successful Mercedes-Benz MFA platform [Modular Front-wheel-drive Architecture], which is also used by the A-Class, B-Class, GLA, and of course CLA Coupe.
Obviously, the standout feature of this new car is the re-designed rear end with electronic tailgate, which provides more boot space than the coupe, 25 litres more to be exact, at 495 litres. Flip the back row of seats down and that expands to an impressive 1354 litres which can certainly meet the storage needs of most Macau motorists.
The really impressive thing about the Shooting Brake is how it combines this practicality with some very eye-catching styling. It could be said that many estate models don’t look quite as appealing as their sedan counterparts, but that certainly is not the case with the Shooting Brake. It is equally as sleek and sporty looking as the CLA Coupe, sharing many of its dynamic design cues and blending them beautifully with the wagon rear.
Starting with the “diamond-studded” front grille and enlarged front-side air intakes, moving along to the arcing roofline, narrow glasshouse, and those signature creased side panels, and finishing with the nicely rounded off, sloping rear, the Shooting Brake captures all the good looks of the Coupe and then some.
The altered roofline also allows for 42mm of extra headroom for rear passengers, and the larger rear doors offer easier access.
On the road, the Shooting Brake carries an extra 30kg over its rear axles and the suspension has been tweaked accordingly. The springs are the same, but the dampers have been softened to allow for better load-lugging potential resulting in a slightly more supple ride than in the Coupe.
The CLA Shooting Brake comes in three petrol engine variants: the 115kW/250Nm, 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder CLA 200; the155kW/350Nm, 2.0-litre turbocharged CLA 250 Sport; and the exhilarating 265kW/450Nm, 2.0-litre turbo CLA 45 AMG.
With 156hp and frugal fuel economy of just 5.7 litres/100km, the CLA 200 is an ideal engine for Macau driving and will do 0-100km/h in 8.8 seconds. If you want a bit more grunt under the bonnet, the CLA 250 bumps it up to 211hp and will do the same sprint in 6.8 seconds. Fuel efficiency drops a little but is still excellent at 6.9 litres/100km.
The CLA 45 AMG sprints from 0-100km/h in just 4.7 seconds thanks to an available 360hp. Fuel usage is rated at 7.2 litres/100km.
The CLA 250 and 45 AMG also feature the Mercedes-Benz 4Matic all wheel drive system that can distribute up to 50 percent of drive to the rear wheels via a torque-on-demand rear axle in as little as 100 milliseconds.
All engines come with Start/Stop technology and are matched to a DCT 7-speed automatic transmission.
The Shooting Brake feels sharp in its steering response and handles neatly with tight cornering and composed roadholding. Three driving modes: Eco, Comfort and Sport offer the driver choices in terms of handling, acceleration and transmission responsiveness.
For the driver, the dash setup is basically the same as in the Coupe with clear sporty looking dials, stylish round air vents and a floating eight inch LCD screen for the infotainment system operated via a command toggle. There is a new flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters, and steering-column-mounted gear selector. Overall the interior has a classy, well-built feel that is virtually identical to the A-Class, GLA and CLA Coupe.
Standard equipment on the CLA 200 is pleasingly generous with dual-zone climate control, bi-xenon headlamps, cruise control, power tailgate, front and rear parking sensors, keyless ignition, reversing camera, dusk-sensing headlamps, and rain-sensing wipers, six-speaker stereo with USB audio inputs and Bluetooth audio/phone integration.
The CLA 250 Sport adds 18-inch AMG five-spoke alloy wheels, leather sports seats and a panoramic electric sunroof.
As expected on any Mercedes-Benz, safety features are extensive, including stability control, traction control, ATTENTION ASSIST, Blind Spot Assist, ABS, ESP and PRE-SAFE System. Passenger protection is provided by three-point seatbelts and nine airbags.
As probably the final installment to the current Mercedes-Benz small car range, the CLA Shooting Brake, along with the GLA, is certainly the most practical in the line up, as well as offering great styling, pleasing performance and a luxury feel that will make choosing from this end of the Mercedes-Benz stable even harder than ever.
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