2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake lands

The next-generation 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake has been unwrapped ahead of European sales commencing in March 2026.

Still undecided for Australia but said to be “still under consideration”, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake will be available as an EV and, later on, with Mercedes-Benz’s next-generation mild-hybrid tech, which combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission that neatly packages a 20kW e-motor within.

The most advanced tech is included on the Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake with EQ Technology, which benefits from the same slick all-electric tech as the four-door sedan.

Bigger all round compared to the combustion-powered first-generation model, the CLA Shooting Brake measures in at 4723mm long (+35mm), 1855mm wide (+25mm) and 1469mm (27mm) tall, while the new Benz wagon has a 2790mm long wheelbase (+61mm) for much more interior room.

The more generous proportions haven’t exactly translated into more luggage space, however, with just 455 litres available (-30 litres), but luckily there’s an extra 101 litres to be found in the frunk, that has handy illumination.

Total boot space is up to 1290 litres with the 40:20:40-split rear seats folded.

Identical to the sedan right up to the B-pillars, the new rakish wagon features a one-piece panoramic glass roof that stretches all the way from the windscreen frame to the rear tailgate.

By painting the rear spoiler black on the inside and body colour outside, designers have given the impression the glass roof seamlessly carries over into the rear screen.

That glass roof has an infrared coating and can be switched from opaque to clear at the push of the button. At night, it has a new party trick, embedding 158 stars integrated into the glass' surface, with the light fed in via LED modules to create the impression of a starry sky.

Like the sedan, just two versions of the CLA Shooting Brake will be offered – a rear-wheel-drive CLA 250+ with 200kW/335Nm of torque that can launch from 0-100km/h in 6.8 seconds, and an all-wheel-drive CLA 350 4MATIC that bolts on a small front e-motor that produces 260kW and 515Nm of torque for a brisker 0-100km/h sprint of just 5.0 seconds.

Top speed for both is limited to 210km/h, while the small wagon can tow up to 1800kg (braked).

Choose the rear-wheel-drive CLA 250+ and the small Shooting Brake can cover up to 761km on a single charge, while the CLA 350 drops that WLTP figure to a still-impressive 730km.

Ensuring these ranges translate into the real world, the rear motor has a two-speed transmission that maximises efficiency in town and on the highway, while new brake-by-wire tech can claw back up to 200kW of energy.

Like the sedan, the Shooting Brake version of the CLA features an 800-volt electrical system that allows for ultra-fast charging of the 85kWh Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) battery.

Find a fast DC charger and the CLA can accept a charge of up to 320kW, with as much as 310km of range added in little more than 10 minutes.

For markets like Australia, where 800-volt chargers are prevalent, a 400-volt converter is fitted to our cars but drags down charging speeds to just 100kW.

Home charging is up to 22kW using a wallbox.

Within, the CLA Shooting Brake cements its premium credentials with an upmarket cabin that includes a 14-inch central touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a third optional 14-inch infotainment screen for the front passenger.

That additional screen allows your co-pilot to help with navigation or simply sit back and stream videos. To prevent the driver from catching up on their favourite Netflix series a camera is specifically trained on the driver’s eyes, that apparently can’t be tricked if you wear sunnies.

A third large 12.2-inch head-up display is also available as an option, with all the tech relying on the car-maker’s latest MB.OS operating system that embeds ChatGPT, Microsoft Bing and Google Gemini.

Despite being a long way from announcing pricing, Mercedes has promised that if the CLA Shooting Brake follows the sedan to market, it will come with best-in-class pricing, with the small wagon coming with LED lights, a multi-function steering wheel, faux leather seats, climate control with air vents and charging ports in the second row. There’s also built-in satnav in the infotainment.

It’s thought all the models sold in Australia will come with the standard AMG Line body kit, which should bring sportier styling and larger alloy wheels.

If the 2026 Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake does head Down Under it will have little to no rivals, as there are no wagon versions of the Audi A3 sedan or BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.

More likely is that Benz’s local outfit will skip the Shooting Brake and green light both the GLC and GLC SUV-coupe, that will offer all the advanced tech in a more popular SUV body shape.

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