Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake 2015 Review

Mercedes-Benz designers and engineers working on the Shooting Brake have stretched the roofline back and propped it up with a couple of D pillars and a one-piece tailgate. The upshot is a car that provides significantly higher levels of practicality than the body style that spawned it. There's no doubt that the extra 4cm of headroom in the rear has helped, and the shallower roofline over the rear makes entering the car that much easier. But the Shooting Brake continues with the same 2699mm wheelbase, restricting rear-seat legroom just as it does for the A-Class hatch and the CLA coupe.

That aside, the Shooting Brake is a car that might attract buyers who occasionally carry bulky loads – up to 495 litres with the seats in place – and small kids, but not necessarily both at the same time. Presuming it meets Benz's local sales forecasts, that will be because it's stylish as well as practical.

Nor is the Shooting Brake hampered dynamically by the extra volume inside. Unless you place the Shooting Brake up against its 'coupe' counterpart you’ll not feel the difference between the two. The Shooting Brake feels similarly nippy, despite an extra 30kg of weight. There’s even more weight in play measured against the A-Class hatch, which rides on the same wheelbase as the Shooting Brake, but as I've learned in the past, there's little to pick between the coupe and the A-Class hatch, despite that extra weight hanging out behind the rear axle.

The Shooting Brake feels sharp in its steering response and delivers feedback that’s informative, for accurate placement of the car on the road. Agile and stable, the Shooting Brake handles neatly and its cornering ability is complemented by its composed, steadfast roadholding and a combination of idiot-proof power delivery and traction.

At the launch we got to drive three of the four variants available in the range: the CLA 200, the CLA 250 Sport 4Matic and the CLA 45.

While the CLA 200 was the only variant of the three driven that channelled its torque through the front wheels alone, it didn’t feel at any disadvantage in corners, exhibiting the same general traits as its 4Matic siblings. Things might be somewhat different in the wet or at its dynamic limits, but the CLA 200 was a lively and enjoyable drive.

Ride comfort was fine over slower and longer bumps, but there was some initial impact harshness in the case of the CLA 250 Sport 4Matic, and subsequently in the CLA 45. The CLA 200 was significantly softer riding than the two all-wheel drive models, and seat comfort was better too. With its aggressively contoured buckets, the CLA 45 made the fewest concessions to comfort and convenience, but the performance flagship was undeniably the car in which driver and front passenger felt optimally cocooned as the car was being hurled around.

Despite its displacement deficit – just 1.6 litres – the CLA 200’s four-cylinder is a sweet little engine, revving freely and feeling appropriately matched by the gearing of its seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to deliver satisfying performance on demand.

In contrast, the CLA 250 Sport, also featuring a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission but powered by a 2.0-litre engine, feels stronger in the mid range but is (relatively) slower to reach its redline. It's an engine designed to feel like more of a slogger. In character, it arguably presents as a better choice for long-legged touring, but the CLA 200 is more fun to drive in cut-and-thrust motoring – in my opinion at least.

The CLA 45, of course, musters torque right across the rev range – and produces that torque much faster than the other two engines. As is the case with any Benz powered by this turbo terror, the CLA 45 is a feral performer, making itself heard with a bit of a burp on the overrun as the AMG-tweaked dual-clutch transmission shifts up a gear.

The CLA Shooting Brake range comprises four variants, but there was no opportunity to drive the diesel-engined CLA 200 CDI variant.

Inside, and as mentioned already, the Shooting Brake is compromised for rear-seat accommodation in much the same way as the sedan version is – and the A-Class hatch too, for that matter – since all three are built on the same wheelbase and that limits the amount of rear-seat legroom. But based on the car’s length, which exceeds that of the C-Class, the Shooting Brake compensates with more luggage space and a bit more headroom. Mercedes-Benz will sell you a spare wheel, but in standard form the Shooting Brake comes with just a tyre repair kit.

Up front, it’s all familiar territory. The CLA 200 and 250 Sport both come with Benz’s steering-column-mounted gear selector, while the CLA 45 comes with an oddly-shaped T-bar in the centre console. All models come with shift paddles, which do allow faster changes than commonly found in cars from other brands offering the same facility.

The instruments are easy enough to read and the driving position is quickly configured for optimal control. All three variants were quiet and refined – other than those occasions the power was being thoroughly exploited – and the absence of tyre noise was particularly noticeable, with just some acceptable rumble present over the coarse bitumen road surfaces around Warrandyte to Melbourne’s east.

The Collision Prevention Assist Plus safety system did activate during the drive program, when it detected a slow-moving ute rounding a left-hand corner ahead. This feature sounds a piercing audible alarm when it detects that the CLA is approaching an object on a collision course. If the driver fails to react, the system will autonomously brake to avoid collision.

It’s intended to be a measure to distract the driver from whatever is distracting the driver from the job of driving, but ironically, for drivers who aren’t distracted, the alarm itself becomes the distraction. It’s one of the very few annoyances that rate a mention in a review of the CLA Shooting Brake. There's no doubt it serves a purpose – but like the boy who cried 'wolf', how long before drivers begin to ignore it... at their cost?

That personal grievance aside, the CLA Shooting Brake is an endearing car. Practical considerations let it down a little, but if you need a family truckster rather than something sleek and boutique, the Shooting Brake is not for you anyway.

2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 Shooting Brake pricing and specifications: