Mercedes’ CLA Shooting Brake Is The Elegant Answer To Generic SUVs

Mercedes’ first fully-electric estate harks back to 1890s heritage while embracing cutting-edge EV technology, delivering a stylish alternative to generic SUVs. Jeremy Taylor and Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby discover whether this shooting brake truly combines coupe elegance with family-friendly practicality.

Car Review: Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake

Jeremy: A shooting brake is an unconventional, out of favour car body style that cleverly blends the fast look of a two-door sports coupe with the useful cargo space of an estate.

The name originates from 1890s Britain, when a ‘brake’ was a heavy, open horse carriage used to train or break-in young horses. Wealthy landowners then added on a storage area at the rear, carrying guns, ammunition and dogs out to the field.

As cars replaced horses in the early 1900s, British coachbuilders put custom wagon bodies onto luxury car frames. The result? A vehicle that quickly replaced the era of horse and cart around the estate.

Shooting brakes were always niche. Among the most memorable are the Aston Martin DB5 – an estate version of James Bond‘s classic car – the Reliant Scimitar GTE (as once driven by Princess Anne) and the ES version of the Volvo P1800 we drove two years ago.

While modern SUVs are generally built for practical reasons rather than style, there have been a handful of successful examples in recent times. The Porsche Panamera Sports Turismo is one, the pricey Ferrari FF another.

While the love for long-roof layouts continues to excite designers, few make it off the drawing board and into production. So why has Mercedes decided to name its latest model Shooting Brake?

Perhaps because the new CLA estate is a rather more stylish, five-seat load-lugger than many of its rivals, one that avoids the boxy look of a traditional estate, or a high-sided sports utility vehicle.

Based on the CLA saloon, 2026 European Car of the Year, the Shooting Brake is Mercedes’ first, fully-electric estate and built on the brand’s cutting-edge Modular Architecture (MMA) platform, designed especially for EV models.

Not only is the CLA Shooting Brake a very good car, Mercedes has crafted one of the sleekest silhouettes on the road today. By evolving the signature ‘banana-shaped’ profile of the previous generation CLA, the new version slips silently through the air with minimal wind drag.

Up front, the car sports a shark nose fascia accented by a glossy black grille panel and multi-beam LED headlights. Look closely and you will spot a galaxy of tiny, illuminated Mercedes’ three-pointed stars cut directly into the lighting.

The side profile features smooth, uninterrupted curves, a sloping coupe-like roofline and flush door handles that pop out automatically upon approach. At the rear, the estate’s tail features a full-width LED light strip that emphasises its wide, planted stance.

If the gorgeous, svelte design isn’t enough to tempt you onboard, that new MMA platform is incredibly efficient and accepts fast-charging speeds up to 320 kWh – which means you can add up to 192 miles (320km) in just ten minutes.

Range is up to 460 miles in some two-wheel drive versions – our top-spec, 350 all-wheel drive manages 400 miles and 0-62mph in just 4.8 seconds. The CLA Shooting Brake range starts at just over £40,000, while our fully-equipped Premium Plus topped out at £58,850.

With high-quality trim, fantastic ride and handling, plus all the modern tech you would expect nowadays, the CLA Shooting Brake is a class act. Those fed up with ubiquitous SUVs need look no further.

Jessica: A family car that has everything? The CLA brilliantly fuses coupe elegance with estate practicality. A striking, sweeping roofline ensures standout road presence, at the same time providing significantly better rear headroom and a more versatile boot than its saloon sibling.

Inside, the cabin feels premium, with dual high-tech infotainment screens and customisable ambient lighting. The boot swallows 455-litres with the seats up, or a massive 1,290-litres down.

While rear legroom is a little tight, the CLA Shooting Brake still serves as a stylish, low-slung alternative to generic family SUVs.

Discover more about the Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake at mercedes-benz.co.uk.

Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby is Director of Programmes at London College of Fashion, studying for a PhD in sustainable e-textile design.