Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake Debuts as First Electric Estate – BMW Rival Coming Soon?

Mercedes-Benz has officially unveiled the all-new CLA Shooting Brake with EQ Technology—its first-ever fully electric estate car. The new CLA Shooting Brake signals a new era for the Stuttgart brand but also plugs a gap in the market where rivals like BMW have yet to step in—though not for long. The highlight is, of course, the range:  761 kilometers (473 miles) and a versatile interior with up to 1,290 liters of cargo space.

Shooting Brake Goes Electric

The CLA Shooting Brake has always been about design coupled with a wagon’s usability. But now in its third iteration, it enters the electric age, riding on Mercedes’ new MMA (Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture) platform. This allows it to be offered as both a fully electric vehicle (EV) and later, a 48-volt hybrid.

Two launch variants lead the charge: the 200 kW (268 hp) CLA 250+ Shooting Brake and the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive CLA 350 4MATIC with 260 kW (348 hp). The former promises a class-leading WLTP range of up to 761 km, while the latter still delivers an impressive 730 km. Both feature an 85 kWh lithium-ion battery with silicon-enhanced anodes, 800V architecture, and ultra-fast DC charging of up to 320 kW. That’s enough to gain 310 km (193 miles) of range in just 10 minutes.

Technology Galore Inside

The interior is is all about digital features. The MBUX Superscreen spans across the dashboard with optional triple-display capability, including a separate passenger screen for streaming, gaming, or navigation. The system is powered by Unity’s game engine and supported by AI from Microsoft, Google Gemini, and ChatGPT4o. The result? According to Mercedes, a voice assistant that learns, remembers, and even reacts to your emotions.

Add to that a 12.2-inch head-up display, customizable ambient lighting, heated seats, biometric login, and USB-C ports with up to 100 watts, and the CLA Shooting Brake has plenty of features for an entry-level product. The panoramic roof with electrochromic glass can switch from transparent to opaque in milliseconds. When night falls, 158 embedded stars glow in harmony with the ambient lighting.

Space Meets Sportiness

The Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake seems to be quite practical as well. Thanks to a 61 mm (2.4 in) longer wheelbase and taller roofline, rear passengers enjoy increased headroom (+7 mm) and easier ingress. The cargo space measures 455 liters with seats up and up to 1,290 liters with them folded (40:20:40 split). There’s also a 101-liter frunk under the bonnet, and standard roof rails can support up to 75 kg. A braked towing capacity of up to 1,800 kg is offered as well.

Will BMW Bring A Rival Soon?

The Munich-based brand currently offers no direct electric competitor to the CLA Shooting Brake. While the iX1 and i5 Touring plug some gaps in BMW’s electric estate and crossover lineup, neither offers a compact, coupe-wagon design.

That could change soon.

BMW is rumored to be working on an i3 Touring, part of the Neue Klasse family, expected to debut after the Neue Klasse i3 Sedan. Based on the same EV-focused architecture, the i3 Touring (codename NA1) would be BMW’s answer to this electric estate formula—offering a low-roof, sporty alternative to more traditional wagons. BMW is also expected to incorporate its “Heart of Joy” central computing and Panoramic Vision display system to offer a great driving and digital user experience.

The all-new Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake officially launches in Europe in March 2026 and will likely carry premium pricing to match its high-end specs and equipment. Mercedes says more variants—including plug-in hybrids—will follow, along with two SUV models on the same MMA platform.