Technologically a Flagship for the Brand
If you say CLA, you say Shooting Brake. The new CLA sedan already saw the light of day earlier. Now it’s the turn of its slightly more spacious sibling. Outwardly, the new Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake strongly resembles its predecessor; under the skin, we find the cream of the crop when it comes to drive technology and multimedia. Initially and for the first time fully electric, next year the CLA with gasoline hybrid will follow.
Remember the streamlined Vision EQXX? It achieved an impressive 1,202 kilometers on a single battery charge (100 kWh), which is largely due to the extremely streamlined body with a Cd value of 0.17. The new CLA sedan comes reasonably close to that with its 0.21; we don’t have a specification for the Shooting Brake yet. Simultaneously with this CLA, a new platform makes its debut: MMA, an abbreviation for Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture. That serves as the basis for more future models, such as a new EQA and EQB. The modular character is not only expressed in different vehicle types but also in two types of powertrain: gasoline and electric. A strategy that more brands apply, it is betting on two horses, smart and necessary.
Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake
Two-Speed Transmission
The heart of the electric Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake is the new, fully in-house developed electric motor, the 272 hp eATS 2.0, combined with an 800-volt system. The special thing about this powertrain is the integrated two-speed automatic transmission. We know this principle from the Porsche Taycan, where it is used to optimize performance. That is partly the case in the CLA as well, but there it is even more about efficiency, although acceleration and towing capacity (1,500 or 1,800 kg) also benefit from the two gears. The CLA 350 has a second motor on the front axle. Not an asynchronous motor, but a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PSM) that can be completely decoupled. Only the drive shafts then provide extra frictional resistance, but the range of 730 km shows a slight difference with the rear-wheel-drive CLA Shooting Brake, which is good for 761 km.
Charging with 320 kW
There was quite a bit of fuss about that 800-volt system from the moment Mercedes announced the new CLA. Because what is the case? The CLA cannot charge at a 400-volt DC charger, where brands like Kia, Porsche, and Smart have devised a converter or other solution for their 800-volt platform. A stupid move by Mercedes or a deliberate strategy? They themselves don’t seem to get hot or cold from all the criticism, but it has been decided to offer a converter as an option from next spring. For the record: the majority of fast chargers work with 800 volts, except for Tesla’s superchargers. So you can’t go there with your electric CLA. On the other hand: thanks to that generous range, you don’t have to go to the charging station so often. And once you’re there and the conditions are optimal, you can charge with 320 kW. That amounts to 310 kilometers in ten minutes. The NMC battery has a usable capacity of 85 kWh and has a twenty percent higher energy density compared to the previous battery. The proportion of cobalt has been further reduced. Next year a smaller battery will be available: LFP, with a net capacity of 58 kWh. Even with that, this car has a very decent range, although no figures have yet been communicated. The CLA Shooting Brake is prepared for bi-directional charging, V2L, and V2G.
Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake
Recuperation: One Pedal, But Different
Mercedes developed a new type of heat pump that works on the basis of air and extracts its heat from the battery, the motor, and the environment. This pump uses only a third of the energy that a conventional heating system needs. Under very cold conditions, electric heating briefly kicks in; there is no escaping that. A study was also made of the recuperation, based on a ‘one box’ braking system. The brake booster and the ESP unit are combined in a compact module. In practice, it means that braking always goes via recuperation, even during an emergency stop on a slippery surface it still contributes, up to a maximum of 200 kW. No matter which mode you have chosen. You operate that by moving the drive position selector lever on the steering column forward or backward. If you opt for the automatic mode, the system takes into account the traffic in front of you and you will receive advice on the dashboard to lift the accelerator pedal. In addition, there is input from the navigation and the speed is automatically adjusted to the bend or roundabout that is coming.
Fourth Generation MBUX
The brain of the CLA Shooting Brake is the Mercedes-Benz Operating System, or MB.OS for short, which is kept fully up-to-date over the air. For the infotainment system, there is Mercedes-Benz User Experience, MBUX, and of the fourth generation. Including a virtual assistant that uses, among other things, Chat GTP and Google. The navigation system uses Google Maps and calculates long routes including charging stops and, of course, only includes 800-volt chargers in the calculation. The finish and the materials used are as we can expect in a Mercedes, even though we see hard, black plastic in the lower regions and the chrome edges around the outer ventilation grilles look almost kitsch. Furthermore, we see that Das Haus has also made the switch to only two window switches, with the choice of front or rear.
Starry Sky, Large Frunk
What about the luggage space of the CLA Shooting Brake? It measures 455 liters (was 485) and in the front, there is a frunk with a volume of 101 liters, even with the 4WD. The towing hook is allowed 1,500 kg, for the 350 that is even 1,800 kg. If we compare the external dimensions with those of the current one, we see that the new one is 3.5 longer, 2.5 cm wider and 2.7 cm higher. With its length of 4.73, this CLA comes very close to the 4.75 m long C-Class Estate. Like the CLA sedan, the Shooting Brake also has a panoramic roof, but with optional functions. For example, the degree of transparency is adjustable and you can conjure up a spectacle of 158 stars. The steering wheel of the Shooting Brake has more physical buttons, such as a toggle switch on the left for the cruise control/speed limiter and a rotary wheel on the right for the volume.
Hybrid: 4-Cylinder and Front-Wheel Drive
Mercedes gives an average consumption of 12.7 kWh/100 km (13.2 for the 350). That is neat and we have to make a small note about that. Because the basic version is on 17-inch wheels with streamlined wheel covers, we know them from other brands. Then you have 205/55 R17 on the front axle and 225/55 R17 on the rear. Less rolling and air resistance than with the 19-inch (225 front, 255 rear). So there will also be a CLA Shooting Brake with a combustion engine and then you suddenly have a front-wheel drive (4matic is available). The drive is provided by a 1.5-liter gasoline four-cylinder with 136, 163 or 190 hp, developed in a joint venture with Geely. That power source is attached to a new eight-speed automatic with double coupling and an integrated electric motor with a power of 27 hp. This makes it a hybrid; fully electric driving is possible in the city, but also at speeds up to approximately 100 km/h. The CLA Shooting Brake will come on the market in the course of next year. If you prefer to go higher with this technology, you have to put your patience to the test a little longer and wait for the SUVs that are coming.