Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake - a stylish station wagon

The offensive of Mercedes models continues. A stylish station wagon has appeared in showrooms - CLA Shooting Brake, which, in addition to a non-standard body and an interestingly designed interior, also offers a functional and roomy trunk.

In 2011, Mercedes introduced the second generation of the B-Class. It was the first representative of a new family of compacts. Later, the A-Class (2012), CLA four-door coupe (2013) and GLA SUV (2013) were introduced.

The news was well received. Only last year they were chosen by 460 80 people. clients. Mercedes is particularly proud that the models are gaining recognition from those who have previously bid on competitors' cars. For more than half of them, the unconventional CLA is the first Mercedes. In the US, this percentage reaches %. The portfolio update also drew the attention of younger customers to vehicles bearing the three-pointed star sign. The stylish all-rounder CLA Shooting Brake will help you get more.

The latest Mercedes model is amazing. The exterior design team was inspired by the CLS Shooting Brake, which is more than twice as expensive and 32cm longer. The line of the window and the curvature of the roof were perfectly scaled. The overall proportions of the body, frameless doors and a short and narrow trunk lid with deeply cut headlights are also preserved. The shape and filling of the latter is one of the simplest differences between the CLA and CLS models.

Some are excited about the introduction of the CLA Shooting Brake. Others point out that rear proportions are less fortunate than those of the CLS. A matter of taste. Those who want to make their car stand out from the crowd can invest in an AMG package with modified bumpers, lowered suspension and 18-inch wheels. It's not just car fans who are watching the completion of the CLA in this way.

In Shooting Brake, not only appearance is important. We are dealing with a compact station wagon, which must also be functional and roomy. Larger door openings made it easier to get into the back seat, and a taller roofline increased headroom by four centimeters. The luggage compartment holds 495 liters, which is 25 liters more than the classic CLA boot. Dry numbers do not reflect the real difference in capacity. The back door of the sedan is small, and there is a steel partition between the passenger and luggage compartments. Faced with the need to carry a larger load, you can only save yourself by folding the back of the sofa.

The user of the CLA Shooting Brake has much more flexibility. The fifth door provides good access to the trunk. After rolling up the roller shutter, you can transport objects up to 70 cm high - the optional mesh will not allow the cargo to move into the cabin. When transporting large luggage, the backrest can be moved to the vertical Cargo position, gaining 100 liters. After folding the backrest, 1354 liters are available with an almost flat floor. Speaking of the CLA Shooting Brake, Mercedes representatives are trying to avoid the return of the station wagon. The strategy in no way disguises the meager trunk volume. The trunk of the presented car does not look pale even against the background of representatives of the premium middle class - Mercedes C-Class (490-1510 l), BMW 3 Series Touring (495-1500 l) or Audi A4 Avant (490-1430 l). l).

The functionality of the CLA shelving unit is enhanced with load rails, mounting brackets, a 12V outlet and a port for transporting long items - it locks with a magnet, not a latch. You can’t say a bad word about finishing the luggage compartment. Mercedes also took care of the interior. The heads, while not all soft, look good and fit well. Produced in Kecskemét, Hungary, the CLA is based on the MFA platform. The dashboard is similar to that used in other Mercedes compacts. It successfully combines elegance and modernity. The automatic transmission selector is mounted on the steering column, making room for a large hiding place in the center tunnel. Next to it is a convenient control knob for the multimedia system. A small minus for the low climate control panel.

There is enough space in the front row, and the seats are optimally shaped. You can sit behind the wheel, as befits a sports car - low, with straight legs and arms bent at the elbows. Direct and communicative steering is a strong point of the CLA. Another plus is MacPherson struts and a multi-link rear suspension. Provides optimal handling in all conditions. The dynamic character of the CLA is matched by optional 225/40 R18 wheels and a sports suspension (lowered and reinforced) that provides excellent traction with minimal body roll and slight understeer. In our conditions, stiffer springs and shock absorbers can make themselves felt. They reduce driving comfort by reporting bumps more clearly.

The record low drag coefficient (0,26) means that driving at highway speeds does not cause an avalanche increase in fuel consumption and does not increase the noise of the air flowing around the car body. This is also reflected in the high top speed - even the basic version accelerates to 210 km / h. The range of power units consists of petrol 180 (1.6; 122 HP, 200 Nm), 200 (1.6; 156 HP, 250 Nm), 250 (2.0; 211 HP, 350 Nm) and 45 AMG (2.0; 360 hp, 450 Nm). Nm) and diesel 200 CDI (2.1; 136 hp, 300 Nm) and 220 CDI (2.1; 177 hp, 350 Nm). Standard on the 45 AMG and optional on the 200 CDI, 220 CDI and 250 is the 4Matic drive. When traction problems are detected, the electronically controlled multi-plate clutch system can transfer up to 50% of torque to the rear axle. The list of equipment for CLA with all-wheel drive, as well as the most powerful versions of the engine, includes a 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission - also available on lower variants for an extra charge. In economy mode, the gearbox is reluctant to reduce. After switching to Sport mode, the engine will rev more quickly. When driving dynamically, the best mode is manual or forced gear shifting with paddles on the steering wheel.

Gasoline engines consume 8-9 l/100 km in the combined cycle. For diesel engines, about 6,5 l / 100 km is sufficient. Modest fuel consumption does not mean meager dynamics. The 136-horsepower CLA 200 CDI accelerates to “hundreds” in 9,9 seconds, and the CLA 220 CDI in 8,3 seconds. It is a pity that customized diesels become unpleasantly noisy. Buying a CLA with a CDI engine makes sense if you're not going to use full power regularly. The same can be said for the 1.6 CLA 180 and CLA 200 turbo-petrol engines. They are fast enough, but with aggressive driving it seems that the engines begin to tire.

The CLA 250 seems to be the ultimate proposition for thrill-seekers, already exceeding 6,9 km/h in 100 seconds from the start. If the budget exceeds 220 45 PLN, the flagship CLA 0 AMG is worth considering. It takes only 100 seconds to accelerate from 4,7 to 250 km / h - you won’t be able to buy a more lively car for this amount. An intermediate link between these models is the CLA 4 Sport 235Matic with reinforced suspension, perforated brake discs, 40/18 R wheels, a reprogrammed engine and transmission control unit and a modified exhaust system. It is worth adding that Mercedes engineers are especially proud of the sound of sports versions - when setting them up, they did not compromise and did not try to artificially amplify the sound.

The CLA Shooting Brake comes standard with air conditioning, lightweight wheels, an audio system with a USB port, a driver fatigue monitoring system and a collision avoidance system with automatic braking. It is worth paying extra for, among other things, a rear-view camera - rear view is very limited. An extensive catalog of options allows you to personalize your vehicle. Mercedes customers are accustomed to new model launches being accompanied by special Edition 1 packages. This time it was replaced by the OrangeArt Edition, which was equipped with the AMG and Night packages, with orange accents.

Prices for the Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake start from PLN 123. We sincerely doubt that anyone will decide to leave the showroom with a 600-horsepower car as standard. By choosing a more powerful engine and a few accessories, we can easily overcome the threshold of PLN 122. Those interested in diesel need to prepare even more. The engine capacity and excise duty increased due to the fact that it was transferred to the price - from PLN 150 to 158 for the CLA 200 CDI. Our type is the CLA 200, which, in addition to its 250 hp engine, comes standard with a 211G-DCT dual-clutch transmission. Price? From 7 zlotys.

With the CLA Shooting Brake, Mercedes is ahead of the competition. BMW has completely neglected the compact station wagon segment, and Audi is offering a larger hatchback, the A3 Sportback. So the chances of acquiring new customers are high. It is possible that the Shooting Brake version will sell better than the classic CLA. The price difference is PLN 2600, and the benefits of a higher roofline and better access to the luggage compartment cannot be overestimated in everyday use.