Mercedes Just Revived the Wagon—But There’s a Catch!

Mercedes-Benz is not ready to give up on wagons just yet. Even though crossovers and sport utility vehicles dominate showrooms these days, the CLA Shooting Brake is back for a third round. It is still not a true shooting brake by classic definition—it has four passenger doors, after all—but Mercedes knows there are still fans of sleek long-roof cars who want more style than an average hatchback or crossover can offer.

Up front, the 2026 CLA Shooting Brake sticks with the familiar face of the CLA coupe. If you opt for the light strip, you will get that signature unibrow LED look, but things get more interesting in the grille area. Or rather, the absence of a traditional grille. Instead, there is a black panel lit by 142 small illuminated three-pointed stars. That design choice signals what is underneath—or not underneath—the hood. There is no internal combustion engine up front because this is a fully electric car. For those not ready to go electric, a mild-hybrid gasoline variant is also on the way.

Compared to the previous model, this new CLA Shooting Brake has grown in size, yet somehow it manages to be slightly less practical when it comes to rear cargo space. With the rear seats up, cargo volume drops by 1 cubic foot to 16 cubic feet. Folding the 40:20:40 split rear seat opens that up to 45.5 cubic feet, which is 2.1 cubic feet less than before. To make up for the shortfall, Mercedes has added a front trunk that holds 3.5 cubic feet, something that was not available on the outgoing model.

One of the most striking features is the new panoramic glass roof. It runs as a single panel from the windshield to the spoiler and is embedded with 158 stars that light up in sync with the car’s ambient lighting. More than just eye candy, the laminated safety glass includes infrared-reflective and low-emissivity coatings. This helps block excessive heat during summer and retains warmth in colder seasons.

As you would expect from Mercedes, technology plays a huge role inside. The dashboard is dominated by a 14-inch center touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel. If you want to go all out, there is an option to add a second 14-inch screen for the front passenger. Otherwise, that space is filled with—you guessed it—more illuminated stars. A head-up display is also available.

The all-electric CLA Shooting Brake will launch in CLA 250+ and CLA 300 4Matic versions. Both use a nickel-manganese-cobalt battery with 85 kilowatt-hours of usable capacity. The CLA 250+ delivers up to 473 miles on a single charge, while the CLA 300 4Matic can reach 454 miles. A quick 10-minute DC charge at 320 kilowatts can give you 193 miles of range in the CLA 250+, or 186 miles in the 300 4Matic.

Performance is solid. The single-motor CLA 250+ puts out 268 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque, allowing it to sprint from zero to sixty-two miles per hour in 6.8 seconds. Its top speed is 130 miles per hour. The all-wheel-drive CLA 300 4Matic cranks things up to 349 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, dropping the zero to sixty-two time to exactly five seconds, although top speed remains the same.

Electric versions will go on sale in Europe starting March 2026. A mild-hybrid model with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine will launch around the same time. It will be paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and offered in both front- and all-wheel-drive layouts.

As for United States availability? Mercedes-Benz has not confirmed if the CLA Shooting Brake is coming across the Atlantic. Given that the last two generations never made it here, it may remain another European exclusive.