Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake Review: 2015 CLA 200, CLA 250 Sport, CLA 45 AMG – Practical And Pretty In One Package
What's hot: Compelling style, powerful AMG variant, extra interior space
What's not: Not exactly cheap, some low speed transmission refinement lacking
X-FACTOR: The most attractive member of Mercedes-Benz’s small-car family, by a significant margin.
Vehicle style: Small luxury wagon.
Price:
CLA 200 $52,400
CLA 200 CDI $52,900
CLA 250 Sport 4Matic $66,400
CLA 45 AMG 4Matic $89,900
Engines/transmissions:
CLA 200: 115kW/250Nm 1.6 turbo petrol 4cyl | 7sp twin-clutch auto
CLA 200 CDI: 100kW/300Nm 2.1 turbo diesel 4cyl | 7sp twin-clutch auto
CLA 250 Sport: 155kW/350Nm 2.0 turbo petrol 4cyl | 7sp twin-clutch auto
CLA 45 AMB: 265kW/450Nm 2.0 turbo petrol 4cyl | 7sp twin-clutch auto
Fuel consumption, l/100km:
CLA 200 CDI claimed: 4.3 | tested: 7.6
CLA 200 claimed: 6.0 | (not tested)
CLA 250 Sport claimed: 6.8 | tested: 9.8
CLA 45 AMG claimed: 7.2 | tested: 12.5 l/100km
OVERVIEW
If they haven’t already put their hands up, Mercedes-Benz designers might be thinking a nice little bonus is in order. Why? Well, look at the CLA Shooting Brake, the shapely companion to Benz’s smallest “four-door coupe” and the latest addition to its local line-up.
This is one attractive car. The wagonification of Benz's CLA sedan has seen that car's dumpy rear turfed in favour of a fuller, more practical booty, and it ties in well with the rest of the CLA's bodywork.
But is it a wagon? Well no, hence the "shooting brake" moniker.
The definition of that term is a hotly debated one, but, for this car, we'll boil it down like this: it’s not quite big enough to be a station wagon, but it’s appreciably bigger than the average hatchback.
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