2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake X118

• Mercedes’ first electric estate—the 2026 CLA Shooting Brake—lands with up to 761 km of range and surprising practicality.

• Design tweaks give it stronger presence: more coupe-wagon hybrid, less compromise.

• Panoramic roof with a lit-up starry sky might just steal the whole show.

A More Mature, More Useful Shooting Brake

The 2026 Mercedes‑Benz CLA Shooting Brake X118 doesn’t feel like a rehash. It's longer, roomier, and sharper than its predecessor. The wagon profile—now more wagon, less swoopy hatch—finally hits a visual sweet spot. At 4,723 mm long with a stretched 2,790 mm wheelbase, it has presence. A car with shoulders.

The front carries over that shark-nose aesthetic from the CLA saloon, now dialed up with a grille that literally lights up—142 chrome-look LED stars form a glowing front panel. The rear follows suit with another star-themed light bar and a sleeker roof taper, helped along by the black-and-body-color spoiler.

A Roof That Steals the Spotlight

One word: panoramic. The roof stretches nearly full-length and brings in a new party trick—an illuminated “starry sky” with 158 embedded LED stars. Synced to ambient lighting, it glows at night and disappears by day. It's subtle, clever, and probably one of the most conversation-worthy features on any EV today.

Add to that infrared-reflective coatings, switchable opacity for privacy, and actual insulation benefits, and it’s more than a gimmick. It’s tech with ambiance—and a rare nod to rear passengers.

Inside: Space, Screens, and Smarter Ergonomics

Interior space has finally caught up to the concept. There’s more headroom across all seats, improved rear entry thanks to larger door cutouts, and a bigger boot—up to 1,290 litres with seats down. Bonus: a 101-litre frunk under the hood for charging cables or city errands.

The new Superscreen spans the dash, with up to three display panels running real-time Unity-powered graphics. Cloud gaming, streaming, and voice assistant tech are all in play. Merc’s new AI layer (running ChatGPT-style brains) promises emotion-aware interaction, if that’s your thing.

Powertrain and Range: EV-First, But Flexible

Two models kick off the range. The CLA 250+ Shooting Brake pushes out 200 kW with a WLTP range of up to 761 km, while the 350 4MATIC gets all-wheel drive and 260 kW. Thanks to 800V architecture, fast-charging hits 310 km in just 10 minutes.

Underpinning it all is Mercedes’ MMA platform—flexible for full EV or hybrid setups. A 48V mild hybrid version is coming too, for regions not fully committed to EV yet.

Market Context: Finally, a Stylish EV Wagon With Utility

This isn’t a Tesla-beater or an SUV alternative—it’s for buyers who want something distinct. BMW’s i4 Touring is the likely rival here, maybe Audi’s upcoming A5 EV wagon. But the 2026 Mercedes‑Benz CLA Shooting Brake X118 brings flair, function, and a dash of theater.

Sales start in Europe from March 2026. Pricing? Still under wraps—but it won’t be entry-level. Not with that ceiling.

Performance

• CLA 250+ Shooting Brake:
  • Output: 200 kW (268 hp)
  • Acceleration (0–100 km/h): 6.8 seconds
  • WLTP Range: Up to 761 km
  • Energy Consumption (combined): 12.7–15.2 kWh/100 km
  • Drive: Rear-wheel drive

• CLA 350 4MATIC Shooting Brake:
  • Output: 260 kW (349 hp)
  • WLTP Range: Up to 730 km
  • Energy Consumption (combined): 13.2–15.7 kWh/100 km
  • Drive: Dual-motor all-wheel drive

Body Measurements

• Length: 4,723 mm (185.9 in)

• Height: 1,469 mm (57.8 in)

• Wheelbase: 2,790 mm (109.8 in)

• Increased Height vs Previous Gen: +27 mm

• Increased Length vs Previous Gen: +35 mm

• Frunk Capacity: 101 litres

• Boot Capacity: 455–1,290 litres

Powertrain

• Architecture: Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA), EV-first platform

• Battery: 85 kWh usable lithium-ion

• Charging:
  • DC Fast Charging: Up to 320 kW
  • 0–310 km WLTP range in 10 minutes (fast charge)
  • AC Charging: Up to 22 kW

• Motor: Permanently excited synchronous motor (PSM)

• Transmission: Two-speed gearbox on rear axle (for EV variants)

• Recuperation: Up to 200 kW regenerative braking

Capacities

• Seating: 5

• Roof Load: 75 kg

• Towing Capacity:
  • Up to 1,500 kg (rear-wheel drive)
  • Up to 1,800 kg (all-wheel drive)

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