2020 Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake Will Make For A More Practical A-Class

Those of you who thought the Shooting Brake version of the CLA wasn’t coming back for a sequel, can now rest assured as nearly-finished prototypes have been spotted testing in traffic.

When the original CLA Shooting Brake was unveiled at the 2014 LA Auto Show, the idea behind it was very straight forward: It would have the same length and wheelbase as the regular CLA, but with more headroom for backseat passengers and more load space in the trunk.

Same recipe, new styling

The second-generation model will follow the same game plan, although it should look considerably different than its predecessor. For starters, the upcoming CLA Shooting Brake will become the first-ever Mercedes wagon to employ the automaker’s ‘Sensual Purity’ design language, which can already be seen on the likes of the latest CLS, A-Class, B-Class, GLE, EQC and AMG GT 4-door. Soon, the facelifted E-Class will get a taste of it too, albeit just a small one, as it won’t feature a complete redesign.

So if you’re already a fan of what Mercedes is doing as of late, then expect the new CLA Shooting Brake to be to your liking, as it could prove ideal for people who want their car to be stylish, practical and compact, and for some reason wouldn’t want to own a crossover.

A new era of tech

Nowadays, new Mercedes models come equipped with the latest in active safety, connectivity and infotainment software, and the new CLA Shooting Brake will of course be no different.

Expect it to feature the automaker’s MBUX infotainment system with the dual-screen layout, ambient lighting, circular air vents, a three-spoke steering wheel and pretty much everything else that’s already available on the A-Class and A-Class sedan.

As for power units, again, all we have to do is look at the A-Class and its wide range of petrol and diesel options. It’s also possible that Mercedes-AMG will have a say in the matter too, creating an AMG 35 model with 306 PS (302 HP) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque, and perhaps an AMG 45 version as well, which could pack in excess of 400 PS (394 HP).

Like its four-door sibling, the Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake should go into production sometime next year.