2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake: Hybrid, EV wagon coming to Australia

Mercedes-Benz Australia has confirmed it's bringing a wagon back to its local showrooms, with the CLA Shooting Brake coming Down Under in late 2026.

Australia-specific information is scarce so far, but the German brand has confirmed it'll arrive with both 48V mild-hybrid and fully electric powertrains, as is the case for the recently launched third-generation CLA sedan on which it's based.

It's built on the new Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) shared with the new generation GLB SUV, and it's the brand's first-ever electric wagon.

When it arrives locally in the fourth quarter (October-December) of 2026, it'll be the first Mercedes wagon sold in Australia since the 2021 C-Class wagon. It'll also be the first CLA wagon to appear in local showrooms since the first-generation model exited production in 2019.

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Though local powertrain specifications have yet to be confirmed, it's likely the Shooting Brake will offer the same as what's available in the CLA sedan. At launch, the sedan offers a 48V mild-hybrid setup in three states of tune, available with either front- or all-wheel drive.

All have a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a 1.3kWh lithium-ion battery and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, with outputs quoted at 100kW and 200Nm in the base front-drive CLA180.

The CLA200 bumps outputs up to 120kW and 250Nm, while the all-wheel drive CLA220 4Matic is the most powerful mild-hybrid variant with 140kW and 300Nm.

Two fully electric variants are available. The CLA200 electric features a 58kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery for a WLTP driving range of 470km, with 165kW and 335Nm sent exclusively to the rear wheels.

The flagship all-wheel drive CLA350 4Matic electric gets a larger 85kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery for an increased WLTP driving range claim of 663km. This is also the most powerful CLA currently available, with 260kW and 515Nm.

There's also a middling CLA250+ electric available overseas, which has the same battery as the CLA350 with slightly reduced power and torque figures. This hasn't been confirmed for Australia in either sedan or wagon forms.

Both the sedan and Shooting Brake share the same wheelbase (2790mm), overall length (4723mm), and width (1855mm), though the wagon's overall height is ever so slightly taller. Of course, its roof is also considerably longer, but both still get a panoramic glass roof as standard.

The boot is naturally larger in the wagon than in the sedan, but not drastically. Mercedes quotes a seats-up capacity of 455 litres in the Shooting Brake, up from 405 litres in the sedan; both electric models get a 101-litre storage compartment under the bonnet.

Inside, the CLA can be optioned with a full-width MBUX Superscreen setup. This comprises a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14-inch infotainment touchscreen, with an optional 14-inch screen for the passenger for gaming or streaming media. A 12.2-inch head-up display is also available.

The third-gen CLA's Superscreen runs the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), which supports over-the-air software updates and a new, AI-powered Virtual Assistant can handle multi-part queries, has a short-term memory, and utilises both Google and Microsoft search functionality.

Also new is facial recognition, which allows different drivers to save system settings, seating positions, and mirror positions, which are automatically adjusted upon entering the vehicle.

The CLA Shooting Brake’s interior can be had with leather, Artico leatherette and Artico/synthetic suede combination upholstery in a range of colours, while interior trim options include brushed aluminium, wood, carbon-fibre and papered surfaces.

Pricing for the Shooting Brake has yet to be confirmed. However, we can look at the difference between older Aussie-delivered CLA sedans and wagons for an idea of how much it will cost.

When it was last sold in 2019, the CLA Shooting Brake in CLA220d guise cost $56,400 before on-roads – $1500 more than the equivalent sedan. This price gap was fairly consistent across the range.

Applying a similar $1000-$2000 difference to today's CLA sedan, which starts at $66,500 before on-roads, and considering inflation, the CLA Shooting Brake could start at roughly $70,000 before on-roads when it arrives.

Pricing for the electric Shooting Brake is harder to gauge, but given the electric sedan starts at $72,200 before on-roads, it's possible it'll be priced in the mid-to-high $70,000 range.

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