2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake

Wagon · 2.0L Turbo I4 Mild Hybrid · FWD

75/100

AutoVault's overall score, weighted for what a wagon is actually for — performance, technology, comfort, reliability, safety and value.

Specifications

Engine	2.0L Turbo I4 Mild Hybrid
Horsepower	188 hp
Torque	236 lb-ft
0–60 mph	7 sec
Top speed	145 mph
Drivetrain	FWD
Seats	5
Combined MPG	34 mpg (33 city / 36 hwy)
Range	514 miles
MSRP	$42,000
Body style	Wagon

The verdict

What's good

Shooting brake body adds genuine hatchback cargo space behind the rear seat
MBUX with Hey Mercedes voice control reduces touchscreen distraction well
Standard mild hybrid smooths low-speed traffic behavior noticeably
Top NCAP safety scores make it one of the safest in the wagon class

What's not

Front-wheel-drive base setup limits enthusiasm in wet or spirited driving
Niche wagon body style will narrow the used-car buyer pool at resale
Rear headroom is tight for passengers above average height under the sloped roof
Stellantis-Mercedes partnership reliability is still proving itself in this generation

The engine

M252

Turbo I4 48V Mild Hybrid

A compact turbo four with a 48-volt mild-hybrid assist that fills in low-end torque and smooths stop-start, prioritizing efficiency and refinement over outright drama in the new CLA.

The new-generation M252 four-cylinder is engineered by Mercedes-Benz and is closely related to the company's M256 inline-six, sharing design philosophy but recast for a compact, efficiency-first front-drive platform.

The M252 packages roughly 17% smaller than the outgoing 2.0-liter four it replaces in the CLA.
Its mild-hybrid motor lives inside the eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox rather than as a belt-driven starter-generator.
The 48-volt system draws on a small 1.3 kWh battery tucked under the driver's seat.

See the rest in AutoVault

The six sub-scores behind the 75 — performance, tech, comfort, reliability, safety and value
Market value today and year-by-year value history
All 4 trims with pricing
Studio photography — exterior, rear and interior
Side-by-side comparison with up to four cars

Open in AutoVault