The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 Shooting Brake does not stand apart from anything offered in the small premium car market. Some will buy it only for his appearance. But it experienced a relatively lack of practicality and sounded bland four-cylinder engine. At this price, we will be tempted to go for a fast oil petrol 5 Series Touring, which is more profitable for the drive and very wide.Mercedes does not draw any blow when it comes to filling the niche. CLA Shooting Brake is a stroller that focuses more on style than practicality, and now has two performance editions of the AMG 45-hardcore CLA and CLA simple 35 that we are currently testing here.
Shooting Brake shares an underlying platform with A-Class, and the CLA 35 also has the same potent powertrain as the 35 hatchbacks and Saloon. That means the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine produces a 302bhp and 400Nm torque, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive. It is a car that can vibrate from 0-62mph at Misai under five seconds, before proceeding to the top speed of 168mph.
For now, the figure puts the CLA 35 Shooting Brake in one class. The Ford Focus ST Estate could not boast near power output, and it was just a front-wheel drive. And nothing on the horizon either from BMW or Audi that would fit this car combination of speed and practicality.
Well, we say practicality, but CLA Shooting load Bay is not the last word in flexibility. With the back seat in place, the capacity is 514 litres-only 54 litres in the CLA four doors-and with the second line folded you will have a thin 971 litres. It takes some real estate not to crack the 1,000-liter mark in its most practical configuration, but then this is a very style-focused offer indeed.
It's not cheap, either. Before one option is installed, CLA 35 4MATIC Premium Plus will be charged right north of £44,000. Such money will buy you a well-equipped estate from the class above.
On the road, the CLA A35 is a fast yet beautiful anodyne. The steering is light and relatively slow, so it's not a car that feels happy for an upward arrow. And this is despite the stringent body controls that make the CLA frames flat in the corners. Seven-Speed dual-clutch gearbox is not the most willing thrill-seeker, well; It can seem a little awkward when you want to put on a fast pace.
Our Premium Plus cars come with an optional AMG Ride Control, an adaptive damping system that offers three levels of sportiness. There are sophistication and obedience there – for a degree that may surprise you, in fact – but we won't go beyond convenience on anything but the way of proper English.
A fast-paced toll road is what the CLA A35 Shooting Brake does, although you will find the number of roaring tires coming from below which is quite noticeable.
This is more than drowning out the engine, which is smooth (and happy Rev if you want it) but is entirely anonymous with it.
Inside, there is a decent space for two in front, but in the back, the sports chairs hard-backed compounds quite simple amounts of legs and knee room. Headroom will be a problem for anyone over six feet tall, too, thanks to the swoopy roofline.
We had some complaints about the quality, though. Like other class A derivatives, the beautiful CLA 35 cabin is finished, with a soft-touch material in all the right places, and a superb twin-screen instrument panel and an Infotainment display on a sophisticated looking front. We are happy with the touchscreen function, though, because the touchpad set-up between the front seats is a little fiddly to use on the go.
Related Posts