The facelifted version of the CLA Shooting Brake that America has been denied has been spied yet again, testing on public roads in Europe. Spied on two different occasions, we can show you the wagon variant of the CLA in both black and a fetching shade of red, with only minimal camouflage to hide its updates. Overall, the design of the updated car is very similar to the existing version, which debuted in 2019. With camouflaging wrap only covering the front fascia, parts of the tailgate and taillights, as well as the rear bumper, we expect exterior modifications to be limited.
Although Mercedes is still keeping some
tricks up its sleeve, the only updates visible through the camouflage are the
LED light signatures. While the brow over the headlights appears to be
maintained, it seems that additional lighting has been added to the bottom of
the headlamp unit. At the back, meanwhile, the taillight appears to swoop,
rather than surround the housing, as it does on the current CLA Shooting Brake.
In terms of overall design,
Mercedes appears to be leaving well enough alone. We expect the majority of
updates to be focused on the vehicle’s interior, even though we have yet to see
any shots of it. As with the facelifted A-Class, we expect this CLA to have
Mercedes’ most up-to-date MBUX infotainment system. That will likely combine
larger dual-screens and will mean the death of the trackpad next to the
driver’s interior arm.
There is limited information about what
will happen under the hood, but it’s safe to assume that this update won’t mess
with the engine lineup very much. Mercedes is likely to put more focus on its
mild- and plug-in hybrid variants. The CLA 35, 45, and 45 S AMG models, though,
are expected to live on. The updated CLA range, including both the Shooting
Brake and the sedan, are expected to make their debut in mid-2023.
