Mercedes and Subaru launch new models: CLA Shooting Brake and Forester SUV

Mercedes and Subaru have both launched new models on to the Irish car market this week.

Mercedes-Benz has announced the imminent arrival of its new CLA Shooting Brake. Based on the compact CLA coupe-saloon (itself based on the A-Class hatchback), the Shooting Brake is intended to act as smaller brother to the larger, more prestigious, more expensive CLS Shooting Brake.

While this is a car far more about style than practicality, Mercedes is hoping that it might attract Irish customers to home an estate car, which is still something of an image no-no. We still regularly lag behind our British and European cousins, by as much as 40 per cent, when it comes to buying estates.

Ireland is the last western European bastion of the traditional four-door saloon. As compared with the four-door CLA, the Shooting Brake gets a more practical boot, expanding from 495 litres to 1,354 litres if you tip the rear seats forward.

Those rear seats also get a useful extra 40mm of headroom. The most affordable CLA Shooting Brake is the 1.6-litre, 122bhp petrol CLA180 which will retail at €31,490 while if you want a diesel, you’ll have to upgrade to the 2.1-litre CLA200 CDI for €36,125.

Ciaran Allen, sales manager for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars in Ireland, said: "The CLA Shooting Brake fills an important niche amongst that expanding segment of the market whose preference is for a car that has load-carrying capacity and more scope for an active life."

Rugged

Meanwhile, Subaru is updating its rugged Forester SUV. It can now be had with a “Lineartronic” CVT automatic transmission fitted to its familiar 150bhp 2.0 litre diesel engine. Subaru claims that the “characteristics of the transmission have been improved with additional soundproofing, while a manual paddle-shift mode provides drivers with seven pre-set ‘gears’ for greater control of the engine.” Subaru quotes a 46mpg average fuel economy figure and 158g/km of CO2 emissions.

Inside, there’s a new seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system that is fully smartphone compatible and prices for the 2.0 diesel automatic now kick off at €37,995.