Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake Car Review - The shooting brake, does it prefer form over function?

The Mercedes CLS-Class Shooting Brake is an estate version of the second generation version of the CLS four-door coupe and it sold between 2015 and 2017. A stylish combination of form and function, it's a more sporting, coupe-like take on the station wagon theme that delivers discreetly rewarding driving dynamics, a beautifully finished cabin and, perhaps most importantly of all, a level of practicality that CLS-owners might not expect. Something they wouldn't have wanted had that versatility diluted the style that sets this car apart. But it hasn't. Let's check this model out as a used buy.

Is this really some kind of sportscar? You could almost believe it. Like all MK2 era CLS-Class models, this Shooting Brake model's front end is modelled on that used in the SLS AMG supercar. At the side, the uninterrupted arc of the upper window line really does offer something of a coupe-like feel, despite all those doors. At around 5m in length, this car is 16mm longer than a normal MK2 CLS four-door, but the really important difference is the way that this extension prolongs the height of the roofline to make this Shooting Brake a more comfortable proposition for rear seat passengers.

Of course the other benefit conferred by that increased body length is an increased luggage bay, something you access via a standard-fit powered tailgate which glides upwards to reveal a hefty 590-litre luggage compartment that's the largest in the class. And at the wheel? Well it's very grand indeed. From the immaculately hand-stitched leather dash top to the centre analogue clock borrowed from the S-Class and the matt-silver inlays around the air vents, everything in the wrap-around cockpit is all beautifully crafted - a very high end place to be.

If you come to this Mercedes expecting it to feel like a big executive estate car, then you'll be pleasantly surprised. As you should be. After all, the whole point of a 'Shooting Brake' is the delivery of sports coupe driving dynamics with extra carriage space. The Shooting Brake range is built around the same two key diesel units fitted to most CLS-Class four-doors - a four cylinder 204bhp 250 CDI and a V6 265bhp 350 CDI. It's the larger of the two units we'd recommend. The V6 was the only Shooting Brake variant that offered the option of the all-round AirMATIC air suspension set-up that automatically hugs the car a little closer to the tarmac for high speed work. More importantly, with full AirMATIC, you've got a set-up that can adjust itself to the way the car's being driven, reducing body roll if you're at speed on a twisty road but softening up the suspension and lowering the body if it senses you're racking up the motorway mileage that really represents this car's comfort zone. The flagship model in the range, the only one with petrol power, the 557bhp 63 AMG variant, which has 800Nm of torque and can be specced to go as fast as 186mph, has its own sportier suspension settings.

If you always liked the idea of a Mercedes CLS-Class but always thought it would require too many practical compromises, then this Shooting Brake version may well be your ideal car. It is very much an estate for people who wouldn't normally buy such a thing. And that makes it a very special car indeed. Insist on a full Mercedes dealer service history, especially for the most recent models whose lengthy warranty - effectively for the life of the car - is dependent on proper servicing by an authorised agent. Check that all the accessories work and watch out for cosmetic damage which can be expensive to correct. These are popular family cars, so check for wear and tear in the rear. Also look for the usual signs of wheel kerbing and poorly repaired accident damage.

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