Will the all-new electric CLA Shooting Brake still be popular after the Autumn Budget 2025 news?

After the Autumn Budget 2025 news - Will the all-new electric CLA Shooting Brake still be popular?  

When the BBC is headlining the Autumn Budget for 2025 with “Electric cars, pensions and the mansion tax” it is somewhat obvious where the news and media are turning their attention towards - Electric Transport.

As the UK’s only independent family-owned EV leasing broker we sit in the middle of these current events. The good and the bad news definitely influence what we do here and how our customers, personal and business, interact with us. Like many we were eagerly awaiting the Budget and wanted to understand what Government measures, support or taxation would be applied to our industry.

With only 4 years and one month to the 2030 80% deadline for zero-emission vehicle production and sales, this is an area which needs desperate attention and rigorous political and economic strategies. Inconsistency breeds inconsistency. So what do we need to be aware of after the 2025 Budget:

•  Pay per mile charge for EV and PHEV - this is a strange approach from the Government and is still one which neither the politicians, finance companies and manufacturers have yet to properly understand. In short, the Government want a charging mechanism on EVs and PHEVs to begin April 2028 where customers will pay 3 pence per mile (or 1.5 pence for a PHEV) as a measure against declining fuel duty revenues. The obvious queries are 1) how will the Government monitor and enforce this payment on drivers; and 2) why wasn’t the decreasing revenue identified well in advance of this? Measures like this do harm customer confidence, as it leads to suspicion and concern. What next will the Government do? Will they increase this charge on a regular basis? While the actual cost is to some degree immaterial to most drivers when you consider the various savings, the impact is nevertheless a notion of uncertainty;
•  Expensive Car Supplement - for any EV registered on or after 1 April 2025 the new rules on “expensive cars” will be amended so that the threshold will move from £40,000 to £50,000. For any zero-emission vehicle registered on or after this date, the new rules on road fund licence will apply. Due to the cost of many EVs, this is a welcome approach as this did not help manufacturers to push key statements, like low road fund licence costs, when advertising their vehicles. With price movements and inflation it is actually unfair to label £40,000 as expensive. It would seem £60,000 would actually be more appropriate;         

• Salary Sacrifice - the cap on National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will not extend to EV salary sacrifice. No measures have been taken to impact or change the way in which salary sacrifice works for electric cars in a workplace scheme. This is excellent news;
•  Capital Allowances - the first-year allowances on main rate allowances are to continue;
•  Electric Car Grant - there will be £1.3 billion of additional funding for the ECG, which will run until at least 2030 and which will be a £2 billion funding from the Government. You can access a list of ECG qualifying vehicles at - https://www.gov.uk/plug-in-vehicle-grants/cars - or use the e-car lease website to determine availability. While some vehicles, like the Puma EV, Citroen e-C5 and new Nissan Leaf EV, are receiving the £3,750 Band 1 grant, most other options sit within the Band 2 £1,500 bracket;
•  EV Charging - £200m will be invested to assist with EV charging in the public domain, with more infrastructure to be added for those without drives and off-road parking. Helping the next tranche of customers go electric is about addressing those who lack the correct infrastructure and facilities to make a smoother transition;
• Business Rates -  EV charge points will get 100% Business Rates relief. After reports that these could be subject to tax, making the process of public charging even more expensive, this is welcome news that the Government has taken swift and robust advice from the various lobby groups and charge point companies running these essential parts of the network; and 

• Energy Bills - the cost of our electricity was raised and the Government are making promises to cut gas and electrify bills by £150 from April 2026. One of the key motivating factors to go into an electric car is the cost of fuel i.e. electricity being cheaper than petrol or diesel. The UK needs firm reassurance that this will remain moving forwards to ensure that confidence remains.

You can read all about the budget on the UK Gov website.

For brands like Mercedes, who continue to grow and improve their zero-emission offering, the news of EV changes is perhaps not all that welcome.

However, when you consider on-balance that many of the announcements, save for the EV charging scheme, are not too controversial, it is fair to say the UK remains a stable economy for car brands to do business in. The new estate / shooting brake version of the CLA EV is a testament to investment and growth within the new car market.

While the CLA EV saloon launched earlier in 2025, bringing some amazing real-world range and charging metrics, supplementing this with a practical and family-friendly version is great news.

The Shooting Brake with EQ Technology is a Mercedes which allows customers to avoid that choice between sportiness and practicality; with the CLA SB you have the clinical and dynamic Mercedes features like the seamless door handles, illuminated patterns and panoramic roof but with a robust range and boot capacity.

The CLA will arrive with an aerodynamic exterior design, illuminated front and rear features, distinctive LED lights, electric boot lid, technological interior with Burmester sound and the MBUX superscreen, sports seats, ambient lighting and the new Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture for 800V charging. 

So what CLA Shooting Brake options are available:

•  Sport Edition - this includes comfort suspension, 18” alloys, panoramic fixed sunroof, LED high-performance lights, mirror package, privacy glass, 10” driver display, 14” central display, MB sound, multi-function steering wheel, 4-way adjustable seats, heated front seats, velour floor mats, high beam assist and MBUX navigation;
•  AMG Line Edition - this includes 18” AMG alloys, AMG bodystyling, keyless-go, LCD projectors, 64-colour ambient lighting, sports seats, stainless-steel pedals, wireless charging for mobile devices and artico interior;

•  AMG Line Premium Edition - this includes 19” AMG alloys, AMG (with Night Package) exterior, multibeam LED lights, highbeam assist plus, MBUX entertainment and electric driver and passenger seat with memory function; and
•  AMG Line Premium Plus Edition - this includes 19” high-gloss black alloys, illuminated door sills, automatic climate control and the MBUX superscreen for the full screen including a 14” passenger display.

Colours include night black, polar white, aqua mint, sapphire blue, patagonia red, alpine grey and high-tech silver. Key options include the trailer coupling with ESP trailer stabilisation and the rubber Mercedes boot mats.  

Configure your bespoke option on the Mercedes website.

How does the CLA Shooting Brake perform?

As per the below:  

•  250+  - with a usable battery of 85 kWh this RWD offers 200 kW (268hp), top speeds of 130 mph and 0-62 times of 6.8 seconds. Real-world ranges suggest a combined 290 miles in colder weather with warmer temperatures to allow for 405miles (on a full charge) - 350 miles combined . The 11kW AC allows for 0-100% charging times of 9 hours and 15 min with the 353 kW DC enabling 10-80% in 16 minutes. The saloon has no confirmed Bidirectional charging. It has a 167 mpg equivalent, 455L cargo volume and offers towing capacities of 750kg (unbraked) and 1500kg (braked). The heat pump is standard; and 

•  350+ 4Matic - with a usable battery of 85 kWh this RWD offers 260 kW (349hp), top speeds of 130 mph and 0-62 times of 5.0 seconds. Real-world ranges suggest a combined 285 miles in colder weather with warmer temperatures to allow for 400 miles (on a full charge) - 345 miles combined . The 11kW AC allows for 0-100% charging times of 9 hours and 15 min with the 353 kW DC enabling 10-80% in 16 minutes. The saloon has no confirmed Bidirectional charging. It has a 167 mpg equivalent, 455L cargo volume and offers towing capacities of 750kg (unbraked) and 1800kg (braked). The heat pump is standard.

Need more help and advice on your new CLA SB EQ for 2025?

Head to the our website to build your perfect option via our Mercedes CLA deals section  or just get in touch with our expert team on 01942 910 001 or by emailing us at [email protected]