Car Owners Hub UK - Built by Drivers, for Drivers

Good day,


Though I realise this is mostly for e-Mustang owners, I felt compelled to share my thoughts and feelings after purchasing a 2023 CLA 250e Shooting Brake plugin hybrid about the same time last year.

Since the majority of my trips are less than forty miles, I am able to go electric and keep my operating expenses to a minimum thanks to my home charger and off-peak price. I got the automobile on a personal contract purchase (PCP) because I don't want to stress out in three years if the real value of the car crashes; after all, the worth of these cars is still completely uncertain.

I am satisfied with the car's speed, comfort, and noise level. As long as the often-mentioned Renault engine does the job, I couldn't care less about it.

The SB's hybrid system may limit the amount of cargo space in the trunk, but you won't have any trouble getting items to the tip or packing for a vacation because the seats fold down.

I decided to take up a three-year service plan (£35/month) that includes three services, a brake fluid replacement every two years, a pollen filter, and a MoT when it's due because I found the servicing at MB dealers to be generally expensive.

The technology is great, and it's a huge improvement from my last vehicle, an Audi Q4, whose software was obviously immature and created a lot of problems. I can use the Pod Point app to establish particular start and stop times for charging, so it's not a big deal. One feature that is lacking is the ability to customise the charging schedule.

Things are slowly changing, but some dealers still don't know much about the car and its amenities, as I discovered with my Audi.

The boot lid opens whenever I bend down or pick anything up while the key fob is in my pocket. This is a recurrent issue. An MB dealer is the only place you can get the software update for the key fob, and they'll charge you £150 to do it.

I am really pleased with the car, and I am glad I went with the Plugin hybrid. Please share your experiences with plugin hybrids with other owners.

The cla shooting break is attractive to me; although, I've heard some complain that it resembles a slug.

We rarely have any long commutes and my parents were considering a c300e hybrid for our occasional cross-continental travels. What if the battery has a malfunction? That is the terrifying thought. Am aware of the horror tales surrounding hybrid systems in other vehicles.


Even though his BMW 3 Series hybrid used to get roughly 50 miles on a single charge, my godfather now barely gets 10 miles.

How reliable they will be down the road is something I'm curious about.

Hey there! I understand your first concern regarding the battery life. Reading horror stories about the replacement cost further added to my worries. My hope is that the MB hybrid battery, which has a 6-year warranty, will hold a respectable charge until I sell the car. I typically charge to 90% or 100% in the winter due to the decrease in range, but in the summer I charge to 80%. On occasion, I'll shift into B mode and let the engine handle everything.

That sounds like a good plan to me; however, it does assume that you are the first owner, which is ideal but not certain. We might potentially purchase one that is three years old if we so desired.

Good day,

Can you tell me if this is typical for a 2021 shooting break? My boot is manual and won't open at all. To think it isn't automated, considering it is the premium plus model, is surprising.

A 2021 SB Prem Plus, which is electric, is also here.
The boot, you say, will not open.


I thought the key had an aperture cut into it.
Furthermore, what about the driver's door?

Might it be possible to access it even on Prem Plus (with all the extra features, such the hand-free wavy leg function)?
I have access to your vehicle's specifications and options list via a vin decoder website.

Has it ever opened, though? I wanted to make sure.

Hello!

This is a great response. We just got it on Wednesday, and the boot is manual (yes, it opens), with no button on the key fob or door (as far as I can tell). I don't know much about cars, but I do know that it's a headache to open manually while my hands are full of equipment. My husband's 2014 C-class used to open automatically, but I find it weird that this one doesn't. The dealer indicated it is manual. I am unsure if there is a more affordable option to install an automatic gearbox in a pre-owned vehicle.

Although it is certainly feasible, the process of retrofitting a power tailboard is likely to be quite extensive and costly, requiring new power struts/actuator, limit switches, wiring and coding, among other things.
Apologies if it comes across as negative.