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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake is a wonderful foreign wagon

AMG's smallest wagon revealed charms far beyond its rakish styling on a road trip through Germany.

Daniel Golson
2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
1 of 44 Daniel Golson/Roadshow

I spent a week with the Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake in Germany and came away completely in love.

2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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We don't get the Shooting Brake body style or the more powerful S model in the US, which is a damn shame.

2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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This particular CLA45 cost the equivalent of around $80,000 thanks to expensive options like the matte gray paint and fancy bucket seats.

2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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The CLA45 S puts out 416 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque from its turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, and it's quick as hell.

2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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A trip to the city of Freiburg required a blast down the Autobahn, which the CLA45 did with ease.

2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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It truly came alive on the spectacular mountain roads through the Black Forest, though.

2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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The CLA45's interior feels cheap in places, but it's a very nice place to spend time overall. Even when the infotainment system is all in German.

2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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These bucket seats cost around $5,000 and were comfy even after hours in the car.

2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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The CLA45 felt a little too high-strung in the city, but the loud exhaust made up for it.

2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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Keep going to see more photos from this German hot hatch adventure.

2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Shooting Brake
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