Around the World: Mercedes-Benz GLA
UPDATE: Mercedes-Benz NZ has just announced pricing on the 2021 compact SUV that goes on sale here from August. There will be four model variants, the GLA 200, 250 4Matic; plus AMG 35 4Matic and 45 S 4Matic, the last two will arrive later in the year. Prices start at $73,300 to $126,400. Traditionally, it’s based on the A-Class platform but the new model doesn’t look like a jacked up hatchback. But what do the global experts think?
The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA compact SUV is based on the A-Class platform. Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Top Gear
The UK website and magazine gave it 5/10.
“The outgoing GLA was a big hit for Benz, with over a million built and sold since late-2013 … the latest one it is not a bad looking car, and Mercedes has at least mended the proportions. The new car is 10cm taller and a fraction shorter than the oddly-shaped old one, aligning it more closely with rivals like the Audi Q3, BMW X1/X2 and Volvo XC40.
Now it looks more like a little SUV, rather than the jumped-up hatchback it nevertheless remains underneath, and has more space inside for people and things.
The driver sits higher than before on comfier seats, like in an actual SUV, and though shared with the A-Class and thus a couple of years old now, high-spec cars’ twin highly configurable widescreen displays remain a fairly spectacular sight.
They actually work, too. You can talk to them – something that works brilliantly 90 per cent of the time – touch them or use the laptop-style trackpad on the centre console. The user interface is smart, and after a bit of practice easy enough to wrap your head around.”
The new GLA gets a bigger boot – but we don’t recommend putting a passenger in it. Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Car wow
“When the first Mercedes GLA came out, you’d have been forgiven for thinking that jacked-up hatchbacks with a dash of off-road styling were a flash in the pan – a bit like fidget spinners or Vines. Turns out, they’re here to stay.
At the back, the Mercedes GLA’s brake lights look just like those on the A-Class, only there’s a tall piece of black plastic trim to accentuate the car’s ride height and make it look tougher and more off-road-ey.
The new Mercedes GLA has 11cm more legroom in the back than the old, rather cramped model, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble convincing a couple of adults to sit back there. You can also get a set of sliding and reclining rear seats, but these cost extra.
You’ll be able to fit more luggage in the new Mercedes GLA’s boot than in the old car’s. Well, maybe one small bag – it only has 14 litres more space. There’s no load lip, though, so it should be pretty easy to slide in heavy items
If safety tech is more important to you than outright speed, you can also get the GLA with a bunch of Mercedes’ latest driver assistance systems. These include adaptive cruise control that’ll accelerate, brake and steer for you on motorways and a clever evasive steering assist system that can help you avoid collisions by steering around obstacles.”
The 2021 GLA compact SUV has dual infotainment screens. Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Caradvice
The Aussies took it for a spin and gave it 8.1/10.
“Out on the road, the GLA250 4Matic’s engine provides solid performance. It never feels quite as refined as the unit used by the Audi Q3 40TFSI, nor as smooth in nature as the engine that powers the BMW X2 xDrive20i.
But with little obvious lag and a good deal of low-end torque, it endows the junior Mercedes-Benz crossover with purposeful off-the-line and sturdy mid-range acceleration, as reflected in its claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.7sec.
Scrolling through the various driving modes alters the acoustic qualities quite markedly. In Comfort, the exhaust note is nicely subdued and distanced from the cabin. Switch into Sport, though, and it becomes instantly more determined in nature, with a raspy timbre under load and the odd crackle on a trailing throttle serving to engage enthusiast drivers.
The action of the gearbox, which receives steering wheel-mounted shift paddles, is quite decisive on upshifts. However, it is sometimes caught out as you step out of the throttle in automatic mode, leading to the odd less than smooth downshift as you brake to a halt at traffic lights.
With quite long gearing it also helps endow the GLA250 4Matic with reasonable, if not outstanding, combined cycle consumption of 6.9L/100km.
It’s the chassis and the improvements Mercedes-Benz’s engineers have brought to the ride and handling that really stand out, though. The basis for this is the German car maker’s updated MFA platform, which brings increased rigidity and stiffness, as well as a decision to provide all new GLA models with a suspension featuring a combination of MacPherson struts up front and multi-links at the rear, together with optional adaptive damping control.”
The GLA is 10cm taller and a fraction shorter than the previous model. Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Which car UK
“Some think it was first coined by Mark Twain, while others give the credit to Homer (of Iliad rather than Simpsons fame). But whoever came up with it, there's a definite truth to the saying 'clothes make the man'. Or, indeed, the car.
The original Mercedes GLA was little more than an A-Class hatchback in outdoorsy attire, yet that was enough to secure it a million sales worldwide. So, has Mercedes stuck to the same formula the second time around?
A high ride height never helps a car’s handling, so it’s no surprise that the GLA’s body leans over a fair bit in corners. Fortunately, this happens progressively enough that it isn’t unsettling, and the GLA feels more controlled than a Range Rover Evoque or Volvo XC40.
More of an issue is the steering, which is a bit numb just off centre, although after this it improves greatly, letting you place the front wheels with confidence. You can also make it more weighty and reassuring by putting the car in Dynamic mode, while in Comfort the steering is super light and well suited to town driving.
The Audi Q3 grips the road harder in corners, but the GLA gives you plenty of warning before it starts to slide.”
The rear seats has more space than the previous model. Photo: Mercedes-Benz
