Mercedes-Benz GLA Review

Introduction

The Mercedes-Benz GLA has certainly evolved with time. A vehicle that used to earlier be more of a coupe-SUV during its first generation has gradually changed into more of an SUV presently. Add to that a refreshed & more spacious interior cabin with a slew of connected features and what you get is an altogether different machine. At the inception of Spring this year, the Mercedes-Benz GLA 220d came to visit us at Power Drive. Join us as we take you on a drive date on the new Mercedes-Benz GLA – up close and personal.

Design and Engineering

The new design of the Mercedes-Benz GLA exudes elegance from every angle. It boasts of powerful proportions and expressive lines which lends the GLA a sporty, yet classy appearance. The new GLA is a very versatile car; designed for the wilderness and yet extremely enjoyable in the city.

When you first lay your eyes on the Mercedes-Benz GLA, it clearly looks larger and more substantial than its first generation iteration. A lot of the added visual bulk comes from the higher roof, which is now a huge 10cm up. While it’s more SUV-like now, it isn’t all straight lines in profile and the roof starts to drop down towards the rear.

The LED high performance headlamps provide more safety at night and an unmistakable, distinctive look. LED technology illuminates the road ahead better than conventional headlamps – and it uses less energy. The pleasant light colour is easy on the eyes. This is because the evenly bright, warm white light of the LED high performance headlamps is closer to the colour temperature of daylight than that of halogen headlamps. The all-LED adaptive tail lights in a two-piece design emphasise the broad rear and at the same time enable a wide boot loading aperture.

The GLA 220d which we tested came with 45.7 cm (18-inch) 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels adds to the style quotient.

Interior and Comfort

The interior combines a sense of space, sportiness and materials of impressive level. In so doing, the new Mercedes-Benz GLA is more functional than ever before and always adapts to your needs. The design sets standards with a flowing, modern design idiom. The free-standing instrument cluster display plus media display, and the illuminated air vents with sporty, progressive styling ups the style quotient.

The elegant leather lining gives the multifuction sports steering wheel a high quality look. It makes it a highlight of the interior. And as the motorist you enjoy a double benefit: what looks good also feels good. The steering wheel sets the course, and not just on the road surface. It connects you with the vehicle and becomes a control centre. The Touch Control buttons on the left and right operate various navigation, telephony and entertainment functions. Last but not the least, they set the speed/proximity control without taking your hands off the steering wheel.

The seats offer good ergonomics and a high level of comfort, even on longer journeys. The Seat Comfort Package with its many adjustments options lets you find your ideal sitting positing. All drivers can find their own personal and ergonomic setting.

The new GLA is well thought out in every detail and offers even more functionality for any occasion. Comfort starts when getting in. With its large, continuos door opening, the new GLA facilitates an easy entry and thereby ensures a comfortable drive from the first moment.

The rear impresses with its generous amount of space. When compared with the predecessor, the new GLA has taken things to an even higher level in terms of shoulder and legroom.

Extremely practical, the easy-pack tailgate can be opened and closed electrically and makes loading and unloading the boot even more convenient. You can start the opening and closing process very conveniently at the press of a button again. You can also press the button on your vehicle key from a distance so that the tailgate open by the time you get to the vehicle. In addition there is also the classic option of using a switch in the driver’s door or the release handle directly in the tailgate.

Whether open or closed, with the panoramic sliding sunroof, you experience a wonderful feeling of freedom and enjoy a pleasantly bright ambiance in the interior. When viewed from the outside, the large sliding sunroof makes a unique visual impression, as it lends lightness and exclusivity to the exterior.

Technology and Features

Inside the new Mercedes-Benz GLA, you experience the entire range of digital display possibilities. The large, high-resolution 10.25-inch (26.03cm) display is individually configured by you – for example in the classic form, with the speedometer on the left and the rev counter on the right. Visually impressive and easy to read travel and driving assistance information is superimposed using the full display area.

The media display is touch-sensitive. Symbols make operation easier and improve concentration. Highly appealing combination; when the media display is combined with the larger instrument display, the result is a widescreen cockpit.

Showcase the interior according to your personal preferences or current mood. The 64 colours of the ambient lighting create fascinating colour schemes, in the illuminated air vents, doors or the dashboard. When you adjust the air conditioning, feedback is provided in colour. This makes even more of an impression on all passengers.

The thermotronic controls the individual temperature in two zones. The passengers can thus set their preferred climate independently of one another. And you never have to readjust, because the sensitive sensors even register changes in conditions, such as sunlight.

Driving time becomes charging time in the Mercedes-Benz GLA. Just drop your smartphone into its allotted place in the oddments tray for wireless charging. Irrespective of the model and brand, compatible smartphones are charged wirelessly.

Samrtphone integrations links the mobile phone with the media system via Apple CarPlay or Anroid Auto. This gives you convenient access to the most important apps on your smartphone. You can also use apps from third-party providers such as Spotify quickly and easily. The available displays of the smartphone are optimised for the media display’s interface and are even more clearly arranged. You can submit your requests via the voice assistant in the car too.

In the new GLA, the MBUX functions are very intuitive to oprate. You decide which way is the most convenient for you: with the touchpad in the centre console, the Touch Control buttons on the steering wheel or the multimedia touch display. All input options are intelligently interlinked to ensure you always stay flexible.

Activate the Linguatronic voice control with the talk button on the steering wheel or simply with “Hey Mercedes”. This enables you to use many offerings of MBUX without taking your hands off the steering wheel. This makes it not only safer, but also more convenient.

Performance

At the heart of the Mercedes-Benz GLA 220d is a responsive and punchy 190hp diesel pot. Set it in Sport mode and the throttle responses are instantly strong. Just put your foot down and feel the diesel engine deliver a strong tug without any delay or pause. One look at the rev counter and you instantly realise that the 400 Nm of torque at just 1,500 rpm clearly has a role to play in this. What also helps keep it hot is the quick-to-respond eight-speed twin-clutch gearbox that always seems to keep you in the powerband by snapping up to the next gear in a flash. Acceleration, as a result, is relentless. The GLA 220d hits 100 kmph in an impressive 7.5 seconds, almost half a second quicker than its closest rival – the BMW X1.

You will experience a marginal body roll while driving quickly through the corners, but because the brakes allow you to feel your way into a corner and the direct steering is accurate, placing the car exactly where you want is easy. Once in the corner, there is adequate traction and the GLA even feels quick when driven in an extremely committed manner, the rear axle chipping in on longer corners.

Ride and Handling

Set the new GLA in Comfort mode and the vehicle is nice and relaxing to drive in city conditions. When you press the throttle, the power delivery is immediate & linear, and the steering is light & easy to twirl. The ride is comfortable. The Mercedes-Benz GLA glides gently without much body movement even while going over uneven road surfaces. While driving over small potholes, there’s no real kick from the suspension, and that’s despite the large 18-inch wheels. The suspension, however, does get a bit stressed while driving over deeper potholes and sharp-edged bumps, over which a sharp thud is felt. Once you go quicker, the ride smoothens up and then nothing really fazes the GLA.

Off-Road Engineering

If you happen to get behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz GLA 220d 4MATIC, then make it fit for difficult terrain: the additional Off-Road drive program optimises traction, for example on snow, slush or loose surfaces. For this, it adjusts the power delivery of the engine and the ABS control for light terrain away from paved roads. You can set the additional Off-Road drive program via dynamic select – for example, when you are driving in light off-road terrain. You can also access an animation of the driving situation on the media display. A realistic representation of the gradient, inclination angle and technical settings.

With the Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR), your vehicle gets a helpful assist system. The downhill driving assist system automatically maintains a pre-selected slow speed between approx. 2 and 18 kmph, which can be viewed in the Instrument Display. With targeted brake actuation the assist systems helps you to maintain control when driving on steep downhill gradients.

Verdict

The new GLA is equipped with everything that makes your drive even more pleasant. It is designed for the wilderness and yet extremely enjoyable in the city. The new Mercedes-Benz GLA is a more accomplished luxury SUV when compared to any of it closest rivals. And this holds true in practically all areas. Elegant design, superior space, greater comfort, stronger performance, more enjoyable to drive and even the quality of materials used on the inside are superior than other vehicles in the segment. So if you are looking for a compact luxury SUV that delivers a strong all-round performance, your quest ends with the Mercedes-Benz new GLA which truly has all the qualities to be the best in its class.

All photographs by Sourish Meryson.