Mercedes-Benz GLA review

A five-seat crossover spun off the latest A-Class’ underpinnings that’s all but guaranteed to sell well. See, the VW Group isn’t the only one spinning a million and one cars off a single platform.

In the past couple of years Mercedes has derived no fewer than SEVEN different cars from the latest A-Class’ underpinnings, all of which use a common suite of engines and technologies and, therefore, look and feel much the same. Seriously, you just pick the one that fits.

But nowadays everyone (disappointingly) loves a crossover. The outgoing GLA was a big hit for Benz, with over a million built and sold from 2013-2019, when it was replaced by the current generation. Come 2023 it’s had a facelift, though you’d need to park the two side-by-side to notice the exterior differences at least, if there’s more than meets the eye underneath. More on that in a bit.

IT LOOKS EXACTLY HOW WE’D EXPECT A CROSSOVER’D A-CLASS TO LOOK...

You’re not wrong: bit taller, bit wider, with a pinch more ground clearance and some black plastic trim around the sills and wheel arches to make it look at least semi-rugged. Textbook stuff.

Mercedes has at least mended the proportions compared to the previous generation. It’s 10 centimetres taller and a fraction shorter, aligning it more closely with rivals like the Audi Q3, BMW X1 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.

But it is a bit bland, don’t you think? A bit on the nose. Not half as interesting a design as the seven-seat GLB – one of the many cars it shares a platform with – even with the chrome brightwork and big alloys of the pricey yet popular AMG Line model.

WHAT ABOUT IN THE CABIN?

There’s no doubt that the GLA’s interior is an impressive place to be, and as part of the facelift the full-size double screen dash is now standard across the range. It’s not all good news, mind: the laptop-style trackpad on the centre console has gone, and the steering wheel now has fiddly touchpad controls where there were actual switches before. At least the climate controls are still physical buttons.

That said, it’s comfortable enough and offers plenty of space for passengers front and rear, plus a good-sized boot. Material quality is generally on point too, and the customisable ambient lighting adds more wow factor. More on the Interior tab.

REMIND ME OF THE ENGINES…

Your options now consist of 1.3-litre mild- or plug-in hybrid petrols (badged 200 and 250e), or two 2.0-litre diesels outputting 163 or 187bhp (200d and 220d). We’ve driven the latter to date – full details on the Driving tab.

The 200's 48-volt mild hybrid setup reduces engine start-up times and provides an extra 14bhp of power under acceleration, as well as improving efficiency by allowing the combustion engine to shut down when coasting.

Meanwhile, the 250e PHEV gets more power and range: electric output is now up a whopping 7bhp to 107bhp, while Merc reckons on up to 43 miles of electric range. Additionally, it now supports up to 11kW AC and 22kW DC charging speeds.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Prices start at £37,625 for the petrol-powered GLA 200. The plug-in hybrid with all the trimmings costs £50,180 – not far off an entry-level GLC. The GLA is many things, but cheap isn’t one of them. Head over to the Buying tab for more.

With its three-pointed star on the front and SUV-lite styling, the GLA will no doubt sell like hotcakes. And while the facelift has slightly improved the looks (and the interior is as dazzling as ever)... it’s a little dull. It should be better to drive and more comfortable too.

And then there’s the small matter of the elephant in the room: the GLB. See, once upon a time the GLA was the only small Mercedes SUV, but then the company shot itself in the foot by releasing an altogether better car. 

To our eyes, the GLB looks more interesting, has a bigger boot and seven seats, and of course uses all the same engines and tech as the GLA because, don’t forget, underneath it’s essentially the same car. Not that much more expensive either: spec for spec there’s about £1,750 in it, or a small amount per month. Your call.