The new Mercedes-Benz GLA: How it’s different from the old model
“Can you label a car an SUV if it does not have off-road capabilities? We believe you shouldn’t.”
Those were the words of Jochen Eck, the head of overall vehicle testing for Mercedes-Benz compact cars, when speaking to local journalists about the German’s marque’s latest launch – the new Mercedes-Benz GLA crossover SUV.
Eck’s words appear to be the driving ethos behind Mercedes’ refreshed four-variant GLA lineup, which boasts a more distinctive SUV look and feel than its predecessor, while retaining its compact car roots.
So what's changed? We chatted to Eck and his colleague Axel Heiz, Mercedes' Chief Engineer of Development for Compact Cars, to find out what consumers can expect from the new model.
Space and size
“The GLA is a very successful car but when we talked to our customers, the one thing that came up several times was that people loved this car but the appearance was not ‘SUV enough’,” Heiz told Drive.
“That’s why we went this way. We raised the height of the car by about nearly 10cm but we decided to keep it in the compact way because that’s what our customers love - keeping it shorter in length than the car before.”
Eck added: “One of the things the customers and the press, to be honest, mentioned was the interior space of the predecessor.
“One criticism was that, in particular, the rear headroom and legroom wasn’t sufficient, so while making it more of an SUV style we could also improve the practicalities of the car by increasing the interior space.”
As a result, the new-generation GLA has grown across all dimensions bar length, adding an extra 104mm to its height and an extra 14L of boot space on top of the old car, bringing the total cargo capacity to 435L.
As for ride height, the driver and front passenger sit 140mm higher than in the A-Class and 50mm higher than in the B-Class.
Consumers also have the option of a sliding second row by 14cm for added flexibility, and the boot floor is also height-adjustable and can be lowered for bigger objects.
While front headroom and rear legroom is improved, this is at the cost of front legroom and rear headroom, which have both decreased incrementally in the new car.
Image: Left, the original Mercedes-Benz GLA when it first launched and right, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA.
2019 Mercedes-Benz GLA | 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA | Difference | |
Length | 4424 mm | 4410 mm | -14 mm |
Width | 1804 mm | 1834 mm | 30 mm |
Height | 1507 mm | 1611 mm | 104 mm |
Wheelbase | 2699 mm | 2729 mm | 30 mm |
Headroom (front) | 1015 mm | 1037 mm | 22 mm |
Headroom (rear) | 975 mm | 969 mm | -6 mm |
Legroom (front) | 1065 mm | 1045 mm | -18 mm |
Legroom (rear) | 860 mm | 976 mm | 116 mm |
Boot space (VDA) | 421L | 435L | 14L |
Entry price (MSRP) | $45,600 | $55,100 | $9,500 |
Flagship price (MSRP) | $92,100 | $107,035 | $14,935 |
Combined fuel economy (non-AMG variants) | 5.7L/100km – 7.0L/100km | 6.2L/100km – 7.5L/100km | 0.5L/100km |
Off-road capabilities
Another element of flexibility offered to the GLA buyer is the aforementioned genuine off-road capabilities – all spec grades bar the base GLA 200 receive Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.
Previously, only the two higher-spec grades received 4Matic all-wheel drive capabilities.
“How good is it off-road? Surprisingly good,” Eck told media. “While we based it on the compact car platform, at the same time we aggressively tested the off-road capabilities.
“We did not put specific off-road technology like a centre differential or axle lock … but the wheel size is significantly larger than the A-Class and we offer an off-road package as standard on the 4matic [all-wheel-drive variants] which allows software control of the drivetrain.”
Meanwhile, the new GLA comes standard with either run-flat tyres or an inflation kit depending on the chosen wheel package, something Mercedes-Benz says further maximises space and acknowledges the fact its buyers likely aren’t going hardcore off-roading.
“We sell the car typically with non-off-road [friendly] tyres – so if you want to go completely off-road, already the tyres will be a limiting factor,” Eck explained.
“But also sacrificing space and all sorts of features for this rare occasion where you want to take the car seriously off-road? We don’t think it’s a good compromise overall.”
Image: Left, the original Mercedes-Benz GLA when it first launched and right, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA.
Affordability
Australian GLA pricing now kicks off from $55,100 before on-road costs for the base-spec GLA 200, or $9500 more than the previous cost of entry – the former model's $45,600 (plus on-road costs) GLA 180 variant.
The range will now top out with the flagship Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 S, which kicks off at $107,035 plus on-road costs – $14,935 more than the previous top-spec price.
Still, the model retains its status as the most “affordable” entrypoint into the Mercedes SUV range, something the brand is hoping will attract a new type of buyer.
“As we do with all our compact cars, the idea is to [attract new buyers],” Helix told Drive.
Eck added: “A compact car in this particular price range – it’s the starting point for the SUV lineup – has young families and lifestyle-oriented people in mind. I believe [we’ve done that by] taking the car a little bit on the practical side compared to its predecessor but also clearly on the SUV side.”
As for the possibility of an even more affordable variant, like the GLA 180 offered overseas, Mercedes-Benz Australia said there aren’t any current plans, but wouldn’t rule out the possibility.
“It’s not something we have in the product plan at the moment but we consider everything and we’re always evaluating,” a spokesperson told Drive.
Image: Top left in blue, the new Mercedes-Benz GLA and bottom right, in brown, the GLA when it first launched.
Safety and tech
Standard safety equipment across the GLA range includes active brake assist (otherwise known as city-speed autonomous emergency braking), blind spot assist, high-beam assist, active parking assistant, active lane keep assist, nine airbags and traffic sign assist.
Other features are available as part of an optional driving assistance package which includes active distance assist, active lane change assist, extended semi-autonomous driver assistance in traffic jams and route-based speed adaptation, which can detect bends and obstacles ahead, lowering the cruise control speed accordingly.
Infotainment comes by way of two 10.25-inch screens – one as the central screen and the other as a digital instrument display – featuring the MBUX infotainment system with DAB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging.
Image: Top left in blue, the new Mercedes-Benz GLA and bottom right, in brown, the GLA when it first launched.
Engine options
Mercedes-Benz has dropped the diesel engine option – the 220d – from its GLA line-up, replacing it with the petrol-powered GLA 250 and adding a second AMG variant for buyers to select from.
As such, Mercedes-Benz now offers the following four powertrain options across the GLA lineup:
A 1.3-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine (120kW/250Nm) with seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and front-wheel drive in the GLA 200.
A 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine (165kW/350Nm) with eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive in the GLA 250.
A 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine (225kW/400Nm) with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive in the AMG GLA 35.
A 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine (310kW/500Nm) with eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with all-wheel drive in the AMG GLA 45 S.
Despite speculation a coupe-style variant could join the lineup to compete with similar cars offered by Mercedes’ German competitors like Audi and BMW, Eck and Heiz emphatically dismissed the possibility.
“No actually, there is no plan to put a coupe on that one… We don’t see demand for that car,” they stated.
Image: The interior of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA.