Mercedes-Benz GLA: review

Mercedes Benz GLA: Review

The Mercedes-Benz GLA, driven finally after a long wait.

The test car was powered by a 2143cc diesel engine producing a maximum power of 134bhp and a torque output of 300Nm. For more information on specifications and equipment list, please refer the previous article.

Based on the A-class, the GLA is a much needed vehicle in the Mercedes-Benz India line up to fight the BMW X1 and Audi Q3 in the entry level luxury SUV segment. You won’t be wrong to think it is just a jacked up A-class. But when you see the car in flesh, you can see a variety of changes to distinguish it from the A-class. It gets strong, muscular shoulder lines to make it look more like an SUV. It gets a new grille upfront and black cladding all around, below the car. It also gets silver skid plates and twin exhaust pipes. Overall, the GLA looks stunning.

The interiors is similar to the A class. This means, there is plenty of high quality materials used. The car comes with a dual tone dash with classy air vents from the SLS. The COMAND screen looks like an after-market fitment though. The seating position up front is good and you get a better view of the road thanks to a higher seating position. Just like the A-class, the gear lever is on the steering column. This has freed up a lot of space in the centre console which has allowed Mercedes-Benz to introduce a few cubbyholes. The rear though is not as nice as the front. The seats are hard and the seat itself is a tad too upright. The headroom is not great thanks to the flowing design and the windows are raked up so there is less visibility. The panoramic sunroof though helps in making the cabin more airy. The floor is not flat, so seating 3 is impossible. Only small children can be put in the middle of the rear seat. You get a 12V charging point at the rear as well.

Coming to the way the car drives, with just 134bhp from the engine, it is under powered when compared to its competition. In city conditions, the diesel does its job extremely well. But on the highway, it is not sporty enough. The engine feels sluggish and it revs up to just 4200 rpm, which is disappointing. When revved, there is some harsh engine noise which is not pleasant. But then again, if you sportiness, you are better off with a petrol. The claimed fuel efficiency for the diesel shows it to be the most fuel efficient in the segment. In real life conditions, you can expect around 12kmpl in the city and 15kmpl on the highway.

The ride in city is good and small bumps get absorbed. It is only the larger and sharper potholes that come crashing through. There is very little wind and tire noise inside the cabin. But at speed, there is quite a bit on road noise accompanied by the engine noise and small bumps do make a loud noise and slightly bouncy on a road that has not been smoothly paved. The car is extremely stable, even at 170km/hr which gives you a lot of confidence when you want to floor the accelerator. The steering weighs up nicely and it is pretty accurate as well.

The power is sent to the front wheels through a 7 speed dual clutch transmission. In manual mode, the transmission is a bit slow to respond. But in normal drive mode, it does its job perfectly. It does not allow you to rev up to the redline at 4500 rpm. Instead, up shifts early depending on your driving. In normal cruising, it up shifts at an early 3200 rpm in interest of economy. When during sportier drive, it up shifts at 4200 rpm.

The GLA diesel is best suited for those who like to cruise in style. It is mainly targeted at those who want more style than substance in this segment. The absence of 4-wheel drive may come as a disappointment but for regular runabouts, this car will do its job without complaining. For Mercedes-Benz, the GLA is the right product to enter this segment with and increase their sales.