Merc’s GLA packs luxury frills and driving thrills

Mercedes-Benz’s portfolio has missed a compact sports utility vehicle for years now.

Despite having considerable depth in its SUV line-up with the GL-Class, the ML-Class, their AMG counterparts, the mad G-Wagon, and in some markets the GLK-Class, Mercedes was still losing market share to competitors who were quicker off the block with their crossover compact SUVs. This was the case not just in India, but globally too.

More luxury car buyers have whetted their appetite for SUVs by choosing small crossovers in the last few years. For Mercedes the new gen GLA has come just in time. Launched last year in other markets, the 2015 GLA will finally give Mercedes India the much needed ammo for taking on the likes of the BMW X1 and the Audi Q3.

And going by the increasing demand for compact SUVs in our market too, the GLA has the potential to draw many more new buyers into the three-pointed star’s fold.

We drove the new GLA this week, just ahead of its India-debut on September 30, and here are our first impressions.

Design Mercedes-Benz’s decision to cluster all its cars within just four platforms meant that there would be four models that would be born out of the Modular Front Architecture (MFA). The A-Class and B-Class are already here, the CLA 45 AMG launched last month, will be followed by the CLA itself soon. The GLA is the fourth model from this shared architecture.

The GLA’s design has a strong crossover feel. With a low roofline and steeply raked windscreen, the new GLA is the classic modern compact crossover. There are clear references to its lineage and the A-Class’ shared platform elements are there both in the GLA’s exterior design and interior trim.

With its wheels pushed out to the extremes and its wide stance, the GLA has a squat appearance that makes it deceptively small when viewed from the front. It is only its side profile that really gives you a sense of its 4,417mm length, one of the longest in the segment. Its wheelbase is also nearly 100mm more than its nearest competitor.

The GLA’s front is dominated by the huge chrome lip for the airdam and the thick dual-slat bonnet grille with the circular Merc logo in the middle. The headlamps shaped to carry forward the new design lines shared by the A-Class and the new C-Class, feature Bi-Xenon lamps with integrated LED turn indicators and LED fibre-optic daytime running lights.

The side profile is also fairly dramatic with the tall shoulder line, the low roof and the character lines that cut across the doors. The wheel arches are pronounced and the SUV character is further strengthened by the black cladding that accentuates the impact of the arches. The design of the GLA’s rear is equally strong. The haunches widen the stance of the GLA at the rear and the horizontal orientation of the tail-lamps and the chrome strip connecting the two lamps further add to the squat, planted look of the GLA.

The compact rear glass and hatch door cuts through the tail-lamps. Two design elements that add a touch of class to the GLA are the rear diffuser-exhaust finisher in dull chrome and the broad, bucket-tooth rear rood design that combines with the panoramic sunroof. The luggage capacity is a 421 litres and over 1,200 litres with the rear seats folded. But, in our test mule, the space-saver tyre in the boot did take up considerable amount of luggage space. The height of the loading lip or boot sill is 595mm, said to be the lowest in the segment.

Interior Talking about the panoramic sunroof, stepping into the GLA reveals a completely different picture. Despite what seems like a compact exterior and the despite the steeply raked windscreen, the cabin has a airy, well-lit feel and there is also a surprising amount of space inside. The panoramic sunroof leads to more headroom, in addition to allowing more light into the cabin, though it might also make it hotter during summer months. The sunroof also closes automatically when it starts raining.

The dashboard of the GLA is familiar and, of course, has shared design elements and parts from the A-Class and the new C-Class. The layout is clean and the execution befitting a luxury car with no compromises. The sporty leather seats, turbine style aircon vents with chrome rings, and the infotainment display were elements that we liked. There is enough shoulder room at the rear, though for three adults it might still be a squeeze. There is a flip open armrest for rear passengers.

Safety gets a big boost with seven airbags, including knee airbags for the driver. There is also Merc’s attention assist and tyre-pressure monitors. There are other driver assistance features like Hill-hold, ESP, brake assist and even acceleration skid control. The all wheel drive or 4MATIC version of the GLA is also expected to be launched soon. But first in, sometime next month, will be the GLA 45 AMG 4MATIC, a car that will be worth waiting for, if you are in the market for a AMG.

Performance The GLA’s unique look and luxurious cabin has been combined with two engines to create a package that completes the breadth of offering that is special in this segment. The first is the diesel engine that we are all familiar with – the 2,143cc engine that Merc uses in some of its other cars too. The engine in the GLA produced 100 kW of peak power and 300Nm of torque. Rated fuel efficiency is 17.9 kmpl and the top speed is 205 kmph.

We drove the GLA up to Shimla and beyond via Chail from Chandigarh. The diesel engine felt agile and comfortable on the highway leading upto the hills. There is enough power and torque available on tap while shifting through the 6-speed automatic transmission. The engine does get a bit noisy while working uphill and under hard acceleration. But there is enough low-end torque to always fall back on even while tackling steep inclines.

But the surprisingly more tractable and breezy engine of the two is the 1,991cc petrol mill. The engine produces 135kW of power and a similar to the diesel 300Nm of torque. Mercedes India has by its own claim reaffirmed its faith in petrol and brought the only petrol engine in the GLA’s luxury compact SUV segment. The engine takes the GLA from standstill to 100 kmph in 7.6 seconds and the top speed is 225 kmph. Rated mileage is 13.8 kmpl. The GLA is also quite a handler. Tackling corners and making quick corrections don’t unsettle the GLA and there is no SUV-like roll or lag. The steering offers good feedback and the ride is well sorted out. In fact, the India specific suspension packaging and the higher ground clearance of 183mm have actually helped the GLA’s story.

Bottomline Mercedes-Benz India has thankfully chosen not to pull down the luxury quotient in the GLA and make a Spartan offering to the entry luxury car buyers. Instead, the GLA will be loaded with goodies like the panoramic sunroof, a Harman Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system, ambient LED cabin lighting, illuminated door sills, memory settings for driver and front passenger seat adjustments and a full reversing camera assistance system.

The GLA could well be the compact SUV that you should be buying. The GLA will be a full import and that would have meant a relatively steep price.

But Merc officials have reassured us saying that there will be no sticker shock, since the price will be fixed based on estimated local assembly price. We expect the prices to range between ₹30 lakh to ₹40 lakh. The GLA 45 AMG will make it here next month.

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