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-   -   Mercedes GLA-Class vs Audi Q3 vs BMW X1 (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/luxury-imports-niche/157700-mercedes-gla-class-vs-audi-q3-vs-bmw-x1.html)

What you'll like:

• Aggressive styling. Stands out from the other crossovers in this segment
• A proper Mercedes on the inside. Top-notch interior quality
• Potent petrol engine with 181 BHP on tap. Good driveability & performance
• 7-speed automatic transmission is extremely smooth. Paddle shifters too
• Car-like dynamics, awesome brakes & 183 mm of ground clearance for rough roads
• Well-kitted: 18" rims, panoramic sunroof, bi-xenon headlamps, memory seats, Harman Kardon ICE etc.
• 5 star NCAP safety rating. 7 airbags, ESP, ABS, attention assist & more

What you won't:

• Expensive for a small crossover. On-road price crosses 40 lakhs!
• Mediocre diesel engine. 40 - 50 horses lesser than the Audi Q3 & BMW X1
• A 4-seater at best. Rear space comparable to B2-segment hatchbacks. Also, poor under-thigh support
• FWD only. No AWD on offer like the Q3
• Ride quality has a firm edge to it. Compliant, yet far from plush
• Transmission isn't as quick to shift as a dual-clutch ought to be
• Spare tyre significantly reduces the usable luggage space

Review Link


What you'll like:

• Only AWD luxury SUV in the segment. Quattro system offers leech-like levels of grip
• Top-notch interior quality. Noticeably superior to the BMW X1
• Competent diesel engine is mated to a quick 7 speed gearbox. Manual available too
• Effortless to drive, thanks to the light steering & compact dimensions
• Loaded to the gills with features, and then some
• 5 star safety rating & equipment (ESP, ABS, EBD, electronic diff lock, a multitude of airbags etc.)

What you won't:

• 'Audi Drive Select' doesn't make a noticeable difference to the suspension
• Over-assisted electric steering system. Stays light at highway speeds, feels vague too
• Stiff ride quality on bad & broken roads
• Limited rear seat space. The Q3 is best suited to 4 onboard (and not 5)
• Compact SUV, just like the X1. You could get bigger 7-seater SUVs for the same price
• Inconsistent sales & service experiences at Audi dealerships

Review Link


What you'll like:

• Legendary BMW handling and the fun-to-drive factor
• Precise & communicative steering wheel
• Car-like to drive. Can put some more expensive sedans to shame
• Punchy 2.0 liter diesel motor is the most powerful in its segment
• High ground clearance of 194 mm helps in tackling bad roads
• BMW's all-inclusive service & maintenance packages bring fuss-free ownership

What you won't:

• Looks dated in comparison to the GLA & Q3
• Interior quality & equipment levels are a big letdown
• Small cabin. Rear legroom is too limited
• Harsh ride due to the stiff suspension
• Poor NVH for a car of this segment (especially the vibrations at idle)
• RWD only. No AWD option

Review Link

None of these crossovers are my kind of vehicles. I'd rather buy a reliable, big 7-seater SUV (Santa Fe, Pajero Sport, Fortuner) for the same / lesser money.

If I just had to choose between them, it would be the Audi Q3. Audi's clean designs appeal to my taste, it has AWD (what's an SUV without AWD??!!!) and is the most rounded product of this trio.

You would be genuinely surprised by how the minds of people work in North India.
Case in hand: My Cousins- Both chauffered around

One bought a Santa Fe 4x2 Automatic for 29lacs on road- reason: space, space and then some more space. A comfortable ride and perceived lower cost of ownership sealed the deal for him. He didnt really want a crossover for owning a 'german luxury marque'!

The other (and younger) went right ahead and got himself a Q3 premium just for the badge. Says, Audi sounds way cooler than Hyundai when asked what my ride is! AWD was the added bonus here.

Personally, if the choice is strictly between the three here, I would have the Q3 premium plus in red please! lol:

Cheers
Rohan

Heard Audi is going to release a bare bones stripped out manual 2.0TFSI petrol. If that is true then that will definitely be my pick of the bunch. Punchy petrol, manual gearbox, sufficient GC, below 30 lakh on road price, that would be a killer deal for me. Wish they would do the same with the A3 too.

The GLA looks merely an 'A' Class on steroids & X1 doesn't have anything valuable to offer other than a rear wheel drive. It's the Audi Q3 for me all the way. For the money you are paying, it offers more than the other two in terms of AWD, plush interiors, better space utilitzation & hence comes across as the closest to being a SUV. Also, I feel the Q3 is the only vehicle here which looks like having a better adaptibility to Indian road & driving conditions.

Even though the GLA looks fresh and extremely stylish, the Q3 with its clean and inoffensive styling, quattro AWD, better engine option, and a superior s-tronic gearbox gets my vote. And now even the mid-variant gets goodies like the signature LED DRLs.

I just wish there was an none of the above option here. More than the equipment or brand it is what lies under the skin matters to me, the most appealing car for me here(Q3) is essentially a reskinned luxurious version of the Skoda Yeti, nothing wrong with it but for that kind of money either the 3 or upcoming C are true blue BMW/Mercedes cars i would like to spend my money on.

My vote goes for Q3 Quattro, till the time Mercedes comes up with a sensibly priced GLA 220 CDI 4Matic. The sensibly priced X1 is sharp to drive and that ZF8 transmission is brilliant, but low GC and lack of AWD makes it unappealing to me.

Drive the X1 once and you will experience what the fun it is to drive .It's a proper 3 series on steroids added with extra ground clearance so as to deal with our bad roads , not a suv though but those who really love to drive can not miss this one . Also neither of them are SUVs at all , be it a quattro or rear wheel drive or fwd .

what really gets my goat with all these three is the lack of a proper spare. RFTs and space savers just do not work for our conditions. this is a big plus point in favour of the Santa fe at this price point.

GLA looks good (But kinda looks like a blown up A), X1 does not (Only model of BMW which I really couldn't appreciate looks wise) and Q3 looks balanced (Though the design makes it look more tiny that what it is). But none of these look tempting for the price. If it is just to pick one of the lot, I would vote for Q3 for only that comes with AWD. Grip level an AWD offers is addictive.

If this being the case, wouldn't a prospective buyer spend his Big Ones on the 3 Series sedan instead of the the X1? Besides, the interiors of the X1 may look sporty but definitely cannot match the Q3 in terms of the premium feel.

Im most likely going to be the odd one out, but kudos to the BIG three germans and their audacity!

The Mercedes GLA is NOT what its made out to be! An A class with some lift??!! Come on, gone are the days where Indians were gullible enough to buy anything any one says! But then again, i guess not! why? "brand conscious, badge value" terms like these really get my throat! Yes I know there is a market for these vehicles but there has got to be a correlation to the product and perceived value! Rs 40 lakh for a GLA/X1/Q3? Value it certainly is not!

But then again, they are only providing what the general public wants and the general public wants the badge and the perks of being able to say "I drive a ....." .

I'm definitely not impressed with the GLA. So the decision has to be between the Q3 or the X1 - going with the fact that you need to choose between the German trio only.

I personally like the Q3 for its clean SUV-ish looks, interiors and AWD Quattro. But in a real world scenario, what matters more to me are things like ground clearance and engine power, which are more in the X1. Also, I can live with the looks of X1 and the interiors - which might be a little less sophisticated than the Q3, are by no way unpleasant. While even a compact SUV is meant to be taken off-road, I wouldn't want to do so with my baby. I would be more than happy with the torture it has to go through on our usual commuter roads.

Hence, I vote for the X1 for being more practical of the lot.

My thoughts exactly, Q3 it has to be!

But I personally think Q3 looks the best amongst all three, GLA is somewhat quirky and not as much aggressive as its made out to be.