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-   -   Mercedes GLA-Class : Official Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/157668-mercedes-gla-class-official-review-2.html)

Excellent review there... finally :D

I was expecting Mercedes to price this slightly below the Q3. But I guess more than the competition, they were worried about creating space for their own upcoming products (e.g.; CLA, B-Class facelift etc.). That said, except for the high price and small tab on the dash, I find the GLA quite appealing, especially in the petrol avatar. And loved the all-black interiors.

Excellent Review. The detuned diesel engine is a big turn off when one is spending that kind of money. But then most people buying these cars are not bothered about how much bhp is there under the hood. The CLA launching next year will also have the same state of tune.
My personal favourite in the segment remains the Q3!

The A200 CDI & B200 CDI are already here for Homologation!

Such reviews reinstill the reason why those truly interested in cars must visit Team BHP! Amazing review with details that mainstream media will very conveniently oversee or fail to mention with all the hype surrounding a Mercedes launch. Great job guys :-)

This is one thing I noticed in the review, which actually got me thinking. Below are some quotes from other official reviews in TBhp.
"Fixed height seatbelts. Notice the outdated pull / push type door lock knobs:" - from Maruti Alto 800 review.
"Some quirky interior bits : Push / pull type door locks, centrally-placed window switches etc." - from Chevrolet Sail U-VA review.

On a similar line of thought, shouldn't the push / pull type door lock from the GLA also be included in the Con's section? I agree that different individuals have different preferences :)

Fantastic review of the GLA. Rated the review a well deserved 5 stars. Thanks to the excellent stills accompanying the review.

The car looks brilliant in silver. Interior reeks quality with a Q.
Wonder how much it can eat into the market of the segment leader though.

Absolutely superb review Vid. Tells you all you need to know without getting anywhere near a GLA. Talk about living vicariously!

I happened to pass by one last night on the highway, and frankly I didn't find it to be as good looking as I thought it might be. I find it's baby brother, the A-Class, to have a lot more sex appeal.

Shame to see that diesel motor being so detuned, but you just know it'll outsell the petrol no matter what. That's just how the market is skewed.

The transmission hump at the rear is Huge for only exhaust pipe to go through. There is no drive shaft since its a FWD.

Viddy, that's a great review with awesome pics. Thanks for sharing with us! :)

The GLA really looks very small on the road but one can recognize it instantly. The Silver car looks great showing off those fantastic lines. And the new baby Merc is a hit over here. The full allotment for this year was sold out almost as soon as it was launched.

The things I don't like are the spare wheel inside the boot, the exposed legs of the head restraint under the rear armrest and the tablet screen atop the dash. Merc should really get rid of the latter. The UI doesn't look attractive either. But good of them to offer customers the choice of black/ beige interior trim. Hope more manufacturers join this gang.

A very nice and detailed review. Just resonates with the thoughts I had after test driving the GLA.

My parents are looking for a vehicle in the entry level luxury segment and the onus to help them with the choice is on me and I've been test driving the GLA 200 CDI, Q3 and X1 since a month now to make the right decision. High GC is a strict condition from my parents so I am unable to convince them for 320d :-(

The GLA really lacks the punch when compared to Q3 or X1 as evident from it's lower torque and power. I just did not feel that I'm driving a 40 lakh + vehicle when I tried pushing it. Of course, the build quality and features are premium but the engine just lacks what a car of this price should have. The ride quality is also not the best and that might be due to the low profile tyres on 18" rims. On top of that, no automatic climate control (forget dual zone) and no rear AC vents at this price point is not justified. I just fell in love with the looks of GLA when I saw it first but then the looks alone cannot make up for the things it lacks.

2 things that add to the looks of the GLA are the big sunroof and the dual exhausts but then both of these are not available on the "style" variant which is priced at 42L on road in Bangalore. The "sports" variant (fully loaded variant) is priced at around 47L on road in Bangalore. And since this is a new launch, there are no discounts at all being offered right now (at least from Sundaram Motors). Sigh!

One good news though: The first lot of GLAs had a mercedes audio system in the "Style" variant. The Harman Kardon was only on the "sports" variant but from next month onwards, the Harman Kardon will be a a standard feature on both variants.

The dealer also told that the alloy wheels will be different from the next lot onwards. The new alloys will be the ones shown in the review here. The old ones actually looked better to me. Here is a picture of the old ones:

I guess I'll be making a choice between X1 and Q3 unless Mercedes gives us the "sports" varaint at a better price.

There is one in the monster GLA45 AMG :D. The non-AMG GLA-Class is offered with 4MATIC (AWD) in other countries. Might make it to India too.

These are not so secure since you could pull it up through the top of the glass.

Superb review Vid6639! Really a pleasure to read as always. Sometimes I wonder if the actual driving experience will be as good as fully reading your review of the same car!! Your review tells us what all things we miss generally when we check a car out. Thanks!

The car is really good. Exudes rich quality inside out. Excellent features as well. But then both these things are to be always associated with a Mercedes. So no surprises. Lack of front parking sensors is a bit of a shocker.

As you mentioned, the rear 3 quarter from top is really the ONLY angle in which it looks like a crossover. Otherwise it just looks like a large hatch with slightly higher GC and larger wheels. Perhaps they call it a crossover because the A-Class feels like sitting too low relatively already :D.

Rear space (or lack thereof) and the spare wheel eating already average boot space really disappointed. I agree that nobody will really use this car often to ferry 5 people, still, some more space would have been welcomed by those who'll own it as a chauffeured car.

Somehow didn't like the pull type door locks. The normal ones integrated with door open levers would have been better to my taste. But then never in my life will I be able to own one of these :D so I'll excuse the door locks.

Lovely review. Superb photography.
Worthy of a first class Auto Mag.

Vid - become an Auto Journo mate.
I love your attention to detail.

I Recently observed a Red (Jupiter Red) GLA in Pune. It was easily the best looking out of the three Germans. In element it looked a tad bigger too. However the review has informed us of the interior dimensions and specs.

I recently test drove the Q3. Even the Premium Quattro has very basic features. Only the top end has the requisite bells and whistles. If the Yeti Elegance 4X4 had an auto transmission. It would almost have everything that the Quatrro Premium Plus has, except the Badge :)

Great review vid6639!

I test drove the GLA early Nov, and while it looks great, rides well and also feels plush inside, it is really overpriced for what it brings. No ACC, no AC rear vents, no navigation (as standard), and the lowest end variant is 42l on road in Bangalore.
Engines are way behind BMW. Safety features are top notch though.
Overall, Mercedes just wants to price everything higher and higher, no matter what it is that they are offering. The grossly underpowered A-class is a case in point.