[Omkar]

Mercedes-Benz GLA Facelift Review

Mercedes GLA Pros

• Good looking mini-SUV with a solid build quality
• Premium interiors, sorted ergonomics and supportive seats
• Diesel engine is fast (0-100 km/h in 7.5 seconds) and fuel-efficient too (18.9 km/l - ARAI)
• 8-speed DCT is smooth and quick. 4Matic AWD system will help you get out of some tricky situations
• AMG Line is fun to drive! Good handling, well-calibrated steering & excellent high-speed manners
• Loaded with features such as 360-degree camera, driver assistance, latest-gen MBUX, hands-free tailgate & lots more
• 5-star NCAP rating, top-notch safety kit & a suite of electronic aids to keep you safe

Mercedes GLA Cons

• Pricey! Top-end GLA 220d 4Matic AMG line would be ~67L on-road in Delhi
• Suspension has a firm edge to it. Also, the AMG line's 19-inch wheels further stiffen the ride quality
• Petrol engine only offered in a single variant and no AWD
• Back seat is more suitable for 2 healthy adults and a child. Not 3 healthy adults
• 425-litre boot - although adequate - is the smallest in the segment
• Missing features such as cooled seats, rear sunshade, head-up display, Level 2 ADAS, full-size spare tyre (has a space saver tyre) etc.
• Heavier adults will find the front seats too snug

Introduction

It was almost a decade ago that Mercedes-Benz introduced the GLA in India. At that time, sure it looked more like a raised hatchback than a crossover or an SUV. In 2021, the second-generation GLA was launched, which had a bit more crossover genetics and looked a bit more butch. What you see here is the 2024 facelift of the second-generation car, which gets a few cosmetic changes and also feature additions to bring the GLA up to speed with this ever-evolving market.

Mercedes has sold over 14,000 units of the GLA to date, out of which 15% of the buyers have been women. When it goes on sale, it will be offered with 1.3-litre turbo-petrol and 2.0-litre diesel engine options. The sportier AMG GLA 35 could be introduced sometime soon. We got to drive the facelifted Mercedes-Benz GLA 220d 4Matic in the AMG Line trim. So let’s get into the details.

Mercedes GLA Price & Brochure

Mercedes has priced the the GLA 200 at Rs. 50.50 lakh. The GLA 220d costs Rs. 54.75 lakh and the GLA 220d 4Matic (top variant) costs Rs. 56.90 lakh. The price difference in comparison with the outgoing car is considerable. The petrol variant costs Rs. 2.10 lakh more, while the diesel variants cost Rs. 4.15 lakh (FWD) and Rs. 3.60 lakh (4Matic) more. Even when compared to the competition, the GLA is slightly on the pricier side.

You can download the Mercedes-Benz GLA Facelift brochure here – Mercedes GLA Facelift Brochure.pdf

[Omkar]

Exterior

Design & Styling

As mentioned earlier, the second-gen GLA brings in a lot of crossover styling elements. It also follows the Mercedes family design language. Design changes to the facelift however are very minimal. It gets a slightly redesigned bumper and radiator grille with chrome pins.

Some notable features on the outside of the AMG Line trim include a new LED headlamp and DRL design, 19-inch AMG Line alloy wheels, redesigned tail-lamps, split sunroof, and rear bumper with a diffuser-like design on the skid plate and twin fake exhaust tips. The car is offered in 5 colour options. These include Spectral Blue (our test car and new with the facelift), Iridium Silver, Mountain Grey, Polar White and Cosmos Black.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

The GLA is built on the MFA (Modular Front-Drive Architecture) 2 platform, which is shared with the A-Class, B-Class, GLB and EQB. As you would expect of a Mercedes car, the GLA feels solidly built. There’s very little flex in the body panels & doors. The body panel gaps are uniform and the overall fit & finish levels are excellent. Even the paint finish is top-notch and the car especially looks striking in this Spectral Blue paint shade.

Wheels & Tyres

Our GLA AMG Line test car came with 19-inch, 5-spoke alloy wheels shod with 235/50 section Continental PremiumContact 6 run flat tyres. The wheel-tyre combo fills up the wheel arches perfectly, but they do look a tad bit big considering the size of the car. Some owners will like this. The Progressive Line variant gets 18-inch alloy wheels. The spare tyre is a T145/80 unit on a 19-inch steel space-saver rim.

Ground Clearance

Mercedes hasn’t specified the ground clearance of the GLA. However, it appears to be more than adequate for Indian conditions. I took it over some broken roads and even village trails where there were no roads. The GLA didn’t have any issues with mild off-roading. City speed breakers also posed no problems for the car.

Standard & Extended Warranty

The outgoing Mercedes-Benz GLA comes with a standard three-year warranty and an 8-year warranty on the engine and transmission. You can also extend the warranty up to 6 years. We expect the facelift to get the same.

Maintenance

Mercedes offers "Star Ease" maintenance packages for up to 10 years. You have the option of choosing from a Compact and Compact Plus packages. The Compact package covers all the major and minor periodic maintenance services as per the defined interval. The Compact Plus package offers all the benefits of the Compact Package and also provides replacement of brake discs and brake pads, both front and rear, wheel alignment, and balancing and replacement of wiper blades. You also get 3 years of roadside assistance as standard which can be extended up to 8 years.

Safety

With the GLA facelift, Mercedes has added some recent safety tech especially related to driver assistance. Some standout features include 3-point seatbelts for all five occupants, 7 airbags, Blind Spot Assist, Downhill Speed Regulator, Car to X communication, Active Brake Assist, Active Parking Assist, 360-degree camera and exit warning function.

The second-gen Mercedes-Benz GLA has scored a 5-star safety rating in Euro NCAP crash tests.

Interior

Cabin Design & Quality

Inside the cabin is where there have been considerable changes. The second-generation car’s dashboard is similar to the A-Class Limousine in some aspects but manages to differentiate itself quite well. It gets an all-black theme in the Progressive Line (Iridium Silver body colour) and the AMG Line. Other body colours in the Progressive Line come with dual-tone black and beige interiors. The overall design looks modern and contemporary which is typical of Mercedes cars. You get a twin-screen layout with a customisable 10.25-inch instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen.

Soft-touch materials have been used at various places and the interiors are solidly put together. There aren't any rough edges anywhere in the cabin. Like most Mercedes cars, the part quality is very good.

Space & Comfort

Ingress & egress are easy and you can just walk into the car without difficulty. The space inside the cabin in the front seats is good and despite the all-black interiors, you never feel claustrophobic. At the back, a tall and wide transmission tunnel and the centre console take up space. Hence, only 4 people will be comfortable. A fifth person would not feel welcome, especially on longer journeys.

The seats are draped in Black or Macchiato Beige faux leather (Artico) upholstery. The AMG Line gets Microfibre black which has an Alcantara-like finish. Like other parts, the quality of the upholstery is good. The seats offer very good support. They have side bolsters, which provide good lateral support. However, heavier folk will find these side bolsters digging into their backs. Both front seats get height & lumbar adjustment along with adjustable headrests. They get memory functions as well as Mercedes seat kinetics which makes minute changes to the inclination of seat cushions and backrest. What is sad is that these seats do not get cooling, which is a big miss in a country like India.

The seatbelts are adjustable and leather has been used on the doorpads and centre console where the occupants of the front seats would rest their arms. This adds to the comfort.

Driving Position & Ergonomics

The steering is adjustable for height and reach (manual adjustment), which allows you to find a comfortable position with ease. The seat adjustment travel is also healthy. You can sit high like you would in an SUV which will give you a clear view of the road ahead. You can also see the bonnet (many drivers like that). While the front and side visibility for the driver is fine, the rear visibility is compromised by the thick C-pillars and a small windshield. You will have to use the 360-degree camera feature while reversing.

In the driver's seat, those who are used to Mercedes cars, will be able to get acquainted with all the controls quickly. The AMG Line gets a flat bottom, Nappa leather-wrapped three-spoke steering that’s perfectly sized and nice to hold, but the horn pad is not easy to reach with your thumbs. The side spokes are split into two levels which makes the design look busy, but it doesn’t hamper the grip and the buttons are more accessible too. We’ll say that the ergonomics are sorted in this car.

Cabin Storage

There are many storage spaces in the cabin. You get a glovebox with a soft lining and doorpads that can hold a 1L bottle along with some other items. The centre console houses two cupholders, a wireless smartphone charging pad and a USB Type C port. Under the centre armrest, you get a storage box with two USB Type-C ports. Since this car doesn’t have a trackpad, the space has been replaced with a shallow storage space on the centre console which can be used for keeping cards or loose change.

Air-Conditioning

The GLA comes with a dual-zone climate control unit. The A/C functioned very well to keep us cool during our test-drive.

Features

Unique & Noteworthy Features

The GLA now gets a host of features. These include keyless entry & go, request sensors for all doors, a fully digitalised cockpit, panoramic sunroof, paddle shifters, USB Type-C ports, cruise control, multi-function steering with touch type switches, automatic climate control, three-point seatbelts for all occupants, electrical opening & closing tailgate, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, rear A/C vents and more.

The car gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, inbuilt navigation, and voice commands. The system also gets Mercedes Me connected car tech.

Audio System & Sound Quality

With the facelift, Mercedes offers a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment head-unit with the latest MBUX: NTG 7 telematics. The user interface is simple and easy to get used to and the display is crisp and clear. It's extremely smooth and seamless in operation. The audio quality is very good. The tones are crisp and there’s no distortion at high volumes.

Rear Passengers

Rear Seat Comfort & Space

The rear bench is placed at a fair height. It is not as high as some of the traditional SUVs. Hence, tall people will have to sit down in it. In terms of comfort, the cushioning is on point - neither too hard nor too soft.

The seat is designed to accommodate three adults and comes with 3-point seatbelts and adjustable headrests for all 3 passengers. However, the width of the cabin and the wide and prominent floor hump and the centre console takes up some legroom. Therefore, the bench is more suitable for 2 adults and 1 child rather than 3 adults.

After adjusting the driver’s seat to my height (5'10"), I had fair knee room in the rear. Two 6-footers behind each other would be tight though. There’s some space under the front seat as well to tuck your feet into. The headroom is good despite the sunroof. Overall, the space is comparable to what you would get in a Hyundai Creta’s backseat. The backrest is also set at a comfortable angle. The under-thigh support is sufficient for most people, but taller occupants will find it too less for their liking. This is due to the rather short seat base. Rear passengers don’t get a centre armrest or sunblinds. However, they do get seatback pockets, A/C vents, and USB charging ports (Type-C).

Boot Space

The second-gen GLA SUV has a boot space of 425 litres, which is enough to accommodate luggage for a family’s weekend trip. Folding the backrest of the rear seat down gives the car more cargo area.

Driving the Mercedes GLA 2.0L Diesel AT

We got to drive the GLA 220d 4Matic variant which has a 2.0L diesel engine that makes 188 BHP @ 3,800 rpm and 400 Nm @ 1,600-2,600 rpm:


Having a powerful diesel engine and all-wheel drive option gives the Mercedes GLA an edge against the competition. The Audi Q3 is available only with a petrol engine and the diesel engine on the BMW X1 makes just 148 BHP and doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Start the engine by pressing the start/stop button with your foot on the brake pedal and you’ll immediately notice the impressive refinement. Even if the engine is quite audible on the outside, inside the cabin, the diesel engine is barely audible.

Take your foot off the brake pedal and the GLA creeps off the line smoothly. With light to medium throttle inputs, the car is pretty effortless to drive. On city roads, keeping up with traffic is an easy affair. The diesel engine doesn’t lug at low speeds and it has enough poke to close in those gaps and make those quick overtakes. The 8-speed dual clutch also responds quickly to throttle inputs and keeps you in the right power band at all times. With almost instant power delivery, the GLA is a quick and smooth car to drive around in the city.

Hit the highways and you can really stretch the legs of the GLA. From a standstill Mercedes claims that the GLA 220d 4Matic can do 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds which is almost 1.4 seconds faster than the BMW X1 and is just 0.2 seconds slower than the acceleration time of the Audi Q3 turbo petrol! Ample torque of 400 Nm being available from as low as 1,600 rpm is one of the reasons for this quick acceleration. Overtaking on the highways is an easy affair and you will never find yourself stuck in the wrong gear. You can always downshift using the paddle shifters or switch to Sport mode, but for 95% of driving conditions, you can manage overtakes by just flexing your right foot in the Normal mode.

The 8-speed dual-clutch transmission does a very good job on the GLA. It’s smooth with its shifts and you never feel the upshifts/downshifts while driving in the city. It also doesn’t get confused at low speeds and manages to stay in the right gear. Even the kickdown response is good and paddle shifters have been provided for those who want to shift manually.

Apart from the default Comfort mode, there are 3 drive modes: Eco, Sport and Individual. These 3 modes alter the throttle response.

The Comfort mode is the default mode which is in between the middle of Eco and Power modes. It works well in town and on the highway and offers a good balance between efficiency and performance.

In Eco mode, the throttle response is lazier and the gearbox shifts up earlier to maximise fuel efficiency. This mode provides the smoothest ride and honestly, with the power and torque that the engine produces, it is good enough to be used in the city as well as on the highway.

In Power mode, it's the opposite. Even with a light dab of the throttle, the engine responds. On undivided highways, this is the mode to use to pull off quick overtakes. The transmission holds a gear for a longer time and the steering firms up too. However, using this mode in the city is not advisable as power delivery can get spiky.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

As mentioned earlier, the engine noise is very well controlled inside the cabin. There is barely any noise or vibration experienced as the engine cranks or on idling. At the same time, if you stand outside the cabin, the engine is loud and that's a testament to the sound insulation of the cabin. Even while driving around, the engine is hardly heard in the cabin. It's only when you put the engine in Sport mode and get aggressive with the throttle that some engine noise is audible in the cabin. The good news is that the engine sounds sporty at high revs and would be appreciated by enthusiasts.

Wind noise and road noise are well controlled at 100-120 km/h.

Mileage & Fuel Economy

The GLA 220d 4Matic is known for its fuel efficiency numbers. ARAI-certified fuel efficiency is 18.91 km/l and after our long drive, the MID reflected ~ 15 km/l which is impressive. The car has an idling start-stop system and the Eco mode helps increase the fuel efficiency as well.

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The GLA gets MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link suspension at the rear. As you would expect from a European car, the setup is on the stiffer side and you do feel a lot of the road. A big contributor to this is the 19-inch wheel size of the AMG Line accompanied by 235/50 section tyres. That’s not a very tall profile to provide a cushy ride. While the suspension can handle small bumps and potholes you can feel them sharply in the cabin. The car can handle large potholes as well, but we’d recommend handling them carefully.

Handling & Dynamics

As expected from a German car, the straight-line stability is excellent and occupants won't even know that the car is cruising at triple-digit speeds. Expansion joints on the highway do not unsettle it. Vertical movement is well-controlled as well.

On long curves, the car holds its line well. When you push it on twisty roads, the stiff suspension shows its benefits. There is very little body roll and the car changes direction without fuss. The turn-in is sharp thanks to the heavy front end and that allows you to carry a lot more speed into the corners. The 4Matic would also help you if you’re driving the car on the limit. Our test car came with 235/50 R19 Continental PremiumContact 6 tyres, which provided enough grip for the power on tap.

Steering

The GLA gets an electric power steering, which is very user-friendly. It's light in the city and most owners will appreciate that. The light steering and automatic transmission make the car very easy to drive in the city. At higher speeds, the steering weighs up well. There's no nervous feeling or twitchiness at all while cruising on the highways. The feel is consistent and the steering is very predictable. On the twisty roads, it relays a good amount of feedback. Enthusiasts would’ve wished for a bit more weight though.

Braking

The GLA is equipped with disc brakes at the front and rear. The braking performance is strong and the car comes to a halt without any drama. Under hard braking too, the car doesn't lose its composure. Mercedes has equipped the GLA with Active Brake Assist.

[Omkar]

Mercedes GLA Exterior Images

Compared to the previous generation, the front looks a lot more mature and upright. With the facelift, changes are minimal to this AMG Line variant:


Ditto for the rear. The GLA now looks more in line with the bigger SUVs from Mercedes. With the facelift, again, the changes are barely noticeable:


The GLA has a wheelbase of 2,729 mm and minimum overhangs:


Build quality and fit & finish are top-notch:


Body lines and creases add more character to the design:


While the Progressive Line variant gets major changes to the front, the AMG Line looks almost identical to the outgoing model. Diamond radiator grille with pins in chrome stands out:


You now get body-coloured front apron inserts:


With the facelift, you have redesigned LED headlights which get adaptive high beam assist:


Subtle yet sharp creases on the bonnet give the front a muscular look:


Gottlieb Daimler's signature on the windshield:


Blacked-out roof with panoramic sunroof. Also, note the mono camera at the top of the windshield that works with Radar for the Active Brake Assist function:


19-inch alloy wheels of the AMG Line look great. Squared-off wheel arches add to a rugged look. Notice the cross-drilled brake rotors at the front:


Rims are shod with 235/50 section Continental PremiumContact 6 run-flat tyres:


Waistline gets a chrome strip. Also, with the facelift, you now get keyless entry & go with request sensors on all doors:


Body-coloured ORVMs house the cameras for the 360-degree surround view system:


All-LED tail-lamp clusters retain their shape, but the insides have been redesigned slightly:


Rear bumper of the AMG Line gets this diffuser design and twin exhaust tips:


Unfortunately, they’re only for aesthetics and you have just a single tailpipe tucked underneath the bumper:

[Omkar]

Mercedes GLA Interior Images

Interiors of this AMG Line get a lot of sporty elements like carbon fibre finish, Alcantara material and contrast red stitching. Overall, the design looks premium and ergonomics are sorted as well:


With the facelift, you now get the new generation steering wheel. AMG Line gets this flat bottom, Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel with layered side spokes. Progressive Line gets a steering wheel similar to the GLC:


The steering gets touch-type controls in two layers as you can see here. The top left are buttons for controlling the infotainment while the top right are for scrolling through the MID functions. The bottom left buttons are for telephony controls and the bottom right buttons are for cruise control. While it may take some time to get used to these controls, once you do, they’re a breeze to operate:


Metal paddle shifters add to the premium feel:


The classic Mercedes gear selector:


GLA gets the latest instrument cluster that we’ve seen in recent Mercedes cars. This 10.25-inch unit has a customisable display and displays plenty of information. The display is clear and legible:


The GLA is equipped with radar-based driving assistance with a mono camera for the active brake assist system. You can set the intervention points – early, medium and late:


As mentioned earlier, the instrument cluster is customisable. You have a bunch of displays you can choose from. The display can also be linked to the driving mode. You can see plenty of information in different types of displays like G-force in the Sport display, Compass in the Off-road display and AdBlue level in the Service display:


Turbine-shaped AC vents from the A-Class make their way here as well. Twist the centre knob to adjust the airflow. A small amount of air gets through even in the fully closed position:


Electric parking brake and light functions are placed on the right-hand side of the driver:


The engine start-stop and idling start-stop buttons are placed on the left side of the driver:


All-black theme continues onto the doorpad as well. The top part has soft touch plastic and the area around the armrest gets an Alcantara finish with contrast red stitching:


The window and mirror controls. All windows get auto up & down:


There’s also a carbon fibre insert around the seat controls which gets an ambient light strip around it. Note that front seats get a memory function:


Front seats are draped in a mix of Artico leather and microfibre finish (Alcantara). They provide good overall support and get lumbar adjustment as well:


Seatbase can be extended manually for additional under-thigh support:


Aluminium pedals. Useable dead pedal is set at a comfortable angle and is wide enough:


View from the IRVM is limited thanks to the thick C-pillars and rear headrests:


ORVM is well sized and you get a good view of the action behind. You also have a blind-spot warning light on the ORVM. On some occasions, with the driver window up, the reflection of the side A/C vent impeded the rearview as you can see in this picture:


Center console now looks a lot more clean and simple. IMO, the 3 turbine shaped central A/C vents look out of place in this interior and I wish something more sleek was used instead of these big round units:


10.25-inch touchscreen uses the latest MBUX: NTG7 telematics. Just like the MID, this screen also has a crisp display and plenty of options to explore. It gets wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity:


‘Mercedes Me’ connected app settings can be accessed through the touchscreen along with other apps. There are the usual connected car apps like remote engine start, remote vehicle status, vehicle tracker and emergency call system. You also have different car functions that can be accessed quickly by sliding down from the top. You have ESP control, car wash mode, downhill speed regulator and park assist mode. You can also set favourite options for quick access:


Various vehicle-related data and settings can be accessed from the touch screen. You can view the consumption, accelerator and brake telematics. You can also choose the light settings for ambient light and switch off the driver assistance systems if you prefer it that way:


You can also have the live display of engine power and torque figures or switch to off-road mode for more details. The GLA comes with on-board navigation which is pretty detailed and even has a 3D view. Front seats also get seat kinetics:


Turbine-shaped A/C vents get ambient lighting:


The GLA is equipped with a dual-zone climate control system. Good to see that Mercedes has used physical buttons here. They’re very nice to use and offer good feedback:


Below, you have a wireless charging pad. While this is a nice addition, when connected to wireless Android Auto and placed on this charging pad, the net gain is barely anything. Also, the wireless charging stops if the phone heats up. A cooling fan below the pad and faster charging would’ve been appreciated:


You can also use this USB Type-C port for charging:


Two cupholders are placed below the wireless charging pad. Note that when not in use, the wireless charging pad and these cupholders can be covered with a sliding cover:


In the facelift, Mercedes has ditched the touchpad and instead, you get this shallow rubberised area to keep your cards or keys or loose change. While it looks cleaner, the touchpad also meant that the passenger didn’t have to lean forward and reach out to operate the touchscreen. The drive mode button labelled as ‘Dynamic’ is placed ahead along with the volume control and 360-degree camera button:


The centre armrest also gets leather and is very comfortable to use:


It opens to reveal a rather spacious storage box with 2 USB Type-C charging ports:


On the passenger side of the dashboard, you get carbon fibre detailing which is exclusive to the AMG Line. Progressive Line gets illuminated star detailing here. Note the ambient lighting strip above this trim:


Roof bezel houses the sunroof controls. You have yellow coloured halogen reading lights here along with an emergency call button and of course the sunroof button:


Split panoramic sunroof brings in plenty of light. Only the front portion opens up:


As you can see, even the rear seat is primarily designed for 2 passengers to travel comfortably. Middle passenger gets an adjustable headrest and a 3-point seatbelt, but the transmission tunnel and A/C vent console make things uncomfortable for him/her. Backrest is set at a nice and comfortable angle and the seat contours make sure you get ample side support as well. Under-thigh support is also pretty good and at 5’10”, I had enough headroom:


With the front seat adjusted to my driving position (I’m 5’10” tall), I had decent knee room. However, anyone taller than 6 feet in the driver’s seat will make things tight in the rear seat:


Ample space under the front seat to tuck your feet in:


Rear A/C vents are blacked out:


Down below, is a smartphone holder and a small storage space along with 2 USB Type-C charging ports:


Just like in the front, you have halogen reading lamps at the rear that are placed inside the grab handle:


Parcel tray has a prominent border:


One small issue that I notice was that the parcel tray, if not properly fitted in place, can stop the tailgate from closing. Since this car is equipped with an electric tailgate, the anti-pinch function gets activated and you won’t be able to close the tailgate. Boot space is rated at 425 litres. It can be expanded by folding down the rear seats. Note that the Audi Q3 (530 litres) and BMW X1 (476 litres) offer bigger boots:


Space saver spare wheel is nicely tucked under the boot floor along with other tools. Spare tyre is a T145/80 unit on a 19-inch steel rim:


You also get a tyre inflator:


New in the facelift is hands-free access to the tailgate which means that you can open and close the tailgate by just kicking with your foot under the rear bumper:

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[shobhit.shri]

Nice review. This GLA seems like a perfect car for a small, nuclear family - which is most of us. The diesel engine also seems pretty potent, rear space is sufficient, and the car seems well equipped! Is there any reason why someone would choose an equivalent Audi or BMW?

[athray9]

The facelift has made the already good looking GLA look even better. GLA had always been a desirable product mainly for the way it looks. It is hard to believe that this is the entry level Mercedes model. Mercedes also did the right thing for the 2nd gen model by bringing it with the higher state of tune diesel instead of the old generation that had the lower tune (until the facelift was introduced). Comparing the price of the X1 118d and the pre-facelift X1, they seem to be on par.





Both cars seem to have similar levels of equipment, but X1 has better interior quality overall. X1 also has the comfier rear-seat space and most importantly it has a REAR CENTER ARMREST. I cannot believe Mercedes omitted the rear center armrest. As much as we say that these cars are for self driven, there are lots of people who may end being driven in this car by a chauffeur. This is a glaring omission. The diesel engine of the X1 is a big miss.

Looking at the price point of the pre-facelift model, it looks like the GLA is definitely the worthier car here. But knowing how Mercedes increases the prices with every new-gen/facelift model, I can sense that the X1 may turn out to be the value proportion in this segment.

Sharing pics of our 2016 GLA 200 CDI, we bought the car for a very good deal and seeing the prices almost 65% in just 8 years doesn't feel great.

[Cresterk]

Very very happy to see keyless entry + 360 degree cameras + blind spot monitors being added in this update. I have been pretty vocal about the lack of them in my test drives of the entry level Germans including the GLA, 3 series and C class around 2022.

Now it makes sense to buy the GLA as it is finally a complete car. It can be the perfect upgrade for people wondering whether to shell out the extra bucks to upgrade from lower segment cars as well as for richer people with multiple cars in their garage who want a decent city car. Earlier it was a compromise even with the high pricing.

[pqr]

Great review as always!



Mercedes India's shoddy product planning—they degraded headlamps for the facelift—quite surprised me. Because of this, even in the two segments below, I consistently remark that the Maruti Brezza has some of the greatest headlamps.

[ex-innova-guy]

Originally Posted by shobhit.shri

Is there any reason why someone would choose an equivalent Audi or BMW?

Mercedes have surely upped their game by adding the necessary features in the facelift and most buyers would prefer this for sure. BMW’s 18d and 18i engine just doesn’t cut it and the new U11 rear design looks weird. Audi Q3 is often an interesting option due to the attractive discounts offered on it.

[Balance]

Thank you for the detailed review. I'm in the market for an entry-level compact luxury SUV and GLA is on the top of my wishlist. Really happy to see some of the missing features (wireless AA/AC, 360-degree camera, etc.) from the earlier version being added now.

Originally Posted by Omkar

Mercedes will announce the prices of the GLA facelift soon. The outgoing GLA costs Rs. 48.4 lakh for the petrol variant, while the diesel variant is priced at Rs. 50.6 lakh. The 4Matic variant costs Rs. 2.7 lakh more (Rs. 53.3 lakh). We expect the car to be priced similarly.

When I spoke to the dealer a few days back, they mentioned that ex-showroom prices are expected to go up by at least Rs.1 lakh for the GLA200 and further more for the diesel models. Hope it's not a steep increase.

[buzzy_boy]

No rear center armrest in what's expected to be a ~70 lakh rupees car? I'm sorry, but that's cheap! Come on Mercedes!!!

[sydras]

Originally Posted by Cresterk

Very very happy to see keyless entry + 360 degree cameras + blind spot monitors being added in this update. I have been pretty vocal about the lack of them in my test drives of the entry level Germans including the GLA, 3 series and C class around 2022.

Now it makes sense to buy the GLA as it is finally a complete car. It can be the perfect upgrade for people wondering whether to shell out the extra bucks to upgrade from lower segment cars as well as for richer people with multiple cars in their garage who want a decent city car. Earlier it was a compromise even with the high pricing.

I echo your sentiment especially w.r.t. addition of keyless entry for non-AMG variants. The GLA by itself is a nice car (and close to perfect in terms of size) for a small family with 1-2 kids. But it all goes downhill when one compares it to what is on offer in the GLC within the showroom

I was in the market for a petrol GLA last year but I dropped the idea of going for an SUV itself as I couldn't accept compromises in the petrol GLA right from the 1.3L (turbocharged though) engine to the lack of features (no keyless entry, no Burmester audio system) when compared to for e.g. a Kodiaq/Tucson/Tiguan simply because of the brand.

I wonder whether the glove box is felt lined in the facelifted version. That was another el cheapo move by Mercedes.

[Mr.Ogre]

I will put my neck out and say, this looks like the spiritual successor to Ford Figo diesel. Smaller footprint with a big and powerful diesel.

From the reviews it looks like it should be immense fun to drive.

[siren373]

Are they still using the puny 1.3 litre engine for the petrol? Got a GLA back in 2017 when it came with a 2 litre petrol for around 37 lakhs (on road). Unbelievable to see how the cost has shot up since then while the heart of the car has shrunk along with the power figures. I'm hoping this will help me a little with the resale value as I'm looking to replace the car with the 2024 Ioniq (If that ever gets launched here).