How we bought a Mercedes GLA 220d: Buying experience & ownership review

Some of the cars that we test-drove include the Jeep Compass Model S, Citroen C5 Aircross, Audi Q3 and Volvo XC40.

BHPian CJP recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

It's been a busy 8 months since I’ve updated this thread and I am very grateful to you all for the suggestions. There were some points raised that, if I’m honest, I didn’t quite think of. But after much consideration, I finally bit the bullet and YOLO-it with a Mercedes GLA 220D 4MATIC. Below is the story from the choices, to the PDI, delivery and 3000 km update, so hang on for a fun-filled ride!

Chapter 0: The Origin Story

We’ve owned all of our cars for at least 5 years in the past, starting with a ‘99 Mahindra Bolero, which never left our hands till ‘04. Replaced by a Hyundai Accent CRDI, the Accent served us well as our kids grew up and we began our family road trips. An understated workhorse among its cohorts from Hyundai, the Accent was comfortable enough but soon with age, began to show more of Hyundai’s typical niggles. Expensive repairs and the general need for more space with our kids hitting their teen years meant that we were soon in for a replacement.

Enter ‘09 Toyota Innova GX Diesel

Road trips were now the breadbutter of any holiday season in our calendar and soon we found ourselves searching for a comfortable city car and grand tourer (not the flashy Beemers). Back in ‘09, it was pretty clear that the Innova was going to stick around for significantly longer than the other two, we simply didn’t anticipate how long. Till 14 years later the requirement of a fitness certificate comes knocking at the door. There still isn’t much of a plan to sell our old girl, but considering that I’m approaching retirement I began considering options to serve as a companion for now and eventually replace her.

The requirements were more or less the same, a reliable, safe, relatively understated, grand tourer. Thus, in May 2023 the hunt began.

Chapter 1: Choices, choices, choices!

My son (now 22 yo) and I began test driving cars around the 40 lakh budget point, stretching to the entry-level Germans. Beginning with the Jeep Compass Model S, which in hindsight, was a great place to start. It offered all the latest features with quite a no-nonsense and stable driving experience at a “bargain” of just 40 lakhs; an amazing yardstick for the Germans. The let-downs are the lazy 9-speed torque converter gearbox, lack of flappy paddles to take effective manual control (the gear lever is a bit cumbersome to use while trying to take manual control), lack of drive modes and the minor lack of refinement within the cabin with respect to NVH levels. The lack of refinement may be due to the fact that the test drive unit sent to us had run 15k kms and was probably beaten to death, however, it didn’t inspire much confidence in the Jeep’s maintenance.

The GLA 220D was next, which just blew us away with the sheer refinement, luxury and ease of power and torque. A mild flex of the right toe and the car surges forward with the sense of a Star Wars lightspeed jump. The big 18-inch wheels (220D test drive vehicle comes with 18s, 4MATIC has 19s) and suspension ironing out the undulations and in the cabin, a sense of the scenery simply wafting past guaranteed this would be a solid contender for the mini grand tourer. Mind you, all of this comes with a hefty price tag which would become a point of serious deliberation down the lane.

The Citroen C5 Aircross was a bit of a disappointment when considering its hefty price tag. Coming to India as CKDs, the C5 offers amazing ride quality but simply lacks the dynamism and features of its rivals.

The Audi Q3 was, in my son’s opinion, perfect. If you’re willing to overlook the 2-litre TFSI engine, the Q3 guarantees a great driving feel with the legendary Quattro system. The presence of physical buttons for everything is definitely a plus and despite the lower torque of 320 Nm, the snappy gearbox of the Q3 and ferocious power in the higher end, meant that it was no slouch to drive. The real downsides however come from its strengths. The engine, while fun to drive, is quite sensitive to your right foot when it comes to returning efficiency numbers. Teemed with my general preference for diesels for our use case meant no dice for the Audi. Plus the VW Tiguan or larger Skoda Kodiaq makes an amazing case as a budget alternative to the Q3 being from the VAG group, making the option of the Q3 a bit redundant unless you’re hellbent on going for the rings on the bonnet.

Remaining loyal to Toyota, we did test drive the Fortuner; the logical progression of the long-term Innova owner. While the Legender test drive vehicle had the King of the World driving position, it lacked features that you would expect at the near 50 lakh price point. Additionally, the girth of driving a 1 BHK Mumbai Apartment, an antiquated cockpit and that JBL sound system from 15 years ago meant that we were surely not going to return to Toyota.

Since a friend of ours owned an XC60 and speaks highly of the Swedes, we tried the XC40. Having dropped the diesels as well, Volvo has stumbled a bit when it comes to their entry-level car. The XC40 boasts the same power and torque figures as the Q3, but simply lacks the dynamism of the German rivals. Along with the slightly weird feature list, pretty claustrophobic rear seat experience and entirely touch buttons for any kind of basic functionality meant it was quickly eliminated from the running.

Despite attempting to be as thorough as possible, we ended up dropping a few other choices we had in mind. VW never really got back to us to bring a Tiguan round and Hyundai’s Tucson was pretty much ruled out given past experiences. Since we were in touch with Mercedes and the old GLC was just being phased out to bring in the facelift, Akshay Motors suggested that we consider their last piece 1 of 1 GLC. Packed with some features and accessories generally seen in the AMG coupe and GLE models, Akshay Motors had the last GLC to leave the assembly line having run just 36 kms. Seemed amazing, till the drop dead price tag of 82 Lakhs came into the picture. The GLA was a stretch from 40L, 82L was just lunacy at this point.

And so began the checks and balances. The decision was down to the Merc and the Jeep. The Jeep, making a very strong case for itself. At 40 Lakhs, offering everything under the sun with good ride comfort, sufficient power and torque albeit with a slow gearbox and a roomy boot. The Mercedes appears to be, lesser car for your money but after some dinner-time debates, the decision was made to pamper ourselves with the 3-pointed star. The approximately 30 lakh difference was on my mind for a very long time, but we decided that there really was no point scrimping at this age and chose the GLA 220D 4MATIC.

Chapter 2: Sneak Peeks and PDI

The 4MATIC variant is 4 lakhs more than the standard front-wheel drive and comes with the AMG line kit. A few bits of chrome, larger wheels, different grill, brushed aluminium accents on the interior and back faux leather with nicely detailed red stitching. These minor cosmetic differences make the 4MATIC instantly identifiable compared to the regular GLA. The GLA is offered in a wide variety of whites and blacks, being white, silver, grey and black with the incredibly underwhelming denim blue as well. Having owned 2 black cars and a grey Innova, I was open to trying other colours this time. Although I was initially leaning towards blue, seeing it in person was quite disappointing, to be honest. The blue for the GLA looks flat, and very meh, with zero depth because the tinter used on the colour is a light tinter. By contrast, the GLC looks a class apart in its blue (pun intended). The grey and silver did seem like great options, till I got the opportunity to visit Mercedes’ service centre and storage facility in Hoodi where there was a GLA 4MATIC in black. Absolutely drop-dead gorgeous to look at.

At the Hoodi Stockyard - first look

Initial ODO Reading

19 inch AMG Stars wrapped in Continental PremiumContact 6 SSR

LED High Performance Lights: Never a dull moment in the night

Now that the decision was made, the buying process began. We ruled out buying from Akshay Motors (even though they are literally in our backyard) as our in-showroom experience during the enquiry stages and when we courted the idea of buying the GLC, left a sour taste in the mouth. We called Sundaram Motors who were more than happy to answer every single one of our queries, including some questions that came up when watching reviews online and even offered a test drive (the second one and a third one much later) in a GLA 200 petrol (underpowered and underwhelming).

Overall the entire buying experience was truly phenomenal. Right from the test drive to the buying experience, PDI, delivery and any time we popped in for a quick discussion, WhatsApp or a phone call. Sundaram Motors staff were courteous and willing to go the extra mile, build a relationship with us and make the buying and ownership experience feel special. The sales reps went out of their way to make us comfortable, with no pressure at any stage to make the booking or sign forms or give them a decision. They must have figured that the ‘sale’ was done, all they needed was to wait for the penny to drop!

Having booked the car, the dealership soon informed us that we could check out the car at the Hoodi stockyard. I dropped in at the Hoodi stockyard while returning from work one evening to see the actual car we would buy, in the metal. And there it stood, with the chrome pin grill adorning the massive three-pointed star. The sheer elegance of the curves along the body and grey star alloys wrapped in Continentals brings out a level of panache. The little boot spoiler and sharp-cut taillights mean that this is no slouch from any angle. It may not be a C or an E class, but Mercedes has really nailed the styling; until you come to the rear bumper. FAKE EXHAUSTS ARE CRIMINAL period.

Despite what you might think, in black, the GLA 4MATIC flies under the radar at first glance. Sedan-like height, unassuming stature and a black hole for paint colour, the size of the car simply disappears when it's parked. Flat-out impressed with the unit assigned to us and with a quick PDI complete (courtesy T-BHP PDI checklist) it was time to sort out the paperwork, accessories, registration and maintenance package.

Mercedes doesn’t offer a wide array of accessories, however, I was adamant on two of them; dashcams (front and rear) and floor mats which come with the appropriate Mercedes price tag. Although fitting the front and back dashcams did cause a slight delay in the delivery, the only hurt caused was the anticipation of waiting another 4 days.

Chapter 3: Delivery and Initial Thoughts

At last, the D day arrived. We showed up at Sundaram Motors, finished the final paperwork and were soon presented with our car. After a royal and a very special delivery experience, complete with the Mysore Petta, bouquets of flowers, a Mercedes branded clock, chocolates, gift hampers, cake cutting and a ceremonial handing over of the keys, it was time to roll on out of the dealership.

As the saying goes; “The first thing you do with a new car is give it for PPF!” We chose Kriti Car Care for our PPF and they did a great job with regular follow-ups after 15 and 30 days to help make any corrections where the film lifts. So a week later the car was now ours. The drive from the garage to the home was a great judge of what the car was like in stop-start Bangalore traffic. In a word; effortless. The sheer ease of driving the GLA in traffic is unparalleled. About 2 hours later, our brand-new car was parked in the garage. Over the subsequent few days, I found myself just standing and admiring the car, knowing I was finally living my dream of owning the 3-pointed star.

Chapter 4: The Final Verdict and Ownership Review

Having completed nearly 3300 km and one road trip to Mangalore, and several smaller drives along Mysore Road and its neighbourhood, my son and I have gotten a good feel of the car and some of its little foibles. Since most of the content available on the internet for the car tends to be a bit superficial and we were unable to find any long term review of the GLA, we decided to try our hand at reviewing the car and sharing our personal experience of living with the GLA.

Styling, Appearance and Perception

Despite the GLA being the smallest SUV in Merc’s lineup, there really isn’t the feeling like they have skimped anywhere. The AMG line kit with the shiny pins on the grill give the look of stars in the night sky, with the functional air scoops and bold lines in the front adding to the stance of the GLA. The LED high-performance lights give a mild frown when viewing the car from the front and the big three-pointed star adorning the front grill is assertive rather than commanding.

From the sides is where the GLA flies under the radar. With the big, grey star-shaped alloys and small body cladding mean that in black, this car looks inconspicuous to the untrained eye. The chrome roof rails along the side and chrome lining around the windows give the impression that there may be more lurking beneath the surface of an understated side angle. The back of the GLA is hit or miss. The taillights look sharp and without any badges (de-badged during the PPF exercise, except for the Mercedes Star), makes one question what they are looking at. Teamed with the roof spoiler and the overall stance of the car from behind looks sorted and sporty. Till you reach the bumpers. As stated earlier, fake exhausts are criminal and so are fake air scoops at the back, why Mercedes why? This design feature really feels like the only fly in the ointment.

Now perception is something no one really thinks about and we didn’t as well until it was raised in the discussion thread. In black, the car does turn heads provided the person sees it approaching them. In the rearview when it’s charging down the highway the GLA looks mildly menacing. Despite this, we had a small incident on our Mangalore trip. A particularly mean Baleno driver thought it would be amusing to inconvenience us by drifting into our lane on purpose when we tried overtaking, and kept up the charade for over 5km. Probably attempting to bully my son who was at the wheel. This incident did get me thinking about perception, but we dismissed this as a one of - silly road rage.

In Bangalore, Mercs are given a bit of space and leeway but you have to remember that the general perception is that the owner is a bit of a rich snob. Of course, there are several reasons as to why the assumption is made, but on average Mercs are considered aspirational and luxury; like the iPhone of the car world. Being aware of this has shaped our driving styles slightly. Where we would once simply steamroll our way forward in the Innova, a more passive approach would be preferable in the Merc to avoid mean drivers, aggressive two-wheelers and pesky autos.

Engine and Drivetrain

The GLA 220D 4MATIC is powered by a 2 litre inline 4 cylinder diesel engine making 187 BHP and 400 Nm of Torque mated to an 8-speed Dual Clutch gearbox with Mercedes’ 4 wheel drive system which kicks in when it senses any loss in grip. All of this means an effortless drive, the torque of a locomotive, and lightning-quick seamless shifts of a Formula One car (hyperbole). The dual-clutch ‘box is a pleasure to drive and in Sport mode shows off its DNA. Even on Comfort mode, the car is eager and willing, it is only on Eco that there is a sense of sobriety, holding on longer to higher ratios.

In the city the GLA feels easy to drive, dimensions are manageable coming from the Innova, making a quick overtake is easy and the mileage, on my Kengeri to Whitefield commute through the heart of the city is between 12 and 14 kmpl in Eco mode. The gearbox stutters a little at lower speeds generally between 10 and 30 kmph but the moment you get a break in the traffic, it's quick to drop down and help you harness the power and torque.

On the highway is where things get interesting. The winning formula for the GLA is that this is a small car with a big engine. The same 2 litre diesel powers (although with different states of tune and higher torque) the C and E class sedans and GLB, GLC and GLE SUVs with the exceptions being the E350D sedan and the GLE 450D which come with a tuned version of the 4 pot diesel and a 6 cylinder diesel respectively.

The big power figures in a comparatively lighter car means that the GLA feels like a performance car when you put your foot down. On highways with strict speed limits of 80 kmph, the car slots into 7th gear and will return an effortless 15 to 17 kmpl. Allow the car to stretch its legs and it’ll give you upwards of 20 kmpl while cruising effortlessly in top gear at anywhere between 100 and 130 kmph and that is the sweet spot - on relatively level roads the engine hums along between 1500 to 1800 rpm and easily maintains 120 to 130 kmph, but for the incessant whine of the speed limit warning, this is the pleasure band.

Suspension, Steering and Handling

In order to understand why I’m about to wax lyrical about this, please keep in mind we’re coming from a first gen Innova. Handling may not be its forte but the suspension is stable at upwards of 120 kmph and the hydraulic power steering can keep up till 140 kmph. In the city this feels like mixing concrete, but the feel and feedback of a mechanical connection to the wheels is like none other. Despite its weight, the Innova’s double wishbone suspension in the front gives you enough confidence to chuck the car into corners without worrying too much. And since we had fitted our Innova with aftermarket stabilizers and 220/65/R15 Yokos, the car could come to a deadstop from 140 kmph in a straight line, believe me this was from a near incident on the Madurai to Rameshwaram highway during a road trip.

The GLA, much like the Innova, inspires a whole new degree of confidence. In the city and on rough roads, the bumps are a bit pronounced on account of the slightly stiffer suspension. But despite the slightly stiffer ride, the car doesn’t feel unsettled at any point, or like it's being knocked off balance when you hit a pothole. It still manages to soak up a majority of the bumps, craters and expansion joints are a mere sound effect. The car comes clad with Continental Premium Contact 6 SSR (run flats) and offers excellent drivability in the dry, good feedback and if a somewhat stiff ride, the profile is 235/50.

Then comes the steering. Butter smooth and very responsive. It may not have the aggressive kick-back or vibration of the hydraulic steering where you can feel minute changes in the road surface, but this electrically assisted unit is easy to twirl at low speeds and weighs up progressively at higher speeds. The Charmadi Ghats were a good test of handling. With 4 adults and a boot full of luggage, this car scampered up the hill with ease and minimal body roll. Vertical pitch and body roll are only prominent if you stand on the brakes or swerve sharply. High speed manoeuvres can be done with ease and complete confidence without even informing your passengers of what you’ve just done.

Electronics, Infotainment and Gizmos

Coming from the barebones utilitarian Innova, having even 1 screen is a big change. Mercedes’ MBUX definitely takes time to explore everything but is easy and intuitive to use. With complete connectivity with your phone (with a type C cable) through the Mercedes Me app and with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, MBUX is slick, fast and responsive to touch commands. The trackpad in the centre console is easy to use and despite what you think, is easy to use on the move as well provided you turn on the haptic response.

The screen for the instrument cluster is also easy to read and informative. The touchpads on the wheel are a little finicky to use while driving but you soon get used to them and accidentally touches are almost none. The new facelift GLA comes with the capacitive touch buttons which would be a bit harder to use on the go, so we really do thank our lucky stars that we got physical buttons for the volume controls, phone controls and cruise control. The various instrument cluster modes are easy to read and look aesthetically pleasing and can be saved and customised to your individual profiles in the MBUX system.

In addition to useful features like maps, Bluetooth, vehicle and engine information, come the luxury features like ambient lighting and seat kinetics. Android Auto and Apple Carplay for this particular version of the GLA do not fill the entire 10-inch display and occupy only 7 inches. This is because the international variants of the car offer smaller screens for both the infotainment and instruments. This has been corrected in the facelift since all models have 10-inch screens.

The Mercedes Me app is useful as well, with remote door locking & unlocking, TPMS, engine start, geo-fencing, valet mode etc., the only downside is there are annual subscription fees after the first 3 years of ownership.

A real unsung hero is the reversing camera. No more craning your neck to search your blindspot or lowering the mirrors (left side mirror lowers automatically when reversing, angle is programmable) to see the curb, the clear camera view and adaptive guidelines are easy to use and estimate spaces. Definitely a big plus. However, this GLA does not come with 360 degree cameras, it does however have sensors all around the car. These are active below 40 kmph and are quite sensitive in Bangalore traffic. More often than not, the car will begin screaming at you when bikers wiggle their way through traffic or more annoyingly when hawkers walk past the car at the traffic lights. This volume of the warning can be reduced or turned off entirely, but despite the annoyance, they are quite useful when manoeuvring through tight city streets. This feature as a result is kind of bittersweet in my opinion, more of a with or without you feature.

The ambient lighting is definitely something else especially when driving at night. The gentle sweeping colour options add to the atmosphere of the car at night and even a bit comforting when driving alone at night. The real party piece on long drives is definitely the seat kinetics. This feature essentially moves the adjustable sections of the seat cushions slightly, preventing you from getting sore from sitting in the same position for long periods. It may seem a little gimmicky till you try it and then the difference is pleasant and comforting. On our way back from Mangalore, I had the seat kinetics off for the ghat section and on for the open highway. You can genuinely feel your thighs getting a bit stiff and boom, this gently almost massages the stiffness away.

The music system is actually quite good despite being a stock Mercedes 6 speaker system and not the Burmester system. 2 tweeters in front, and one in each door mean that the overall listening experience is great, treble and mids are good. The bass is adequate as well despite not having a subwoofer and at no point does the music feel too loud or distracting. The music is clear and insulating but not in a dangerous way where you would be isolated from the outside world. The competition does offer audiophile brands like Alpine in the Jeep and Bang & Olufsen in Audi, but this is a strong entry level system by Mercedes and will satisfy your music needs adequately from rock to pop music albeit not at an audiophile level.

Seats, Comfort and Interiors

The car is quiet, and at city speeds we can have conversations at normal voice levels, living in Kengeri means we don’t have the constant background buzz of a busy city and we miss the quiet when we travel into the city. Inside the GLA is like being cocooned from the bustle outside. Road and traffic noise does filter through, but very unobtrusively. At highway speeds road noise is progressively higher and varies based on the road surface, the loudest are concrete surfaces, while newly laid asphalt roads are quiet and hushed. I would imagine that the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 would be much quieter than the Contis.

The front seats are 8-way power adjustable seats with lumbar support, manual extendable thigh support and 3 memory settings. The DINAMICA microfiber black seats in the 4MATIC variant have slightly different bolstering and are a little more supportive when compared to the regular GLA’s sport and comfort seats. Despite lacking ventilated seats, you really don’t feel hot or sweaty in the car while the sweltering 35-degree heat beats down on a black car with a black interior. The seats give a wide range of adjustment, with height adjustable seatbelts and both reach and rake adjustment of the steering wheel mean that you can find your ideal driving position easily. In the front there is sufficient space between you and the passenger with comfortable armrests on both sides. There is also a simple entry and exit feature to allow for easier ingress where the seat becomes a bit upright.

The real party piece is the dual pane sunroof. With a simple pull of the switch, the entire atmosphere inside the car is transformed and what may have seemed as a dim cabin is now open and airy just by sliding the blinds back. Only the front pane opens, but until now we haven’t opened the sunroof ever, just the blinds every once in a while.

Now you would assume that a car this small and with large front seats would have a poor back seat experience. But that’s not true, the backseats are very comfy and quite spacious with just enough space for 3 people to sit comfortably for city trips. However there is a small tradeoff, the backseats don’t have any seat adjustment (the Innova had a large amount of adjustability for the middle row including an almost full recline) and there is no central armrest or cupholders. This is genuinely quite weird because most reviews at the launch of this variant had it, but the features were changed when the CKDs landed in India. Leg room and knee room are more than adequate at the back and the low seating position is quite comfortable.

Safety Tech

Despite being an “entry-level” Mercedes, the GLA has front collision warning, attention assist where it will advise you to take a break after 3 hours of non-stop driving and an active collision bonnet. All of this is in addition to the 7 airbags and sturdy shell of the Mercedes with the guarantee that the car won’t kill you provided you wear your seatbelt or kill anyone else.

A feature not often spoken about is the self-parking. It does work only in the specific condition that you’re trying to parallel park or bay park between 2 cars, however, there is the choice of going forward or backward and since it doesn’t use cameras there is no need for lines on the ground. It is safer to use this feature in a multi-storey car park where you are more likely to find a space between 2 cars but always be ready to take manual control should anything go wrong.

And there is really good Emergency Braking, if you are travelling faster than the car immediately ahead of you and there is not enough braking distance, the GLA will start by flashing a red triangle on the dash, and beeping loudly. And if no action is taken and the distance keeps closing and compromises safe braking distance, the car will hit the brakes, quite aggressively as I experienced during one Monday morning commute to Whitefield on Old Madras Road. A larger red triangle and louder beeping will follow, with simultaneous muting of music and phone call if one is in progress.

Boot Space

430 litres seems like many litres of space but a more realistic understanding is that you can fit two full size cases and one small case in the back if you remove the parcel shelf. This is on the smaller side when compared to the competition particularly the Q3 with 505 litres, but 430 litres is more than sufficient for 4 adults and a few days of luggage.

Two full size cases and one small without the parcel shelf - I should have put the larger case at the bottom for this pic. Even this way, the cases don't touch the rear windscreen.

With the parcel shelf, you can fit one full size case and one small case

Agreed this is no bottomless pit like the Innova, where if you remove the last row of seats, you can move house (and we’ve done that and more), but the space is more than adequate. The backseats do fold down as well which means you can now move house with the GLA. There is of course a space saver spare wheel which does not eat into the boot space and is placed under the boot floor. If one can trust the run flats, all you need to carry is the tyre inflator and the entire spare tyre area can be vacated for even more room in the boot. The boot is electrically operated but doesn’t have the hands free feature, so you will need to press a button or pull a switch.

Long term Pros

• Our primary intention of buying this car was to travel and from our experience so far, it does look like it fits the bill. It is compact enough to take it on narrow hill roads, powerful and comfortable enough to munch miles on the highway, easy to drive and reliable. The 3 pointed star on the bonnet and on the steering wheel is just a reminder to take it easy, nothing to prove!
• Everything just works, and while I did want the 360 camera, ventilated seats and adjustable rear seats, arm rests etc., I would have had to bump my budget up another 20+ Lakh to get there and would have had to manage a larger car. This size is just right for the two of us and it can easily accommodate another 2 adults when required.

Long term Cons

• The only thing that I can think of at this point is a potential embargo on Diesels - if that does happen, I will have our clueless politicians and my voting choices to thank (or not)!
• At the moment, we have the Service Contract for 4 years, extendable to another 4. And a full 8-year warranty on the engine and drivetrain, and a bumper-to-bumper insurance. Peace of mind for now. Renewals will eat into my retirement fund.

Small but significant things

• There are two cup holders on the centre console in the front, the driver side cup holder is the default space for the keys. So where does the driver keep their drink?
• The space for the cell phone does wireless charging, and has the only USB port that can be used for Android Auto/Apple Car Play. And it can only hold one cell phone, and you will need a right angle USB C cable to utilise this space.
• The front passenger has no place to keep their cell phone, other than the door pocket.
• The front passenger footwell is aggressively angled, to accommodate the larger tyre. While it can comfortably accommodate a relatively tall person, the foot will be at a more acute angle than some other cars
• Window shades - miss them - the higher models come with retractable window shades. Evidence of cost cutting as the door side panels are designed to accommodate the retractable screens.
• The front passenger and driver side windows reflect the cool turbine style AC vents to a point of distraction, esp. when you want to use the ORVMs.
• The ORVMs have a sharper convex curve on the outermost portion of the mirror, thus eliminating the need to have additional stick-on convex mirrors.
• And the cool aluminium panel on the dash also glares straight into the passenger’s eyes. I did think about putting a matte film to dull the shine - not sure yet if I want to do that.
• And this particular one has been covered multiple times - the rear passengers do not get much - no cup holders, no centre armrest, no place to dock cell phones, but there are two USB C charging ports.
• The USB C ports inside the centre console can be used to plug in a pen drive, the MBUX console will read the drive and will play FLAC or MP3.
• Since the car has GSM data connectivity (from Vodafone), it can be used in a pinch as a hotspot. And MBUX will also connect to home WiFi if within range to do OTA updates - haven’t done any so far though.
• The left side mirror’s position for reversing can be stored in the same memory setting as the front driver seats. The manual has a simple 3 step procedure to do this.
• Specially designed battery terminals for jumpstarts or trickle charging. The red plastic tab slides to hide the positive terminal, and the brass stud horizontally across is the negative terminal.

Final Thoughts

The GLA is perfect if you’re looking for a small car with chops to take on the bigger rivals. The diesel is definitely the one to go for, with its never-ending power and sorted driving dynamics making this the ideal mile muncher on the highway while still being easy to manoeuvre in the city and not really pinching the wallet when it comes to fuel. It may end up gobbling up some of your savings when it comes to maintenance without the service packages which is the case of all luxury cars. So far my experience with the GLA has been very positive leaving me itching to hit the open road every weekend. If you’re looking for a small diesel SUV and are willing to pay a slight premium, look no further!

Happy to answer any questions that folks here might have.

A quick shout out to my son, who helped me write this up and even post it here.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.