Skip to main content

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Revealed


To compete with the recent wave of subcompact German crossovers, the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, Mercedes decided to jack-up its hatchback A-Class to form the GLA-Class. A concept version previewed the GLA earlier this year, and the GLA will officially debut in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. 

 The GLA-Class is only 173.9 inches long, 71 inches wide, and 58.8 inches tall. That makes it very small; it is 4.4 inches shorter and 8.1 shorter than Mercedes' compact GLK-Class crossover. 

 While the GLA-Class is small in size, it does not have a modest personality. The exterior styling is best described as extroverted, with dramatic curves and bold shapes. I might also think it's cluttered and a mess, but others might think differently. 18-inch wheels are standard, and 19-inch wheels can be had as well. 
The interior, thankfully, is much more conservative. While I don't think the round air vents match the design, they do give off a high-quality air. The dashboard can be trimmed with aluminum, glossy wood, or matte wood. The seats are upholstered with MB-Tex fake leather in the base version, and genuine leather is optional. 

 Powering the GLA is Mercedes-Benz's 2-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder. It is good for 208 horsepower and 258 pounds-feet of torque in this application. The new, lighter, more efficient, and smarter 2nd-generation 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system is available, but front-wheel-drive is standard. The 4MATIC GLA can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in 6.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 145 miles per hour, according to Mercedes. Fuel-economy ratings will be released later, but there is a standard Eco mode than can improve efficiency. 

 The Attention Assist drowsy driver alert, a collision avoidance system, and braking assist system are all standard safety equipment on the GLA. Optional is a new feature for Mercedes, Collision Prevention Assist. It can automatically put on the brakes on at speeds up to 124 miles per hour is a collision is detected. If the object you are about to crash against is not moving, then the feature will only activate itself at speeds up to 18 miles per hour. Many other active safety features are on the options list. 

 No pricing has been spoken for the GLA, though you can except it to start the the low $30000 range. The 4MATIC version goes on sale first in the fall of 2014, while the front-wheel-drive version arrives in early 2015. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2015 Honda Accord LX Sedan Long Term Update

Hey readers! It's been a long time since I've posted on this blog. In fact, it's been more than half a year. I'm really sorry to the negative three people who read this blog regularly, but here is a new post! School is finally winding down, so I thought that I'd review the new Accord my family bought last September and give an update on how it's doing.  In the highly-competitive, yet stagnating, field of midsize family sedans, the Accord has reigned as the best or second-best seller for many years. After a controversial eighth generation that ran from 2008 to 2012, the ninth generation is considered Honda's comeback to producing quality products. 
Post a Comment
Read more

2003 Honda Odyssey EX-L Review

These pictures aren't of the actual vehicle, but the colors and trim level are correct. Those of you who have been following this blog since its inception know that my parents have two cars: a 2006 Nissan Sentra and a 2005 Mazda MPV. Well, we recently swapped our dear little MPV for a 2003 Odyssey.  The reason for that is, well, there isn't much reason. It's mostly to spice things up in our lives and have a different car for a change without spending any extra money. Our Odyssey came with every bell and whistle you could get in a minivan in 2003, including a factory-installed DVD entertainment system, leather seats, heated seats in the front, and dual power sliding doors.  First impressions were a mixed bag. The engine was very smooth, quiet, and powerful, apparently typical of Hondas, but there was a rough patch between 1000 and 1500 RPM or so. You can't feel the road textures at all while driving the car, but it crashed loudly over larger bumps. Loud can als...
Post a Comment
Read more

Big News: We Bought a New Car!

It is an exciting day for me! As the title says, my family bought a new car! We haven't done that since 10 years ago when we bought our 2006 Nissan Sentra.  There it is, parked on the driveway right after we drove home from the dealership. Isn't the color so nice? The interior is beige, too! It's the perfect color combination.  Getting that car to be on our driveway, though, was a laborious and drawn-out task. We started car-shopping yesterday morning, when my dad and I test drove the Camry and Accord.  At first, we headed for the Ford dealer intending to test drive the Taurus and Fusion, but it shunned us by saying that it was "too busy for test drives." There were maybe two other people at the dealership then. Whatever.  We then headed to a semi-rural Honda dealership in search of an Accord. I was expecting it to be loud and firm-riding in traditional Honda fashion. Instead, it impressed me with its solidity. Unfortunately, the specific Accord ...
2 comments
Read more