Of all the luxury carmakers in India, Mercedes-Benz has had the busiest year so far. Over 2014, it’s brought out the S350 CDI, the E350 CDI, updated versions of the CLS sports sedan and A- and B-class hatchbacks and also high-performance AMG variants of the GL, ML and CLA. But arguably, its most important launch of the year has been the new GLA SUV. That’s got a lot to do with the GLA slotting into Mercedes’ range as its most affordable SUV. To give you a brief, the GLA is Mercedes’ smallest SUV yet and is its weapon to take on the BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Volvo V40 Cross Country. It’s built on the same front-wheel drive platform as the A- and B-class hatchbacks, but courtesy its SUV shape will have far wider appeal in India.
First things first, you should also know the GLA isn’t as tall or imposing as you’d expect of a typical SUV. It’s more of a crossover in its stance, but still looks rather striking. The grille with the large three-pointed star, the beautifully detailed headlamps and expertly sculpted bonnet lend the GLA a bold face. Stylistic curves on the doors and the broad-shoulders that lead in to the smart tail further give the GLA its sleek and sporty look. The GLA has quite a few SUV-typical details too in the aluminium scuff-plates, roof rails and plastic cladding on the wheel arches. However, it’s the large 18-inch wheels, standard fit on all GLAs, that add the most muscle. Mercedes could hava positioned the space saver spare tyre better. It is kept on the boot floor and eats up a lot of the 421-litre boot space.
On the inside, the Merc GLA feels very well put together with a pleasing mix of high-quality plastics and nice metal highlights. The dashboard, inspired by that on the Mercedes SLS AMG and similar to the A-class’ looks smart and racy too. However, the centre console with its plethora of buttons is too cluttered while the infotainment screen atop the dash also looks like an aftermarket fit. The screen is not all that large either but it does include satellite navigation as standard. In fact, the GLA is very well equipped with features such as bi-Xenon headlamps, seven airbags, a panoramic roof, paddle shifters, a reverse camera, a Harmon Kardon sound system, ambient lighting and a memory function for the front seats.
For their part, the front seats are comfy and also offer a good view of the road. However, things are not quite as nice in the rear seat. While there is sufficient head and kneeroom for average sized adults, the cabin doesn’t feel much wider than your average hatchback and the small rear windows further hurt the feeling of space. The slightly knees-up seating position and corresponding lack of adequate thigh support is also far from ideal. This is not a car for the chauffeur-driven but to be fair, Mercedes is unlikely to pitch it as one either.
Self-drive owners who will form the bulk of the GLA’s customer base will have the option to choose between a performance-oriented 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and an efficiency-biased 2.2-litre diesel
engine. Do note that both engines come mated to seven-speed dual clutch gearboxes, with power being channeled to the front wheels only. The 335bhp GLA 45 AMG that comes in October will be the first of the GLA’s to offer Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive system. More mainstream versions of the GLA will only get the system as an option after a year or so.
The GLA’s diesel engine is no stranger to India and has found use in a whole host of Mercs. However, here it makes 135bhp and 30.5kgm. These figures put the GLA 200 CDI at a disadvantage to the X1, Q3 and the V40, and truth is the power deficit shows. The diesel motor doesn’t particularly like being rushed and gets quite vocal when you try, though it does rev to 4500rpm.
The automatic gearbox is also not the quickest on downshifts. But adopt a more relaxed driving style and the GLA diesel becomes a lot more likeable. As per Mercedes’ claims, the GLA 200 CDI’s 17kpl fuel economy makes it the most fuel efficient SUV in its class.
But where the diesel GLA’s talking point is its fuel economy, the highlight on the petrol GLA 200 is its 181bhp power figure. As you’d expect, performance is strong right from the word go and there’s no shortage of power right up till 150kph. We tested the petrol GLA for performance and came away quite impressed by its 8.12 second 0-100kph time. Even when you aren’t gunning it, the strong mid-range helps overtake traffic without much prior planning.
Speaking of which, for a front-wheel drive car, the GLA is fairly rewarding to drive. Grip levels are good, turn-in is sharp and even the steering has a nice weight to it. Even ride quality is pretty good with the suspension and tyres absorbing most bumps well enough. Also worth a mention is how adept the GLA felt on the mild off-road tracks we ventured onto. Sure, all-wheel drive would have added another dimension to its capabilities but even in current front-wheel drive form, it managed well enough. The 183mm of ground clearance, anti-skid control and hill start assist certainly helped here.
In all, the GLA makes a compelling case for itself. It looks good outside and in, and should also prove adequately comfy for its target market. Mercedes has launched the GLA at a starting price of Rs 32.75 lakh which is quite competitive and given that the GLA has got the right image, the right badge and the right shape, Mercedes is set to have another winner on its hands.
