Mercedes GLA review

A good chunk of buyers considering the Mercedes GLA already know that it's the right car for them – regardless of what we write here. Why? Well it's the smallest SUV to wear that oh-so-tempting three-pointed Mercedes badge and, for some, that'll be enough – a desirable form factor from a desirable brand.

The thing is, it's going up against cars like the the BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Range Rover Evoque – all seriously talented rivals with much more going for them than just a posh badge on the bonnet. Thankfully, the GLA is no one-trick pony, with plenty of qualities to lean on beyond its brand image, like its plush cabin, its high-tech infotainment system and its smooth, automatic engines.

This second-generation GLA doesn't exactly break the mould formed by the older car, but it's noticeably more rounded overall. The bluff truck-like front grille from the last car has been blended more smoothly into the car's features, while the roofline and side profile are elegantly curved, avoiding the more brutish, squared-off styling favoured by rivals from Audi and Land Rover.

In the UK, the GLA range kicks off with Sport trim which gets chunky metal-effect detailing around its lower bumpers to underscore its tough, off-road-inspired looks. However, most UK cars come in some variation of AMG Line trim, which gets larger alloy wheels along with a more muscular body kit containing larger front air intakes to imply extra performance. Realistically, there aren't performance benefits in upgrading to AMG Line from Sport trim but you'll probably find more examples of the former on the used market.

Forget the exterior, however, because it's the cabin that really sells the GLA. It's far from the most practical option in the class – direct rivals from BMW, Audi and Range Rover are better for passenger space – but there's enough room for a small family to get to grips with. And, while your passengers probably won't compliment the GLA's outright dimensions, they may have nicer words to say about the trim and upholstery, which is among the plushest you'll find in this segment.

Then again, you'd hope so – the GLA's posh provenance means purchase prices sit towards the very top of the class. There's a legion of talented rivals on sale costing less than the GLA if you're willing to sacrifice the image afforded by the three-pointed star on the steering wheel.

The GLA's cabin styling will be familiar if you've seen any other of Mercedes' compact models. While it doesn't do much to mark itself out from the rest of the lineup, it's still a very nice place to sit. All GLAs include part-faux-leather upholstery with stitched details on the seats, steering wheel and door panels. There's also aluminium-effect details and gloss black trim used throughout – perhaps a little too much of the latter for our tastes.

Most of the controls and touchpoints you interact with regularly feel solid and well made – an area where older GLA models felt underwhelming. A harsh yank on the door handle or firm prod of the centre console may still elicit a small creak here or there, but you won't hear any annoying noises during regular driving. However, there were a few small areas we felt didn't quite live up to our expectations from a car bearing the Mercedes badge. Things like the perforated leather on the AMG Line steering wheel that feels firm and unforgiving in your hand, or the thick gloss black bezel around the small seven-inch digital driver and central infotainment screen on entry-level Sport and AMG Line cars. These are hardly dealbreakers but they're a bit disappointing on a Mercedes.

Speaking of the infotainment system, it's the same MBUX dual-screen setup used in plenty of other Mercedes models – and, like those other cars, there are pros and cons here. On the plus side, the screens are sharp and offer lots of user configurability, especially on the larger 10.25-inch versions. Reactions to your touch are fast and, on cars before the 2024 facelift, there's a handy laptop-style trackpad in the centre console that makes quick adjustments easy with just a glance.

Annoyingly, however, there are some drawbacks. The graphics are a bit fussy and there are too many different fonts on the same infotainment page for our liking. And, as mentioned, entry-level Sport and AMG Line cars have a pair of small screens that look dwarfed in the sweeping gloss black panel. Stepping up either to Sport Executive or AMG Line Executive means the central screen grows to 10.25 inches, but you don't get the full twin-large-screen experience until AMG Line Premium. This all feels a bit stingy in a Mercedes, as does the decision to restrict Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from Sport and AMG Line cars. Thankfully, the 2024 facelift added the largest screen setup and smartphone mirroring as standard to all GLAs.

At just over 4.4 metres long, the GLA is a few millimetres shorter than the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. Interestingly, it's also a touch shorter than the A-Class hatch and just a hair wider, which means it's fairly easy to park in tight city centres. Annoyingly, Mercedes only includes a reversing camera as standard across the range, with entry-level Sport and AMG Line cars missing out on the all-round parking sensors that are included across the rest of the range.

Space up front is generous, with very tall adults able to extract enough head and legroom if they set the seat all the way back. Rear space, on the other hand, is only 'okay'. There's enough room to seat a six-footer back there but, if you have a similarly tall front passenger, you'll probably need to ask both to come to a compromise to fit everyone in. The centre rear seat, like most car in this segment, is really only useful for quick journeys with little back support to speak of. Access to both rows is reasonably easy thanks to the wide opening doors, so loading bulky child seats should be easy, although the car has fairly high side sills for rear passengers to step over.

The GLA's 485-litre boot (495 in pre-facelift models) should be large enough for most day-to-day uses. There's space for a couple of big suitcases or a pushchair, or a medium-sized dog if they don't mind hopping into a taller car. That figure does lag behind its key rivals from BMW and Audi, however, and both of those cars are more practical in practice, too. The GLA's load area feels a little low in comparison thanks to its raked rear roofline.

There's a square bin in each door that's large enough for a drinks bottle, although the space itself is canted over so you can't put open containers down there. Front passengers do at least get proper cupholders in the centre console and, thanks to Mercedes' decision to fit a column-mounted automatic shifter, there's a useful cubby in front of these for a phone or sunglasses case.

The second-generation GLA has ditched manual gearboxes entirely. That makes sense considering the car's easygoing driving experience and the dual-clutch automatics Mercedes has fitted across the range work really nicely. They're quick to respond from a standstill, and return very little shudder through the drivetrain, even with a hefty boot of the throttle pedal. Plus, they don't hunt around for the right gear at motorway speeds, where some rivals will hop between their high ratios as you ease on and off the throttle.

Petrol GLAs use a 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine with either 136hp in the GLA 180 or 163hp in the GLA 200. We're yet to try the lesser version but, based on our time with the GLA 200, we reckon it's the one to go for. The 200 is responsive and delivers a pleasant wave of turbocharged torque by just leaning on the throttle, with the seven-speed auto making light work of bringing the GLA up to speed. Full-bore acceleration isn't anything to write home about, but you're always confident you have enough power in reserve for a quick country-road overtake.

Elsewhere in the range, there's the nippy 224hp 2.0-litre petrol GLA 250 but this will probably be quite a niche option in the UK. There are also 200d and 220d diesel models, which should be able to return more than 50mpg on longer drives. However, the true efficiency champion is the GLA 250e plug-in hybrid, which can return 202mpg in ideal circumstances, or cover a claimed 35 miles on electricity alone. With 218hp, acceleration is impressively quick – so too is its sub-two-hour 10-100% charge time from a 7kW home EV charger, or 5.5 hours from a three-pin socket.

Mercedes' sporty brand AMG has also worked its magic on the GLA if you fancy a small family SUV that can outrun most serious sports cars. Your choice starts with the 306hp GLA 35, which dashes from 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds – quicker than most hot hatches. If, for some reason, that's not enough for you, try the manic GLA 45 S, which boosts the 2.0-litre engine to a frankly bonkers 421hp, catapulting this little SUV from 0-62mph in just 4.3 seconds.

The GLA feels best when driven casually. In comfort mode, the controls are light and direct, with the steering feeling immediately intuitive so you can place the car confidently. Snappy responses from the accelerator pedal, aided by the alert 1.3-litre petrol engine in GLA 180 and 200 models, make urban driving easy as you're not waiting for the gearbox to decide what to do. Refinement is pretty strong, too, with only a distant whirring from the engine as it whisks the car up to speed.

On twisty and challenging roads, the GLA's body control is reasonably good considering it's a taller SUV. That said, it can't replicate the more obviously sporty experience you'll get in the BMW X1, nor the outright comfort achieved by the Range Rover Evoque. There's a good overall balance, however, and the GLA's dynamic limitations only exhibit themselves when you drive like a hooligan – which is unbecoming of a Mercedes owner.

Being harsh, we think it's a shame the GLA isn't a touch softer. It's not an exciting car to drive and most owners probably don't want it to be so, with that in mind, we wish Mercedes had give it a little more compliance over poor surfaces. Large impacts from speed bumps or potholes are felt in the cabin – they're heard too, with audible thuds from the suspension. Higher frequency vibrations from craggy roads are well contained, however, so the GLA isn't a tiring car to spend long periods in.