Like Audi with the recently introduced Q3, Mercedes needs to keep up with the competition by offering a crossover to battle the BMW X1. Enter the 2015 GLA-Class. Now the fifth utility vehicle to be added the Mercedes-Benz family, $31,300 is all it will take to gain entry into the world of Mercedes utility vehicle ownership when the GLA 250
Front-Wheel Drive goes on sale next year.
Can a lower-priced entry-level model,
one that is more accessible to the masses, still hold the same aspirational value as prestigious, more expensive products? That is a question Mercedes-Benz asked itself last year with the new CLA-Class sedan and this year, the manufacturer is at it again.
In the never-ending arms race between luxury automobile manufacturers, more models, especially lower priced ones, means more sales. As soon as one manufacturer enters a new market segment, the rest are sure to follow.
In the meantime, two models will be offered, the GLA 250 4MATIC and the sportier GLA 45 AMG. By far the smallest crossover in the Mercedes- Benz line-up, the new crossover measures in around 174-inches in length, roughly the same as the Hyundai Tucson.
Unlike the blockier compact GLK crossover, the GLA features a more rounded, contemporary shape. Aerodynamics played a big role in the development of the vehicle as items like the mirror housings, underbody trays, roof lip spoiler and tail lights have all been specially moulded to ensure the GLA slips through the air for optimal efficiency. Like the CLA sedan it’s based on, the GLA will offer a choice of 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines in either mild or wild states of tune. Needing to test the fastest and sportiest offering in the GLA family, I got my hands on the GLA 45 AMG that comes equipped with the more potent engine. Pumping 26.1 psi of pressure through the cylinder walls, this 2.0-liter turbo makes an astonishing 355 HP and 332 lb-ft of torque. For such an incredible amount of torque made from a modest sized engine, turbo lag is kept in check and the GLA 45 builds power quickly.
A throaty four-cylinder bellow emits from a two-stage exhaust system, letting the world know the GLA clearly means business. Although it’s quite possibly the worst sounding engine in the AMG family, it still has the signature “bark” when upshifting between gears near redline.