From the whistle to the practitioner: Mercedes GLA in second edition

The first Mercedes GLA was the cool alternative to the A-Class. Whistle and Pepp suffer somewhat in the second generation. But the small SUV grows up and becomes a practical car.

Berlin (dpa-infocom) - One SUV chases the next - also at Mercedes. The Swabians have just introduced the GLB. But because the 4.63 meter long one is almost a bit big for the compact class, they put a GLA at his side again at the end of April.

Shrunk by almost three centimeters compared to the previous generation, the GLA is now the smallest off-road vehicle in the Mercedes range with a length of 4.41 meters. And although it is significantly more expensive than it used to be, it remains the cheapest Mercedes model for the mogul slope with a base price of € 37,271.

New form...

When changing generations, Mercedes corrected both the shape and format of the GLA. Because customers have so far missed a bit of a thirst for adventure, the new one looks beefier and more robust than before. As a result, it moves further away from the A-Class. The provider apparently willingly accepts that the GLA will also become a little more narrow-minded and conventional and, with its no-frills design, will offer little space for character development.

... and new format

Because the first edition was too small for many, the GLA grows from the inside: thanks to three centimeters more wheelbase and thinner seats, there is now more knee room in the second row. The trunk increases by 15 liters. In addition, Mercedes now offers a rear seat that can be moved by 14 centimeters, with which everyone can find their own compromise between foot and storage space. At the latest when it is pushed all the way back, backbenchers to the GLC are not missing much.

Unbelievable

The linchpin of the repositioning is the changed roof height: because the GLA rises ten centimeters further than before, passengers sit significantly higher and have a completely different driving experience. It starts with the more comfortable approach and extends to the more relaxed coordination of the steering and chassis, the adult driving comfort and the greater distance to the center of gravity - and it culminates in a better overview. This time it's not just forward: because the rear window is steeper and higher and the body pillars have become slimmer, pilots don't have to maneuver blind.

Familiar atmosphere

While the shape and format are new, the ambience is well known. Like all compact Mercedes models, the small off-road vehicle also takes over the well-known cockpit with its dazzling ambient lighting, ventilation nozzles such as jet engines and, above all, the screen landscape that extends to the center console.

The latest evolution of the MBUX operating system, which primarily relies on touchscreen and voice control and surprises with a new detail, runs on the: In the fight against old conventions, Mercedes throws you overboard and now goes with you and your customers.

Engines from economical to sporty

Like the ambience, the drive also comes from the large modular system for the small Mercedes models - and the engineers grab it hard. That is why the GLA will be available, at least in the medium term, from extremely economical to particularly sporty.

The Swabians are the first in this class to have a plug-in hybrid in their pipeline that has an electrical range of more than 70 kilometers. And if you like to smoke it, AMG will offer you two sports models: the GLA 35 with 225 kW / 306 hp and the GLA 45, which delivers up to 310 kW / 421 hp.

It starts off less extreme: with two petrol engines in the GLA 200 with 120 kW / 163 PS or in the GLA 250 with 165 kW / 224 PS as well as three diesel engines from the GLA 180 d with 85 kW / 116 PS over the GLA 200 d with 110 kW / 150 PS up to the GLA 220 d with 140 kW / 190 PS. The weakest engines come exclusively with front-wheel drive, for all others Mercedes offers all-wheel drive technology for around 2200 euros extra.

Together with the electronic driving programs, the higher ground clearance and the short overhangs, it is so good that the GLA actually progresses beyond the asphalt as most drivers would never dare. Nobody really needs more SUVs.

Conclusion: confident, serious ... and somehow stuffy

Above all, the GLA has grown inside, looks more like an SUV than ever and drives much more relaxed. Seen in isolation, Mercedes has therefore made a big leap in the car.

But if you widen your view a little, you will also see a missed opportunity. Because as confident and serious as the GLA is now, the SUV also comes across as saucy. The selection in the Mercedes portfolio is now so large that the Swabian would have done a little more courage to develop his own character, especially with the entry-level model.