Mercedes-Benz new SUV, the GLA: Preview

This is Mercedes’ year of excellence, which in simple words means that the German firm will launch what it considers its defining products in India in 2014. We have already seen the advent of the new S-Class, a car that has literally rewritten the rules in its category, be it luxury or technology.

Next up, will be the GLA-Class. The GLA which is based on the same MFA platform as the A- and B-Class is Mercedes’ smallest SUV offering yet. Okay, it’s not exactly an SUV; it’s more a crossover, but with 4-Matic and reasonably acceptable ground clearance, and approach and departure angles, it can take the mildly rough in its stride. 

That’s the story internationally. In India, there’s a high possibility that the GLA will only be sold as a front wheel drive with 4-Matic not being offered even as an option. It will come to India via the CBU route, so getting a 4-Matic shouldn’t really be an issue. But, Mercedes’ argument seems fair too. It says that given the market demands, if the two versions (FWD and AWD) offer exactly the same styling kit on the outside, and comfort, convenience and luxury on the inside, no urban GLA owner would want to pay extra for all wheel drive. So, reluctantly, we do see the point.

The GLA then, which will go head-on against the Audi Q3 and the BMW X1 in India, will in all likelihood hit showrooms by the middle of this year. And when it does, it will come completely specced out. According to Mercedes - be it the A-class or the S-class, the trend in India so far has been to go in for the top of the line versions in this segment. And understandably so; after all, when one is paying for a luxury brand, the last thing he wants is to look stingy, which a stripped out version of any of these luxury cars certainly conveys.

So, the GLA, which will be sold in both petrol and diesel avatars but only with a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, will also only be sold in the Avant Garde trim to begin with. These GLAs will get leather trim, a multifunctional steering wheel, cruise control and the latest COMAND system complete with Bluetooth telephony as standard. On the safety end, expect six airbags, ABS, ESP and Driver Assist to come as standard as well.

There will be a limited run of the ‘Launch Edition’ as well, something we have seen Mercedes do for all its new offerings from the GL-Class to the ML-Class to the E-Class and most recently, the S-Class. So, what will this ‘Launch Edition’ get? Apart from all the above mentioned goodies, these versions will also come with AMG kit as standard. This will include bigger wheels (should be 18 inches instead of 17 inches on the standard car), an AMG body kit, a panoramic sunroof and chrome outlines for the bumpers and exhaust tips. On the inside, there will be aluminium trimmings, sportier seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel and a silver-chrome garnished gearlever. 

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The GLA, as we mentioned earlier, will come with both petrol and diesel engines. But, unlike its underpinnings which the GLA shares with the A- and B-Class, it will borrow its engines from the C-Class. The 2.2-litre, four cylinder diesel engine is, of course, the same on the C and the A and B, but the latter two get lesser horsepower and torque ratings. On the GLA, this engine will develop 170PS of max power and a peak torque of 350Nm, the same as the C 220 CDI. According to Mercedes this helps the GLA 220 CDI post a 0-100kmph time of 8.3s, and register a top speed of 215kmph.

The GLA 200, the only petrol version for Mercedes’ baby SUV, has the exact same top speed, but it is slower to 100kmph from a standstill. It takes 8.9s to complete this run. The engine is a 1.6-litre, turbocharged petrol with a max power output of 156PS. The torque is a healthy 250Nm and Mercedes claims a fuel economy of almost 17kmpl under test conditions. In the real world this figure should be around the 12kmpl mark, which again given the size and segment, isn’t bad at all.

So what sort of pricing are we looking at for the GLA? The SUV will sit above the CLA for sure and below the all-new C-Class; both of which are due later.  So, we expect the GLA to carry nearly the same sticker price as the current C-Class, given the new C is bound to move up both the price and luxury ladder. We expect the GLA 200 to carry a sticker price of around Rs 30 lakh and the GLA 220 CDI to cost somewhere in the region of Rs 35 lakh.