What You Can Expect from the Mercedes GLA

The German luxury carmaker had to delay the launch of the new Mercedes Benz GLA in India after its domestic premiere at the Auto Expo 2020, because of the of inauspicious social and economic conditions. With big hopes of positive buying sentiments in the coming months, the GLA is expected to be launched in India in April 2021. With promising new technology and offering greater comfort than ever before, the GLA promises enhanced efficiency, convenience, and safety.

Continuing with design cues taken from the A-class, the latest GLA has bigger proportions at 4410 mm length, 2020 mm width, and 1611 mm height. The car is based on the company’s second-generation MFA platform with a transverse engine mounting, which extends its wheelbase by 30 mm.

The new GLA has received completely redesigned headlamps that are not yet shared by any other Mercedes Benz SUV. Other changes include new tail lamps, redesigned tailgate, squared exhaust pipes, brand new bumpers, wider tracks, and upmarket chrome inserts. The AMG version of the car will undergo exclusive and aggressive changes, such as the Panamericana grille, a new roof spoiler, and different tailpipes. Overall, the new GLA looks much more mature and handsome as compared to the contemporary design of the outgoing model. The front-grille and the intelligent proportions of the car help impart an SUV-ish stance.

With an increase in the dimensions, the new Mercedes GLA offers more room for the passengers inside. The up-class cabin utilises premium, high quality materials, and has been designed with classic Mercedes Benz craftsmanship. The newly designed dashboard is accompanied by a floating digital display, dual seven-inch screens, colour HUD, MBUX infotainment system with touch pad and voice controls, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and optional 10.3-inch-wide screens.

The legroom in the rear has also been significantly increased to offer maximum space and comfort to passenger sitting in the back. This is along with sliding rear seats that offer enhanced convenience. The front seats have also been placed higher up, enhancing the SUV/crossover characteristics of the car. Other features include a multi-functional steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, pre-safe safety package, wireless charging, and automatic climate control, along with a slew of driver assistive technologies. The boot capacity has also been increased by 14 litres, to 435 litres, in addition to the increased width of the boot aperture.

The new GLA is claimed to be better than the outgoing model in every aspect by the company.

Mercedes GLA in India,  the Mercedes Benz GLA will see the entry-level, front-wheel-drive GLA 200, which is equipped with a 163hp, 1.3-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, and the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder GLA 220d diesel engine, both being BS6 compliant. An AMG spec, four-wheel-drive GLA 35, powered by a 306hp, 2.0-litre turbocharged engine will also be launched.  Further, the GLA is expected to get a 218hp 1.3-litre petrol-electric plug-in hybrid, named as the GLA 250e EQ Power in some global markets.