Mercedes-Benz GLA250: Notes on a Drive
Luxury crossovers here, luxury SUVs there… All you see any more are luxury crossovers and SUVs..!
Well… maybe not…
It sure seems like it though. The luxury SUV/crossover market may be the
hottest segment in the automotive realm.
All the higher-end marques are building them. Even the likes of Lamborghini and Bentley are
getting in to the game.
Today we are going to visit the entry-level side of this
world. The place where the Audi Q3, BMW
X1 and Lexus NX roam. Today’s
focus: the Mercedes-Benz
GLA250.
Built off the same platform as the diminutive CLA sedan, the
GLA is part of that concerted push to appeal to a younger, more active
demographic. Both interior and exterior
design have that softer design language seen in all recent Mercedes vehicles.
The base engine in the GLA250, shared with the CLA
counterpart, is a turbocharged inline 4-cylinder motor with 208-horsepower and
258 lb-ft of torque along with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Enough grunt to scoot the mini-ute to 60 mph
in 7.2 seconds, according to the Benz team.
Safety features include a 10-way airbag system, collision prevention
assist plus and more... Typical of
Mercedes. 4-Matic all-wheel drive is
also available for a $2,000.00 surcharge.
So how does this cute-ute drive, you ask? A bit like Mercedes light, but Mercedes
nonetheless. You detect a smidge less of
that vault-like solidity compared to the upper model ranges, but the MB DNA is
still certainly present. The 4-cylinder
motor has plenty of pep for daily use.
If you want to tear up the tarmac, pony up for the substantially more
expensive AMG version. Ergonomics are
good and for the vehicle size, utility is decent as well. The driving position had plenty of
adjustability and the view outside was not noticeably constrictive.
My bottom line is that there is value to be had here. Keep your options reasonable and you end up
with a mini-ute with the Mercedes caché and plenty of utility for an excellent
all-around daily driver.
Well done…!