Mercedes-Benz GLA 220d
Mercedes-Benz updates its smallest SUV, the GLA, for 2024 with new tech and refreshed styling
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE ONLY G in the Mercedes-Benz range was the OG Gelandewagen. But thanks to the soaring popularity of SUVs, Mercedes-Benz has added the ‘G’ suffix to every possible vehicle and created the ‘GL’ lineup. This includes everything from the gigantic Mercedes-Benz GLS to the remarkably rapid Mercedes-AMG GLE 53. For 2024, the runt in this litter, the GLA, has received a minor update, and we took the GLA 220d for a spin to see if it lives up to its illustrious ‘GL’ name plate.
The 2024 update is the GLA’s first since this generation was launched back in 2019. However, to tell this apart from the 2023 model, you will need a jeweller’s eye. The biggest giveaway is the body-coloured wheel arch and front bumper trim on our AMG Line test car, which gives it a sleeker and sportier look. Filling the aforementioned wheel arches are new 19-inch five-spoke AMG wheels shod with 235-section rubber. The LED headlights now get adaptive high beam assist, and the taillamps are updated too. Not a massive update then but the GLA does look quite sharp, particularly in the new-for-2024 Spectral Blue.
Inside, the dual 10.25-inch screens remain but the infotainment system now boasts the latest MBUX software, allowing for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as digital key handover. The GLA also features a 360-degree camera, blind spot assist, and active parking assist, which does a far better job of parallel parking than most people on the road. The flat-bottom steering wheel and metal shift paddles on the AMG Line are a joy to use but its touch-sensitive controls are hit and miss. The AMG Line also offers sports seats trimmed in supple leather and Alcantara. My only gripe with the interior is the use of faux carbonfibre on the dash and the door card, which lacks depth and appears distinctly two-dimensional.
The GLA comes in two guises: the petrol GLA 200, which gets a 1.3-litre turbo-four mated to a seven-speed DCT producing 161bhp and 270Nm of torque, enough to sprint to 100kmph in 8.9
seconds. However, the sportier choice is the diesel GLA 220d, with its 2-litre turbo-diesel and eight-speed DCT producing 188bhp and 400Nm of torque. It puts the power down using the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system and accelerates to 100kmph in a short 7.5 second dash.
While outright performance is impressive, the real-world drivability of the diesel engine is simply outstanding. There is an abundance of grunt all across the rev range, and the GLA accelerates with tenacity while emitting a surprisingly pleasing growl for a diesel. The DCT is the perfect partner in crime, firing off shifts with a fair bit of aggression in Dynamic mode. Combine this with its compact dimensions, and the GLA is a real hoot to drive in the city. Out on the highway, overtakes require nothing more than a gentle dab of the throttle, and the GLA is happy to sit at triple-digit speeds for hours on end while the engine hums along in near silence.
The GLA is definitely stiffly sprung, yet it rarely ever gets uncomfortable. The suspension does a great job of soaking up smaller bumps in the road, and the high-speed ride is composed. The AMG Line’s 19-inch wheels do give the ride a harsher edge on the sharpest of bumps but it’s nothing that you can’t live with. The upside of this stiff setup is the excellent body control that the GLA exhibits through the twisties. It is keen to turn in, with its 235-section tyres providing plenty of grip and the all-wheel-drive system lending the traction to haul it out of corners. The sole drawback is the absence of tactility and feedback in the steering.
This refresh to the GLA is relatively minor but why mess with a recipe that gets so much right to begin with? The diesel is a stonker, the interior is class-leading and the ride and handling are well sorted. The styling is not as butch as you would expect from something wearing a GL badge but it is in no way offensive. The 2024 GLA is priced between `50.5 lakh and `56.9 lakh (ex-showroom), which is at the upper end of the segment; but the GLA offers a combination of qualities that the BMW X1 and the Audi Q3 are unable to match. Consider the GLA an off-road SUV, and you might be disappointed. However, view it as a luxury crosshatch with India-spec ground clearance, and there’s very little that can match it pound for pound. ⌧
The real-world drivability of the diesel engine is simply outstanding
Engine 1950cc, in-line 4-cyl, turbo-diesel Power 188bhp Torque 400Nm @ 1600-2600rpm Weight NA 0-100kmph 7.5 seconds Price `56.9 lakh (ex-showroom)
+ Diesel engine, interior quality
- Price, firm ride evo rating ★★★★⭐