Want an SUV with a prestigious Mercedes-Benz badge, but for the price of a Toyota Highlander? Compact and stylish, the GLA crossover hits that mark, competing against upscale rivals Audi Q3 and BMW X1. But like the related CLA sedan, the GLA sacrifices too many luxury qualities in pursuit of budget-minded buyers.
The first reality check comes upon seeing the window sticker. Despite the price-targeted marketing starting around $33,000, you won't find many examples for below $40,000 on dealer's lots, and that retail price tends to be a few thousand dollars more than the competition. You also aren't getting a whole lot of car for the money. Park the GLA next to a similarly-sized Mazda3 or Subaru Impreza and cynics might wonder where the money went. The GLA's premium does pay for a nicely finished interior and nimble handling, with compact dimensions adding to maneuverability. Fuel economy isn't too shabby either at 26 mpg overall.
But as we experienced in the CLA, if you expect real Mercedes qualities -- such as a hushed cabin, plush ride, and a vault-like solid feel -- you'll be disappointed. The loud cabin and stiff ride would bother us in a $25,000 car; paying $40,000 for that is borderline insulting. Further letdowns include marginal head room, unintuitive controls, and poor visibility. Test track acceleration numbers are impressive, but in routine stop-and-go traffic, the car feels unresponsive.
Operating the infotainment system can be cumbersome. The electronic shifter can also be fussy and unintuitive to use, and the car lacks some desired safeguards to prevent it from rolling away when parked, should the driver accidentally not select Park.
And while the GLA is several thousand dollars less expensive than the larger GLC, the latter is a much more substantial vehicle.