HiTLeR Posted September 28, 2020 Posted September 28, 2020 Mercedes-Benz has taken wraps off the all-new 2021 GLA and the souped-up AMG GLA 35. The Mercedes-Benz GLA is the entry-level subcompact SUV for Mercedes that walks the line between tall hatchback and full-fledged crossover. It offers good-looking styling and performance in a crowded market. Mercedes has completely redesigned the GLA for 2021 and made it a hair shorter and slightly taller (10 centimeters) than the previous model to create more interior space. It also gets a new 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that puts out 221 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. That’s an increase of 13 horsepower over the previous model. New for 2021, Mercedes will offer a faster and more powerful version of the entry-level crossover, the AMG-tuned Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 4Matic. The GLA 35 gets the same engine as the standard GLA, but it is tuned to put out 302 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Mercedes says that the GLA 35 can do 0 to 60 in 5 seconds. How much will the GLA and GLA 35 cost? Mercedes has not yet announced pricing for either the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA or the AMG GLA 35. We expect that prices will largely remain around the same as the 2020 model which starts at $ 34,250. The AMG version of the GLA will likely command a premium, and if history is any indication, you can expect to have to add anywhere from $ 7,000 to $ 10,000 to the price tag to get into the GLA 35. When do the GLA and GLA 35 go on sale? The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA and Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 will go on sale starting in the summer of 2020, according to Mercedes. The GLA will bow first, appearing in showrooms in the summer of 2020, while the AMG GLA 35 will show up late in 2020. Mercedes-Benz GLA and GLA 35 Engine and Transmission The Mercedes-Benz GLA gets a new 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that makes 221 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission. The GLA comes in both front-wheel and all-wheel (4Matic) drive. The Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 is all new, and while it gets the same engine as the entry-level GLA, the AMG treatment bumps output to 302 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The drivetrain features an 8-speed dual-clutch AMG automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. What’s the fuel economy of the 2021 GLA? The EPA has not yet rated the 2021 GLA or GLA 35, but we expect that the base GLA 250 will get similar mileage (24 city / 33 highway) to the previous generation. Expect that the GLA 35 will be a bit more thirsty than the GLA 250. How many people does the Mercedes-Benz GLA and GLA 35 seat? The Mercedes-Benz GLA and AMG GLA 35 seats five passengers. Mercedes-Benz GLA interior Mercedes updated the interior of the GLA to bring it in line with the rest of the 2020 and 2021 lineup taking advantage of the added space thanks to the updated dimensions of the SUV. While the 2021 GLA is shorter than its previous model, it gets slightly more space inside. Legroom in the back seat, in particular, is up 4.5 inches to 38.4 inches. Headroom in the front is also up by almost an inch as well. Front legroom, however, is down just slightly, as is the headroom in the rear. Class of 2021: The New and Redesigned Cars, Trucks and SUVs The cargo area also gets a slight space increase. It is 3.3 inches wider and one inch deeper at its max, and the cargo floor can be adjusted up and down to accommodate bulky items. Mercedes also now offers a rear seat adjustment that allows seats to be tipped forward or back to make more room for cargo or make long road-trips more comfortable for back seat passengers. The rear seat gets a 40:20:40 split to allow for long items to slide through from the cargo space. Mercedes also improved visibility out of the GLA — narrowing the roof pillars to block out less of the sightlines around the crossover. What kind of new technology is in the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA? Mercedes now offers its MBUX user interface system on the new GLA as standard, bringing it in line with the rest of the line-up. The system can be voice-operated by saying “Hey Mercedes,” and comes with a full-color head-up display, navigation with augmented reality (so you can know exactly where that next turn is), and an AI that learns as you use it. The GLA is outfitted with two 7-inch displays as standard or can be optioned with one 7-inch and one 10.25-inch display, or two 10.25-inch displays. The new Driving Assistance package offers Mercedes' adaptive cruise control with stop and go (called Disctronic), parking assistance, emergency braking, assists for lane-keeping, blind-spot monitoring and lane changing as well as traffic sign and route-based speed assistance . What’s the warranty on the Mercedes-Benz GLA? The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA should come with the same warranty that Mercedes offers on the rest of its vehicles — a four year / 50,000-mile basic warranty that covers defects in workmanship. The competition: Mercedes-Benz GLA vs. BMW X1 With the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLA, we expect that the BMW X1 will slide to the back of the pack of luxury crossovers. The added power and features of the new GLA (and the addition of the faster and more powerful AMG GLA 35) make it a tough vehicle to beat if you’re looking for a compact SUV that offers both performance and space. Mercedes also still offers some of the best adaptive cruise control systems on the market, too, and the new MBUX system is very easy to use. Mercedes Benz GLA vs. Mercedes-Benz GLB You might be confused by the naming conventions here, but just know that the GLA is the smallest SUV you can buy from Mercedes. The GLB is a new vehicle, released in 2020 that gets all the bells and whistles of the GLA with more space and an optional third row. Truthfully, however, that third row is not suited for full-sized adults. Mercedes-Benz GLA vs. Audi Q3 The new Audi Q3, is really good, but a bit underpowered — particularly if you need to make a short, quick merge onto a fast-moving freeway. While we haven't had any seat time in the 2021 GLA yet, the 2020 Audi Q3 makes just a touch more power (228 horsepower) and the same torque (258 lb-ft) as the base GLA 250. We'll have to reserve our opinion in this head-to-head until we can drive the two vehicles back to back. The 2019 GLA did 0-60 in 7.2 seconds, which is roughly the same as the 2020 Audi Q3. Mercedes-Benz GLA 35 vs. Porsche Macan S While the Porsche Macan will almost certainly outprice the Mercedes-Benz GLA by thousands of dollars, the GLA 35 likely won’t be able to compete with the power and torque offered in the Macan. If you’re looking for all power and speed and almost no interior space, the Macan is the better option. If you want something that offers some speed and more space, the GLA 35 could be a good bet. 1
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