Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the launch for Mercedes-Benz’s new GLA is its ad campaign pay-off line: Always Restless. Tooling along on wonderful, meandering back roads in the beautiful Garden Route in the Eastern Cape, I found myself thinking I was “Always Relaxed” behind the wheel of this latest, and I may hasten to add, greatest version of the A-series cars from Mercedes-Benz.

Just to recap. The new A-Class hatch is great on looks and image, but in many versions has a suspension system that is stiff like a board. The Mercedes-Benz CLA in the various guises that I’ve experienced seems even stiffer and the cabin feels claustrophobic, which is surprising, given its so-called sedan-like appeal.

As far as sales figures are concerned, Mercedes has been spot-on in the way it has targeted and configured these cars for the youth market. If I think of the kind of driver likely to drive an A-Class I think of a dude sitting as far away from the steering wheel with his cap on backwards. And as for the CLA, I think of a person for whom style takes preference above anything else. Grit your teeth and bear it over the speed bumps at Melrose Arch! Yeah, there is a nine-month waiting list on the CLA right now.

Now the GLA is a different kettle of fish. It has shown that there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with the chassis platform of the A-Class or CLA that sensible spring and damper rates won’t cure, because it shares that platform with them, and the GLA’s wheelbase at 2699 mm is identical to that of the CLA.

Ride and handling

Its ride is way better than anything experienced in the hatch and sedan, and that is even with the launch Mercedes-Benz GLA units were mostly fitted with the so-called sports-pack suspension and low-profile tyres. Mercedes has said that a version with more ground clearance and higher profile rubber is indeed in the offing in the GLA range, and we would love to experience this, because, as a cross-over vehicle, we do feel that the GLA’s 130 mm or so of ground clearance is distinctly on the terra firm side of the spectrum.

Dimensions of the GLA

What is surprising, configuration wise, is that it is appreciably shorter than the CLA sedan. The GLA can thank its 4417 mm overall length to the no-overhang if possible profile , making it some 2 13 mm shorter than the sedan (which admittedly has a large boot hung out the rear.

Interestingly, fitted with the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine used in the GLA 200 CDi the car weighs 1505 kg, only about 20 kg more than the 200 CDi CLA sedan, and yet the 200 diesel sedan uses a presumably lighter 1.8-litre engine. Yes, in this day and age a 200 or 180 or 250 badge doesn’t have much to do with engine capacity, but more the way the marketers see a certain model fit into the range in terms of expectation.

Models available right now

The two models launched right now are the 200 CDi and the 220 CDi. Both of these use a 2143 cc 16-valve modern diesel engine designed to comply with the latest Euro-spec emissions, and said to give brilliant fuel economy. On the launch drive we were returning fuel consumption figures in the 6.8 l/100 range, which is excellent considering this is a large passenger-type car. And the CO2 rating is sub-120 grams per km, which means there is no CO2 tax payable.

Practicality

Mercedes has done an excellent job of providing the GLA with a light body-shell that is like its A-Class and CLA siblings and is extremely strong and rigid. Not only that, but once again it has a best-in-class CD or wind-drag co-efficient of 0,29, a figure that would have done a small hatch-back extremely proud just a few short years ago. There is pretty good boot capacity for a cross-over-type vehicle at 421 litres, and the boot is easily loadable with hardly any lip above the bumper area. Both models now on sale feature the electric boot-lid raising mechanism that can be handy if you approach the car loaded with supermarket packets and crates of drinks.

I found the dash layout okay from an aesthetic point of view, not as stylish as that of its competition (from the likes of Audi in particular). But you can equip the car with seriously good gizmos at a price, including surround camera vision, which is handy for parking. The cost of extras on all these types of cars, from all the premium manufacturers, is a source of concern. The base launch prices of R420 000 for the 200 CDI and R489000 for the 220 CDI 4Matic are actually very reasonable in comparison to those for the A-Class and CLA. But we noted than on each car that we drove on the launch were equipped with extras worth R90000 and R100000!

4×4 ability

For me, the GLA typifies solid family values in a stylish package, and if that means if you are also a fun-type person, then I can buy the whole concept. As a car, I can definitely buy the concept. It’s a good one. As for off-road ability in the 4Matic, well, we did a mild bit of off-roading at some sort of nature-type venue through some tress and up grassy slopes, and using the hill descent control it coped well. However that’s something which has been around since 1998 or so, when the Land Rover Freelander introduced it. No low-range here. Anyway, that 130 mm odd ground clearance is far too low to attempt anything on really rough stuff.

Other engines coming soon

In a few months’ time Merc will be launching petrol versions of the car, and the least expensive 1.6-litre petrol variant (the 200) will launch at R398000. There will also be a 250 4Matic at R558900. For now, I’d go for the 200 CDI in front-wheel drive form. All of them come with six-year / 100000 km Premium Drive warranties and maintenance contracts.

Check out the complete pricing and lineup of the Mercedes-Benz GLA here.

Mercedes-Benz GLA Gallery