The all-new Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is finally here to reshuffle thoughts in the bustling compact luxury crossover segment. Just how capable is the new kid on the block?
Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
If you were one of those kids who played marbles, especially the kind of game where you had to dig into the mud to get a grip on things, you know what it took to really get things moving. Knock the opponents out of the way and claim superiority the hard way. Even if Joe Newboy showed up with a shiny new marble, he had to earn his stripes, or scars, with technique and precision. Especially when the playing field includes some big names.
The compact crossover segment is one which has seen activity like few others over the past few years. Everyone from the Germans to the Romanians played their cards and tasted success. However, there was one company which waited to this moment to put their hand down. Mercedes-Benz launched an all-new platform – MFA or Modular Front Architecture – which spawned everything from hatchbacks to compact coupés and SUVs. After the A-, B- and CLA-Class, the GLA-Class sees the light of day. Pitted as their competitor in one of the most demanding segments, is this their winning hand then?
Mercedes-Benz have launched the GLA-Class in India not too long after its international launch, and about time too. The BMW X1, Audi Q3, Volvo V40 Cross Country and MINI Countryman have been around for a while now; some names written in the sand, some etched in stone. Unlike some offerings in this segment, Mercedes will offer the GLA with only front-wheel drive for now. More variants with 4MATIC will arrive in due time, with the top-of-the-range GLA45 AMG set to arrive later this month; something to look forward to if you want a petrol-power super-crossover, that is. That said, it’s the GLA200 CDI we’ve driven here that will probably be the best-selling variant.
