The all-new Mercedes GLA compact crossover will be unveiled in an exclusive online event on 11 December. When it reaches the UK next year, it will form a vital part of the German brand’s assault on the SUV market, joining the recently released Mercedes-Maybach GLS and offering competition for the Audi Q2 and BMW X2.
The GLA will remain the smallest, cheapest member of Mercedes’s SUV family and, even though the current model received a mid-life refresh at January’s Detroit Motor Show, the second-generation car is going through the final stages of its development programme ahead of its scheduled debut next month.
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Our exclusive image previews the new GLA’s styling. As it shows, we don’t expect the new car’s design to be too far removed from the current model, keeping the slightly tougher look introduced with the model’s facelift – although our previous spy shots suggest it will be marked out by new LED headlights and tail-lights.
The GLA’s major revisions will be under the skin. Mercedes recently introduced a heavily revised version of its MFA architecture, along with the launch of the fourth-generation A-Class. Called MFA2, the new architecture will underpin the next GLA, giving an increase in width and a longer wheelbase for additional space in the cabin.
In terms of power, we expect the new GLA will adopt the same range of engines found in the new A-Class. That means buyers will be offered Mercedes’s latest turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engines, with either 148bhp or 188bhp, as well as an entry-level 114bhp 1.5-litre diesel.
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A 221bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine will also be available, while a 400bhp-plus Mercedes-AMG variant will sit at the top of the range. The MFA2 platform could also pave the way for plug-in hybrid tech, although any part-electrified GLA is reliant on Mercedes testing the powertrain’s efficacy in the new A-Class first.
The changes will continue inside, where Mercedes will introduce its latest MBUX cabin architecture, also found on the new A-Class. Entry level cars will be offered with a pair of seven-inch screens, with a digital instrument cluster sitting in front of the driver and a touchscreen unit mounted in the centre console. Like with the new A-Class, buyers should also be offered the option to upgrade to a pair of 10.25-inch screens.
The GLA should come equipped with Mercedes’ next-generation semi-autonomous driving assistance tech, too. The new A-Class received the firm’s active distronic radar guided cruise control system, active brake assist and lane-keeping assist – features which should all be transferred on to the GLA.
Keen for more Mercedes SUV news? Read our story on the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS here…