The smallest Mercedes SUV boasts big new screens and lights galore. The 2028 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is here, and like its closely related CLA-Class sibling, you can have it in either electric or hybrid flavors. This GLA grows larger, but is still the smallest of all Mercedes SUVs — and now, it’s filled with lots more tech.
Built on the same MMA platform as the new CLA, the GLA takes after the sedan for all the important powertrain bits. Two electric versions will be available at launch, the RWD GLA250+ Electric and the GLA350 4Matic Electric. The latter gets from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 5.3 seconds, thanks to its dual-motor 349-horsepower powertrain. The entry-level 250+ makes do with just 268 horsepower.
Both versions are equipped with an 85-kilowatt-hour nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack. Just like the CLA, the GLA houses impressive 800-volt charging technology, allowing it to DC fast-charge at rates up to 320 kilowatts. The 250+ has an estimated range of 408 miles on the WLTP cycle, and Mercedes claims you can reclaim as much as 167 miles of range after just 10 minutes on a charger.
View Price on AmazonIf you want to skip the EV, Mercedes is offering a hybrid powertrain option, too. Same as the CLA, the new GLA offers a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder paired up to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with an integrated electric motor. Mercedes says it uses a 1.3-kWh battery pack in the hybrid, and in city driving where less than 30 horsepower is necessary, it will run on electric power only.
The GLA’s larger size should prove favorable to anyone trying to load up this tiny SUV with people. Its wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than its predecessor, and the rear track is 1.2 inches wider. Mercedes says this results in 1.5 inches of additional legroom in the rear and 0.3 inch more in front. Headroom is up marginally too, despite this GLA coming in 0.8-inch lower than the previous one.
While the interior space will be appreciated, the GLA’s new exterior design is sure to be polarizing. Instead of the CLA’s more demure look, Mercedes pasted its new “iconic grille” to the front end, illuminated surround/panel and all for the EV. Mercedes says the light-up grille features 158 micro-LEDs, though if you get the hybrid, the grille is functional and only has the surround lighting.
Source: roadandtrack.com
