Mercedes-Benz · 2013–present

Mercedes-Benz GLA

The Mercedes-Benz GLA is a subcompact luxury crossover SUV manufactured and marketed by Mercedes-Benz over two generations. It is essentially the SUV equivalent of the A-Class, and the smallest SUV marketed by the brand. The production version was revealed in August 2013 ahead of the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show in September 2013. The GLA is powered by a range of petrol and diesel 4-cylinder engines, and comes in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the latter marketed by Mercedes as 4Matic. The GLA nameplate aligns with Mercedes SUV nomenclature, where GL stands for Geländewagen (German for off-road vehicle) and the A designates its overall place in the Mercedes range, in this class, the smallest or A-Class.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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Concept models

=== Concept GLA (2013) === The Concept GLA debuted in the 2013 Auto Shanghai and is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine rated 211 PS (155 kW; 208 hp), 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, driving all wheels via the Mercedes-Benz 4Matic system. The concept included front headlamps with a laser-beam projector, two cameras housed in the front roof rail, 20-inch wheels and fibre-optic ambient interior lighting. Concept GLA 45 AMG (2013). The Concept GLA 45 AMG concept car was unveiled at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show, as a high-performance version of the GLA with an AMG 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged petrol engine rated 360 PS (265 kW; 355 hp) and 450 N⋅m (332 lbf⋅ft), 4Matic all wheel drive, AMG Speedshift DCT 7-speed transmission with paddle shifters, and fitted with various AMG-badged accoutrements and an AMG sports exhaust system with an electronically controlled variable vane system to modulate the exhaust note. Concept GLA 45 AMG (2016). The 2016 Concept GLA 45 AMG with an AMG 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged petrol engine rated 381 PS; 375 hp (280 kW) and 475 N⋅m (350 lbf⋅ft), 4Matic all wheel drive, AMG Speedshift DCT 7-speed transmission with paddle shifters, and fitted with various AMG-badged accoutrements and an AMG sports exhaust system with an electronically controlled variable vane system to modulate the exhaust note.

First generation (X156; 2013)

The production X156 GLA is closely based on the Concept GLA design and was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. Orders had been taken beginning from the end of November 2013, and arrived in dealer showrooms during 2014, with Japan and US in the autumn. At launch, Mercedes-Benz claimed the vehicle was the most aerodynamic in its segment, with a Cd figure of 0.29. The GLA's platform makes use of a strut-type front suspension and a multi-link rear setup, and an electric power steering. Nissan marketed a restyled variant of the GLA from 2016 to 2019 through its Infiniti brand in North America as the Infiniti Q30 and QX30, sharing the GLA mechanicals with revised exterior sheet metal. The Infiniti derivatives were produced between 2016 and 2019. Facelift. Mercedes unveiled a mid-life facelift of the GLA at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2017. The updated model came with some cosmetic tweaks on the outside, including a redesigned grille, new front and rear bumpers and updated 18-inch alloy wheels. Moreover, the bi-xenon headlamps of the previous models were replaced by all LED units, while the taillights too were all LED and got a new design pattern. A new Canyon Beige colour option was also added. The interiors carried forward the same dashboard layout, though the infotainment system received a new 8.0-inch screen that was located on top of the centre console in a free-standing layout. GLA 45 AMG. The design of GLA 45 AMG is based on Concept GLA 45 AMG, with AMG sports suspension (MacPherson strut front axle with stiffer steering knuckles, four-link rear axle, optimised elastokinematics, specially tuned spring/damper units, bigger anti-roll bars), electromechanical AMG speed-sensitive sports steering, AMG high-performance braking system (ventilated, cross-drilled b

Second generation (H247; 2019)

The second generation, introduced on 11 December 2019 at Mercedes media event, is revised from the previous generation. The chassis number, 247, is shared with W247 B-Class and X247 GLB. The GLA uses the second generation MFA2 platform and completes the eight-model W177 A-Class compact based line-up. The H247 GLA is 15 mm (0.59 in) shorter in length, 10 mm (0.39 in) narrower, 104 mm (4.1 in) higher than the first-generation model, and the wheelbase has been extended by 30 mm (1.2 in). The H247 GLA has 116 mm more headroom, 45 mm more elbow room and 43 mm more rear shoulder room. The ground clearance has been raised by 9 mm to 143 mm and the front seats are positioned 140 mm higher than in the W177 A-Class. Despite this, there is an added 22 mm (0.87 in) of front-seat headroom compared to its predecessor. As with other MFA2-based models, the GLA has suspension with MacPherson struts up front and either a torsion beam or multi-link suspension at the rear. Variable damping control is optional. Inside, the GLA is similar to other MFA2 Mercedes models, featuring a dashboard with a free-standing digital display panel, the MBUX infotainment system, as well as other tech such as a colour Heads-Up Display. A battery electric version called the EQA was introduced in 2020 as the third battery electric SUV from Mercedes-Benz. 2023 facelift. In March 2023, the GLA received a facelift, featuring redesigned headlights and taillights. It receives the latest iteration of Mercedes's MBUX infotainment system, which supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It receives updated powertrain options, along with three new optional wheel designs. A dual 10.3-inch screen that originally came part of the Premium Package became standard. Technical details. ==== Powertrain ==== The second g

Third generation (H248/244; 2026)

The third generation GLA, revealed on 29 July 2026, unifies both internal combustion engine and battery electric (EQA) models under the GLA name, similar to the C174 CLA revealed a year prior. While battery electric versions will be available first, the hybrid version will follow in 2027. Compared to its predecessor, the third generation GLA is 143 mm (5.6 in) longer and 20 mm (0.79 in) lower than its predecessor with a 2.4 in (61 mm) longer wheelbase. The exterior and interior design of the third generation GLA has been completely redesigned. The battery electric version features Mercedes-Benz's "Iconic Grille", similar to that of the GLC electric, while the hybrid version uses a star pattern instead. The interior uses the MBOS Superscreen featured in various other models, consisting of a 14-inch central display, 14-inch passenger display and 10.25-inch driver display. It has a 410 L (14 cu ft) trunk that expands to 1,400 L (49 cu ft) when the second row is folded down; battery electric models add a 107 L (3.8 cu ft) frunk. Three battery electric versions are available - the GLA 200 electric with 221 hp (165 kW), GLA 250+ electric with 268 hp (200 kW) and the GLA 350 4Matic electric with 349 hp (260 kW) and a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 5.3 seconds. All versions use a nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery, featuring a usable capacity of either 58.0 kWh (GLA 200 electric) or 85.0 kWh. Mercedes-Benz claims the GLA electric will offer up to 657 km (408 mi) of range and can charge up to 320 kW.

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Specifications

name

Mercedes-Benz GLA

Manufacturer

Daimler AG (2013–2022), Mercedes-Benz Group (2022–present)

Production

2013–present

Model years

2014–present

Class

Subcompact luxury crossover SUV (C)

Layout

Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, Front-engine, all-wheel-drive (4Matic)

Body style

5-door SUV

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11338233CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_GLACC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1376343798 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mercedes-Benz_GLA_180_Edition_AMG_Line_(H_247,_Facelift)_%E2%80%93_f_12102024.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 de · Photo: © M 93 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Manufacturer website (link only) — http://www5.mercedes-benz.com/en/vehicles/passenger-cars/gla-class/Link only; no content copied · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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