Photo: MB USA
Some say the Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG is a crossover. To us, that label means a set of specific treats, but rarely anything that involves fun, so we didn’t buy it. Instead, we bought enough gas for a 2,000-mile (3,200 km) roadtrip, aiming to find out what this compact, jacked-up piece of Affalterbach is all about. This was a long journey together with a colleague, so let’s see what we found out.
We somehow managed to sleep just four hours the night before the trip. So let’s just say our sensitivity level was set to “high”. It was still dark when we set off and we weren’t in the mood for playing games.
I had chosen the passenger seat for the first part of the journey, so I focused on the Mercedes bits more than the AMG ones. Interestingly enough, my fellow editor was having his own focus, obviously on the driving bits and our goals didn’t seem to interfere. It was a bit amusing to see how he was becoming intimate with the throttle without this leading to any disturbance on my side.
Full discosure: this was also the moment we noticed our photo camera had given up on us. We decided not to blame each other for not brigning along the backup equipment and called it a day - this is why the images in the gallery below are the ones we used in our GLA45 AMG review.
It was dawn when I noticed just how much of an effect the ambient lighting has. With the GLA not following the latest MB dashboard design features, the center console doesn’t look all that premium during the day. But when that ambient light steps in, all the areas of the interior feel elegant - from the way in which the orange light reflects in the massive brake pedal to the effect it has on the seat-adjusting buttons on the doors.
The suspension is surprisingly comfortable. Just like the CLA45 AMG taxi we rode in last year, our GLA was fitted with the standard, not the AMG Performance suspension - you really don’t want that for everyday driving.
However, unlike in the case of the four-door coupe, the GLA can cope with pretty much any road imperfection you can throw at it. Sure, the car can get a bit agitated on broken pavement, but even the infamous highways around Vienna didn’t manage to ruin the ride too much. And that 4.9-inch (125 mm) ride height seems like an excellent compromise.
As I found out a few hours later, you can easily sleep while riding shotgun in a GLA45 AMG. That, of course, requires the driver to keep things steadily. Which the other editor did, for about 20 minutes.
Probably jealous of my relaxed state, he decided to take a little detour on a back road. It was the AMG Performance exhaust that awakened me and yet I still have to recommend this option. The noise balance is just right and the pops your get on the Sport driving mode are simply delightful.
By the time we were back on the highway, I felt I could easily get back at him. For one thing, the GLA is the anti-suction cup car. There’s simply no place where you can place such a device that would hold your phone in place, for instance. This meant I could easily mess with his backup navigation, a smartphone he had carefully placed inside the car.
Surprise! Despite having a three-pointed star on its radiator grille, the GLA45 AMG does allow tiny slides, even when the electronics are fully on. Speaking of which, this Mercedes find itself at an interesting wheelbase value. This is short enough to keep the car agile and generous enough to make it stable while going sideways.
A 60 mph (90 km/h) slide I was able to hold for a while can confirm that. I hate short-wheelbase cars because of their twitchiness, but this was far from being the case.
The steering is nice too. AMG have managed to accustom us to some of the most consistent steering systems on the go-fast side of the market. Sure, there could be more feedback, but the car is talkative enough to be enjoyable. I’ve always liked the Renault Megane RS’ agitated steering, as it comes in handy for the sideways stuff, but the mature feeling in this AMG makes the RS feel like a joker.
Whether it’s an A45 or an SLS, you can easily feel you’re dealing with a steering that’s been configured in Affalterbach.
Regardless, I moved on to push the car as hard as I could through the corners. Yes, you do feel the 4Matic system is FWD-based, so don’t expect BMW M135i xDrive power-on slides.
On the other hand, the GLA45 AMG feels considerably sportier than the BMW and you can rely on its safe handling to slide that rear end, knowing it will always come back in line on the spot.
You can drive this thing with precision or you can act like a complete lunatic, the choice is yours, but the idea is that it never gives you the chills. But it’s damn fast. I prayed for any sportscar to show up, so I can prove this point, but I got no response. Given my intentions, perhaps this was for the best.
It’s probably not OK to mention this, but when you’re in a GLA45 AMG in the wet and you see a sign warning you about a slippery road section ahead, this puts a smiles on your face. And the car achieves this while keeping you in relative safety.
Since we mentioned safety, we have to explain the thick pillars of the GLA, which do affect the visibility, are there for a reason. The strong structure of the car is part of the reasons for which this Mercedes has one of the best Euro NCAP scores we've seen in a while, whether we're talking about adult and child protection or pedestrian safety.
At a certain point, we realised we had gotten a bit enthusiastic with the performance driving and that the next gas station was beyond the range displayed by the car. If anybody asks, we meant to do that in order to test the efficiency.
Luckily, we managed to find a gas station sooner than our navigation thought, but the GLA45 AMG showed it can settle down completely when you want it to.
Back on the highway, I noticed this car is discrete enough to boost its fun factor. Think about it - whether it’s about not being obvious when passing by the police or tricking other drivers into a sleeper trap, the GLA AMG ticks all the right boxes.
And don’t bother about the hood vibrating a bit at high speeds. It’s normal and you can carry on with what you were doing.
What you should worry about is a truck pulling out in front of you though. This was an involuntary occasion to test the brakes. The stopping power is as hefty as expected and gives you confidence even after repeated use. But the best part of the CLA AMG’s brakes is the pedal setup, as the sharp response is mixed with plenty of room to modulate.
To prevent massive turbo lag, the AMG engineers spread this from the usual 2,000 rpm area all the way to 3,000 rpm. So while the car only feels like a 360 hp machine above that point, you never feel short on power, neither do you experience a hike in the delivery.
Yes, the M133 engine still feels like a two-liter turbo, but it resembles the MBA-level educated sister of the nice girl you used to hang out with. In other words, you won’t feel the need for more power in this car and it will ruin any future 2L turbo experiences below 300 hp.
So, is the Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG a crossover? No. Neither is it a sportscar. And it’s way too elegant in terms of driving to be considered a hot hatchback.
Instead, this is a car that made me happy when life decided to pack plenty of action in the last hour of our trip. That’s when we met both an STI and an EVO and I was glad about Mercedes-Benz’s way of building this type of car. Oh and leaving an older Ducati behind wasn’t bad either. You can’t help but enjoy winning such a battle when you return home after 2,000 miles and feel you could easily get back behind the wheel.
The passenger experience
At first, I didn’t appreciate the front seats, with their moderately-firm feel and their built-in headrests. After some 170 miles (270 km) I was convinced the German engineers had made the right choice. Yes, they might have felt a bit too much on the stiff side at first, but they offered just the right balance to keep my body happy on the long run.I had chosen the passenger seat for the first part of the journey, so I focused on the Mercedes bits more than the AMG ones. Interestingly enough, my fellow editor was having his own focus, obviously on the driving bits and our goals didn’t seem to interfere. It was a bit amusing to see how he was becoming intimate with the throttle without this leading to any disturbance on my side.
Full discosure: this was also the moment we noticed our photo camera had given up on us. We decided not to blame each other for not brigning along the backup equipment and called it a day - this is why the images in the gallery below are the ones we used in our GLA45 AMG review.
It was dawn when I noticed just how much of an effect the ambient lighting has. With the GLA not following the latest MB dashboard design features, the center console doesn’t look all that premium during the day. But when that ambient light steps in, all the areas of the interior feel elegant - from the way in which the orange light reflects in the massive brake pedal to the effect it has on the seat-adjusting buttons on the doors.
The suspension is surprisingly comfortable. Just like the CLA45 AMG taxi we rode in last year, our GLA was fitted with the standard, not the AMG Performance suspension - you really don’t want that for everyday driving.
However, unlike in the case of the four-door coupe, the GLA can cope with pretty much any road imperfection you can throw at it. Sure, the car can get a bit agitated on broken pavement, but even the infamous highways around Vienna didn’t manage to ruin the ride too much. And that 4.9-inch (125 mm) ride height seems like an excellent compromise.
As I found out a few hours later, you can easily sleep while riding shotgun in a GLA45 AMG. That, of course, requires the driver to keep things steadily. Which the other editor did, for about 20 minutes.
Probably jealous of my relaxed state, he decided to take a little detour on a back road. It was the AMG Performance exhaust that awakened me and yet I still have to recommend this option. The noise balance is just right and the pops your get on the Sport driving mode are simply delightful.
By the time we were back on the highway, I felt I could easily get back at him. For one thing, the GLA is the anti-suction cup car. There’s simply no place where you can place such a device that would hold your phone in place, for instance. This meant I could easily mess with his backup navigation, a smartphone he had carefully placed inside the car.
From the driver's seat
But I didn’t and that’s because we switched roles soon. Having tested the cozy part of this AMG, I decided to use the damp corner that soon followed to see what the ESP is all about in its most restrictive setting.Surprise! Despite having a three-pointed star on its radiator grille, the GLA45 AMG does allow tiny slides, even when the electronics are fully on. Speaking of which, this Mercedes find itself at an interesting wheelbase value. This is short enough to keep the car agile and generous enough to make it stable while going sideways.
A 60 mph (90 km/h) slide I was able to hold for a while can confirm that. I hate short-wheelbase cars because of their twitchiness, but this was far from being the case.
The steering is nice too. AMG have managed to accustom us to some of the most consistent steering systems on the go-fast side of the market. Sure, there could be more feedback, but the car is talkative enough to be enjoyable. I’ve always liked the Renault Megane RS’ agitated steering, as it comes in handy for the sideways stuff, but the mature feeling in this AMG makes the RS feel like a joker.
Whether it’s an A45 or an SLS, you can easily feel you’re dealing with a steering that’s been configured in Affalterbach.
Go crazy! You can
I had to enjoy my share of B-roads, so I decided to switch into Sport mode, which revealed the greatest flaw of the car: the driving mode button should be on the steering wheel, not integrated in the AMG console, where it’s difficult to reach.Regardless, I moved on to push the car as hard as I could through the corners. Yes, you do feel the 4Matic system is FWD-based, so don’t expect BMW M135i xDrive power-on slides.
On the other hand, the GLA45 AMG feels considerably sportier than the BMW and you can rely on its safe handling to slide that rear end, knowing it will always come back in line on the spot.
You can drive this thing with precision or you can act like a complete lunatic, the choice is yours, but the idea is that it never gives you the chills. But it’s damn fast. I prayed for any sportscar to show up, so I can prove this point, but I got no response. Given my intentions, perhaps this was for the best.
It’s probably not OK to mention this, but when you’re in a GLA45 AMG in the wet and you see a sign warning you about a slippery road section ahead, this puts a smiles on your face. And the car achieves this while keeping you in relative safety.
Since we mentioned safety, we have to explain the thick pillars of the GLA, which do affect the visibility, are there for a reason. The strong structure of the car is part of the reasons for which this Mercedes has one of the best Euro NCAP scores we've seen in a while, whether we're talking about adult and child protection or pedestrian safety.
At a certain point, we realised we had gotten a bit enthusiastic with the performance driving and that the next gas station was beyond the range displayed by the car. If anybody asks, we meant to do that in order to test the efficiency.
Luckily, we managed to find a gas station sooner than our navigation thought, but the GLA45 AMG showed it can settle down completely when you want it to.
Back on the highway, I noticed this car is discrete enough to boost its fun factor. Think about it - whether it’s about not being obvious when passing by the police or tricking other drivers into a sleeper trap, the GLA AMG ticks all the right boxes.
And don’t bother about the hood vibrating a bit at high speeds. It’s normal and you can carry on with what you were doing.
What you should worry about is a truck pulling out in front of you though. This was an involuntary occasion to test the brakes. The stopping power is as hefty as expected and gives you confidence even after repeated use. But the best part of the CLA AMG’s brakes is the pedal setup, as the sharp response is mixed with plenty of room to modulate.
Are two liters really enough?
Speaking of mystakes, I did engage in a few overtaking maneuvers that saw me changing my mind after exiting on the other lane. Well, the engine was potent enough to overcome this and, once I floored it, it all turned into a quick and safe experience.To prevent massive turbo lag, the AMG engineers spread this from the usual 2,000 rpm area all the way to 3,000 rpm. So while the car only feels like a 360 hp machine above that point, you never feel short on power, neither do you experience a hike in the delivery.
Yes, the M133 engine still feels like a two-liter turbo, but it resembles the MBA-level educated sister of the nice girl you used to hang out with. In other words, you won’t feel the need for more power in this car and it will ruin any future 2L turbo experiences below 300 hp.
The best parts of it all
You see, there are faster vehicles out there and you can also find more comfortable rides. But what makes the GLA45 AMG special is the way in which it balances these two key assets. Now this is a quality that’s very hard to find.So, is the Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG a crossover? No. Neither is it a sportscar. And it’s way too elegant in terms of driving to be considered a hot hatchback.
Instead, this is a car that made me happy when life decided to pack plenty of action in the last hour of our trip. That’s when we met both an STI and an EVO and I was glad about Mercedes-Benz’s way of building this type of car. Oh and leaving an older Ducati behind wasn’t bad either. You can’t help but enjoy winning such a battle when you return home after 2,000 miles and feel you could easily get back behind the wheel.
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