Comfort, Features and Equipment
The GLA shares its dash with the A-Class, though there are some minor visual differences; Also, the GLA is much better equipped as compared to its smaller cousin. To start with, the chrome A/C vent bezels on the GLA have crinkles on their outer edge, the A-Class doesn’t. Other small visible changes are the plain grey central dials for the GLA, as opposed to the faux carbon fibre inserts for the A-Class. The GLA also features powered seats for the front passengers with three memory slots, a feature unavailable on the A-Class. The insert on the dashboard on the GLA is also of a new material – it’s new in design and texture, and feels quite nice to look at and touch.
The seating position for the driver is much higher in the GLA, offering a better all-round view. As we remember, the low driving position of the A-Class along with the high dashboard wasn’t appreciated much by drivers who didn’t have overly enthusiastic intents. The GLA should have a wider appeal in that regard.
Apart from offering good visibility, the front seats also offer great comfort and support to the driver. Front armrest is fore and aft adjustable and also features a decent sized storage space underneath. Other storage spaces for the front passengers include two lidded crevices below the center console, followed by twin longitudinally aligned cupholders, big door panels with space for a large bottle and more, and a reasonably spacious glovebox.
At the back, the seats are spacious, and despite the sporty roofline, offer decent headroom. The somewhat A-shaped greenhouse (viewed straight on), means that the headroom reduces as you move towards the door. So while you will be alright while sitting straight in the seat, moving towards the flanks or trying to rest your head on the window will have your head brushing with the roof.
There is good leg-room at the rear with ample space for two. As one would expect with a compact crossover, putting a third passenger in would be a squeeze. There is a central arm-rest for the rear occupants with twin cup holders. Behind the arm-rest you’ll find a through opening to the boot for direct access. Rear door panels can also accommodate a large water bottle. Upholstery is done is Artico man-made leather, which, though not as premium as genuine leather functionally, looks quite good.
The GLA-Class, apart from its styling, has its generous equipment levels as a major USP. Mercedes India have launched the GLA 200 CDI in two trims, namely Style and Sport, while the petrol version is available only in the Sport variant. We drove the top-of-the-line version of the new crossover during the media drive – laden with safety, comfort and convenience features, the GLA delighted us with its long list of amenities.
The GLA comes with a panoramic sunroof, which shuts itself automatically the moment it senses a drizzle. As mentioned earlier, the front passenger seat is powered and has three slots for memory. A reversing camera, along with parking sensor should make manoeuvring the GLA a breeze in the tightest of spots, and presents itself as a unique feature for its class.
Attention Assist, meant to suggest fatigued drivers to take a break comes as standard. Mercedes-Benz have also included tyre pressure monitoring system with exact pressure reading for individual tyres as a feature on the GLA. The car also comes loaded with a Sat-Nav with India specific maps packed with plenty of information to navigate you easily even in the hinterlands.
Infotainment is provided via a 5.8 inch freestanding dash mounted screen with rotary dial controlled menus. The aural delight processed from the input is delivered via a sweet sounding Harman Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system, which again is a unique feature for the segment.
The GLA boasts of a reasonably sized boot, good to swallow 421 liters of luggage, expandable to 1235 liters with the 60:40 split rear seats dropped down fully. The useable space, however is lesser, thanks to the space saver spare which rests atop the loading bay. An interesting feature of the loading bay is its width, which is as much as the bigger ML-Class. The GLA also boasts the lowest boot sill height in its class for ease of loading.
In terms of safety and security features, the GLA comes loaded to the brim. Headline news is class-leading seven airbags with the unique knee-airbag for the driver. Solid structural rigidity along with balloons all round have managed to win the GLA a 5 STAR Euro NCAP rating – the fact should be of value for those who plan to travel with their family in the car. The regular army of electronic safety systems including Hill Start Assist, ESP, ASR and BAS comes as standard too.
The cabin is lit tastefully with highlighting ambient lighting in several places. Even the door sills are illuminated and create a premium effect. For those who want even more visual chutzpah, M-B India is offering an illuminated Triple Pointed Star emblem on the grille and bigger 19 inch wheels in two different designs as an option.
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