Published:
5 August 2014A range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines are offered in the Mercedes GLA. The entry-level GLA 200 gets a 154bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol, while the GLA 200 and 220 CDI pack a 2.1-litre turbodiesel in 134bhp and 168bhp guises.
A more powerful petrol option, badged the GLA 250, features a 208bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. All are available with Mercedes' 4Matic four-wheel-drive system, which grants buyers the further option of a dual-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel-drive models otherwise get a six-speed manual transmission.
Those in the market for an even faster option could consider the Mercedes-AMG GLA 45, which is powered by a 355bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine.
We've yet to test the entry-level GLA 200, but have sampled the flagship GLA 250. It offers up a substantial amount of torque, granting the GLA stout performance. It's a clean and economical choice too, with Mercedes claiming an average 42.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 154g/km.
Most buyers are likely to default to the diesel options, however. Although it doesn’t seem the most modern turbodiesel on the market, Daimler’s 2.1-litre lump does lend the GLA a fairly authoritative level of performance befitting a premium product.
The 220 CDI we tested hit 60mph in 8.1sec in our hands, the car proving itself almost exactly as fast as Mercedes claims (8.3sec to 62mph) and quicker in outright terms than the headline diesel versions of the likes of the Mazda CX-5 and Nissan Qashqai – by a healthy margin.
