When will the proliferation of the SUV
sector end or will it just keep growing, like some virus, eventually consuming
all the traditional segment players? Seems everyone is in on the act of SUV-ing
things: VW is soon to release a jacked-up version of the Beetle, while Toyota
looks to be working on a high-rise Corolla too. I mean c'mon. Mercedes-Benz has
been slow on the SUV uptake in right-hand drive markets. In New Zealand for
instance, MB claims leadership in luxury passenger car sales, but only because
BMW and Audi have many shiny SUVs to temps their buyers with, and so Mercedes
Benz sits third in the luxury sales race overall. This will change in the
coming year with a new GLK mid-sized SUV being developed for RHD (previously
the 4Matic C-Class, on which the GLK is based, could not be engineered cost
effectively for RHD production) and the recent release of the new GLA compact
SUV.
The
GLA is arguably the best of Mercedes' new generation of compact cars
This little GLA really stretches the
definition of the SUV, but that’s what it is marketed as, and while we could
devote litres of ink to the great SUV debate, we'll just roll with it. Compared
with the A-Class (whose platform and driveline architecture it shares) it rides
a little higher off the ground, is a little more rugged looking, slightly
bigger and offers more interior room. It lands here at a starting price of $65k
for a front wheel-drive diesel version, with a 4x4 turbopetrol version
launching later in the month, and the mad AMG 45 version coming next year.
The GLA shoots to undercut its German
counterparts, being cheaper, but also smaller than the Xl and Q3. It's more
Mini Countryman in size, while another not so traditional rival but one that is
closest in concept, execution and price is the Volvo V40 Cross Country.
Launched late last year, it now accounts for half of the V40 range's sales
despite its price premium. So here we have two SUV-lites from the premium
sector both with diesel engines driving the front wheels, so which one to have?
The
Volvo V40 Cross Country offers a comfortably pliant ride and tidy handling
Getting your money's worth
The GLA 200 CDI starts at $64,900, while
this test car wears the $3,190 AMG pack which brings bigger wheels, styling
add-ons, lowered sports suspension(!) and sporty seats with red cut leather
among other things, along with electrically adjustable and heated seats which
add another $1,290. The usual 200 clobber includes 18-inch foot wear, manually
adjusted seats covered in man-made cow, myriad connectivity solutions, sat nav,
a back-up camera, dual zone air, auto self parking, a speed limiter, an auto
tailgate, runflat tyres, blind spot monitoring, collision mitigation with a
self-braking function and nine air bags. So well stocked then. The $62,990 V40
CC comes standard with leather electrically adjustable seats, but lacks the
auto tailgate (no great loss) and blind spot monitors, although it has a
pedestrian air bag, and collision avoidance with self braking. And it has a
spare wheel. More safety kit can be optioned in, a $5,500 pack giving you a
blind spot system, self parking and adaptive cruise control. A little strange
that this is optional given Volvo's safety obsession. So give or take a few
items, these two are closely matched on the spec front, though Mercedes Benz
has the better after sales service with three years servicing included, along
with other niceties to enhance the ownership experience.
The
GLA's interior has a suitably premium feel
Design and execution
Buyers of two-wheel drive SUVs probably
don't care much about the oily bits, they like the way they look (and that they
are cheaper than the 4x4 versions) and both of these have the added ride height
and some plastic body cladding that make them look more up for it than the
hatches they are based on. The GLA sprouts from A-Class origins but at least
has its own body panels, its dimensions are a bit bigger all round and the
seats are set a little higher, whereas the CC is just a V40 with body
adornments, bigger wheels and some added air under the arches. The GLA gets
taller suspension too, and bigger wheels with high profile 'SUV' rubber to make
it look the part.
Step
inside and the spacious, high quality interior of the Volvo V40 Cross Country
still impresses
Both would classify themselves as premium
offerings, though the Volvo imparts the more luxurious persona. The GLA's cabin
design is underwhelming; the minor controls look dated and feel plasticy. The
column mounted shifter is a good idea however, it gets it out of the way
freeing up centre console space and it's easy to use. But the touchy feely
experience isn't great in the GLA with too many black, hard plastics about. In
the V40, there's more space up front, so you don't feel so hemmed in, and
there's a more luxurious feel to its surfaces. Even the design, though getting
on in age, looks more modem, especially the configurable LCD instruments, while
it's all made better too.
