The GLA45 doesn’t seem that fast. When you
look down on the road from your slightly elevated perch, braced by a deep
Recaro seat, you don’t ever feel like you’re pushing your luck. It takes a
second glance at the speedometer to realize that Mercedes-Benz’s new compact
hatchback is going to win a lot of friends in law enforcement.
The
GLA45 AMG rides well, smoothing out all but the worst bumps in the road
The GLA shares its front-drive bones with
the CLA sedan. While Mercedes boasts of the car’s off-road prowess, at just
under three inches taller than its sibling, the GLA is more all-wheel-drive hot
hatch than trucklet. And the GLA45 is a kinder, gentler AMG than we’re
accustomed to. There’s no furious V-8 goading you on to heroics, no
gullwing-door legacy to live up to. The car is an enabler, not a pusher. The
thrust unleashed by the boosted-to-the-moon 2.0-liter turbo four isn’t
effortless or quiet, but it’s not brash either, and you’re left with the odd
sensation of not being aware of how much you’re misbehaving. It’s a quality
shared with other people movers with high costs of entry, like the Porsche
Cayenne, and perhaps the new Porsche Macan.
The
cabin of the GLA45 AMG has a seating position which is higher than most AMG
models
For cobblestones and commuting, the GLA45
is a little stiff, but that suits us fine. Stout springs, stern dampers, and a
meaty anti-roll bar keep the car stuck to the tarmac without a significant
penalty in ride quality, and that stiffness earns its keep when the roads
narrow and disappear into drizzly switchbacks. In typical small-Mercedes
fashion, the electrically assisted steering is quick, firm, and rewarding.
The GLA45’s optional leather-and-Alcantara
steering wheel is thick and has a trendy flat bottom. The manly,
console-mounted shifter is the same one found in the SL63 AMG, and it’s a nice
upgrade over the base GLA, which you shift via a stalk on the steering column.
The rest of the interior follows that pattern, with small changes that make a
difference in feel.
The
GLA45 AMG is powered by a 355bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
engine
So many of the GLA45’s traits are shared with
the CLA45 AMG. The chassis and engine are more or less the same, and that’s a
good thing. But the GLA45 is a more engaging, more interesting car. It’s
shorter, with eight fewer inches of overhang. It’s more handsome, with lines
that will age better. The rear seat, sacrificed to styling gods on the CLA, is
here a perfectly reasonable place for an adult. The GLA is small enough to park
in the city, it feels expensive, and with all-wheel drive, it’ll keep up the
pretense of feasible (if unlikely) kayaking and bicycling vacations, at least
ones that don’t require enough room for your Labradors.
With the good comes some bad. Like the
transmission: The CLA45’s slow-witted, seven-speed, dry-dual-clutch unit also
lives here. Tuck into a tight corner and clip the apex, it’s the complete
sports-car experience, right until the exit. Spool up that twin-scroll turbo to
rocket out of the corner, and the transmission will be out to lunch. It’s a
shame. With tons of traction, great power, and decent looks, the GLA doesn’t
deserve to be saddled with anything that’ll slow it down.
