Overview

Mercedes-Benz has put its heart and soul into building a family SUV for everyone. The firm is continuously expanding its range to meet the needs of modern buyers. As well as the GLA we have here, there’s the GLB, GLC, GLE and GLS – as well as the extreme G-Class – the off-road daddy of them all.

But the GLA is the one that everyone wants. Relatively affordable, and boasting UK-friendly dimensions, this small family SUV, based on the excellent A-Class hatchback is the second-generation of the franchise.

It needs to be good, as the quality of the opposition is a whole lot higher than before. There’s a slew of small SUVs it’s up against, and even when sticking to the premium players, there’s bags of choice.

Top targets for Mercedes-Benz (and therefore, your shopping list too) are the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Volvo XC40. Other rivals worth looking at are the Lexus UX, Jaguar E-Pace and small SUVs such as the Audi Q2 and BMW X2.

Being a consummate professional at offering the maximum number of variations on a theme, the GLA comes with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid engines, as well as six trim levels, opening with the Sport and topping out at the Exclusive. And that’s before we talk about the sporting AMG 35 and 45s.

It’s a well-equipped model in standard form, but the stepping up the range adds some very desirable kit, such as a panoramic roof and fully adaptive LED headlights. To boost your monthlies a little more, there’s an optional Driving Assistance package available, which adds the best systems to help with your driving, such as adaptive cruise control.

So, the GLA has a huge number of premium rivals, but sets out to beat them by offering something for everyone. Click through our review to find out exactly how good it is and whether it can beat rivals. We’ll tell you if it’s good to drive, how spacious it is, what it’ll cost you and how plush it is inside.