Test drive Mercedes A-Class or GLA: beauty against age

Which of the brand's two compact models with a three-pointed star is the best buy?

With the MBUX function control system, the current A-Class has made a small revolution. On the other hand, the GLA is based on the previous model. In that case, is the GLA 200 an equal opponent to the A 200?

How quickly time flies is easy to see at first glance at the GLA. It only hit the market in 2014, but since the new A-Class arrived this spring, it now looks significantly older.

Probably, buyers have the same impression - until August this year, the A-Class was sold more than twice. Perhaps this is due to its design, which makes the car look much more dynamic. It's also larger, albeit slightly smaller, and offers more cabin space than the more customized GLA. Officially on Mercedes, the factory model X 156 is classified as an SUV, but in real life it is a crossover, so when comparing the driving performance of the two cars, we do not find much difference. However, the SUV model seems to have a slightly smoother engine. Explanation: While the 270-cylinder M 156 four-cylinder engine is still in service, the A 200 now uses the new 282-litre M 1,4 with 163 hp. True, it picks up speed more readily, runs a little more economically and offers better dynamic performance, but its ride is a little rougher, which makes a stronger impression in the difficult A-class. By the way, both engines are combined with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, for an additional fee of BGN 4236. If we talk about prices, then the A 200 is not only more modern, but also cheaper than the GLA.

CONCLUSION

Less space, higher cost, an old infotainment system - the GLA has almost nothing to match the A-Class here.

2020-08-30