A New SUV with Versatile Talents, from On-Road to Off-Road

To be held in SeptemberFrankfurt Motor ShowAhead of its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz's new compact SUV, the GLA Class, has been officially announced.

The GLA is Mercedes-Benz's first model in the rapidly growing compact SUV segment. Its dimensions are 4,417 mm in length, 1,804 mm in width, and 1,494 mm in height, making it similar in size to the newB-ClassB-Class. Naturally, as an SUV, its ride height is nearly 260 mm higher than the B-Class, but its footprint (the area it occupies on the road) can be considered comparably compact.



The exterior design follows the image of the "Concept GLA," which can be considered a preview presented at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show.Concept GLAIn that sense, there are no major surprises, but with large-diameter tires placed at the four corners of the body and a ride height that suggests high off-road capability, there are many highlights that make it an expected all-rounder SUV.

The engine lineup includes a 1.6-liter (156 hp) for the "GLA 200" and a 2.0-liter (211 hp) for the "GLA 250," both gasoline engines. For the European market, two diesel engines with a displacement of 2.2 liters and differing power outputs (GLA 200 CDI, GLA 220 CDI) will also be introduced.

The much-anticipated 4WD system is the 4MATIC, which, similar to theCLA Class"CLA Class," varies the front-to-rear torque distribution between 100:0 and 50:50 according to driving and road conditions. On normal roads under favorable conditions, it operates as a fuel-efficient FF.




With the introduction of the GLA, Mercedes-Benz will complete a diverse lineup of five model series ranging from the C-segment to full-size SUVs (GLA Class, GLK Class, ML Class, GL Class, G Class). We plan to provide further details on the GLA in due course, so please stay tuned.