Used 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Consumer Reviews

Love the GLA250!

I love this car! It's an absolute blast to drive whether on the highway or on the curvy back roads and it looks great! You push this car to pass someone one the back roads and it just hunkers right down like it's driving on rails. The way it handles, drives, and looks is all Mercedes. Inside and out everything is polished. One odd thing is the multimedia display is not a touch screen. AppleCar play works great although I do prefer the Mercedes navigation over Apple's. One thing the detailed reviews don't tend to go over are the different driving modes you can put the car in. The different modes change how the steering feels, how sensitive the throttle is, where the shift points are, along with some specific behavior for the mode. There modes include Comfort (the default), Sport, Offroad, Eco, and an Individual mode where you can changes some of the settings. Eco will give you the greatest gas mileage: softer steering, slow throttle response (unless to punch it), shifts early, shuts the engine off at stops, and tends to "coast" the engine. Sport stiffens the steering, very sensitive throttle response, and shifts late (fun!). It also will use more active all-wheel drive (4MATIC models) going around corners. Comfort is in-between Eco and Sport. Offroad softens the steering, slower throttle response, shifts later, and cuts back on the anti-lock brakes for better stopping distance from "plowing" the gravel on braking. Individual mode lets you change some of these settings. All modes except Offroad turns off the engine at stops by default (this can be overridden). Honestly, other than suspension behaviour, it feels like you're getting 3-4 different cars in one. You can go totally green commuting and highway driving and get great gas mileage; get something in-between if you want more response and trade-off gas mileage, or go totally fun mode on the back roads. If you drive on a fair amount of dirt roads (like I do), you get the bonus of offroad mode as well. This didn't make or break the deal for me--it was an unexpected bonus! I ended up w/ the Kryptonite Green which looks much better in person than on the computer screen--great color! I used Edmunds to get $4200 below MSRP.

Stylish, Sporty, Solid, Comfort!

This vehicle is a truly beautiful machine with robust power and a comfortable & luxurious ride. It's relatively compact, though seats 4 adults comfortably; the benefit to the smaller SUV size is great gas mileage. It's very well built (sturdy) and gives a sense of security and confidence in driving. With all the bells and whistles, it's a modern tech dream -- radar cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear camera, big nav display, and simple bluetooth pairing for phone music/calls. The pano sunroof makes the cabin seem very spacious, and the sport package styling is sharp and aggressive. Ride is smooth & quiet, and we do not notice any erratic transmission shifting as others have commented -- maybe they re-programmed the transmission for this newer factory model? The dealer experience (Fletcher-Jones in Henderson, NV) was exceptional compared to any other. They didn't pressure us to buy inventory and cheerfully helped with a factory order. It took about 3 months to arrive. We ordered in South Sea Blue, Brown Leather, Satin Poplar Wood, Sport Package, Panorama Roof, Bi-Xenon & LED Lights, Interior Package, Premium Package, Multimedia Package, Power Passenger Seat, and Driver Assistant Package. Highly recommend this car in a "loaded config" -- it's the nicest car we've every owned or driven!

Cool Week in Florida with a GLA 250

Rented a GLA 250 4-matic to drive from West Palm Beach to St. Augustine and back for a wedding. The front seats were exceptionally comfortable and supportive, and the rear cargo area was plenty for two and our gear. Not much room in the rear for passengers - which was irrelevant to us. Performance - acceleration, handling, braking - was exhilarating. Ride was firm but not harsh while cruising. Fuel economy was excellent. Used sport mode around town and economy on the highway, with sport steering setting. Cruises easily at 100 mph with little road noise and full control. The engine stop/start feature was an aggravation, with hesitation, so I disabled it. The transmission was smoother in sport mode than in economy or comfort. There is a custom feature available too. Audio was good but not great, and no equalizer controls. I would opt for the Harmon-Kardon upgrade for $750 (can be ordered separately from various packages). Burnished aluminum on dash was ugly and reflected too much sun. Opt for wood. Electronics were a steep learning curve indeed; but this was a rental with insufficient time to study the manual. Not intuitive. I agree the central screen looks like a cheap add-on. Visibility is limited due to the small windows all around. I normally drive a Ford Focus hatch with manual tranny, so the outstanding performance and solid quality build was impressive. Missed the clutch; but there are paddle shifters. Did not take it offroad; but doubt it would make it over the dune on the Outer Banks. More of a slick-handling sporty AWD hatch with tremendous performance for the price. Cannot even imagine driving the AMG version.

Poor value for the price

Let's get to the fun stuff first -- this car accelerates and corners like a Mercedes should, quick off the start or merging on a highway, handling winding roads, and comfortably using the cruise control to increase speed 5 mph at a time. When you step on the gas, it feels like the engine is gently pullling you along. Even with cruise set at 75 through the mountains of WV, there's no lurching between gears. Panoramic sun roof and shade screen is nice. The GLA is definitely more hatchback than SUV, though, when it comes to size and fit. Cargo area is small, back seats are smaller, and even front head & leg room is slight. Reliabilty has been an issue: an electronic part failed, causing a complete electrical failure that would have cost $2400 to replace if the car wasn't under warranty. Tires replaced after 25,000 miles, mostly highway, dealership said I was lucky to get 20k from them because they're soft rubber for performance. On third set of tires after 46,000 miles. So plan on $800 every 20k for new tires. Entertainment system is unnecessarily complicated, and the iPad looking thing on the dash (that looks like a last minute addition) is NOT a touch screen, so it's all buttons and knobs. Electronic safety systems have quit on me 5-7 times in the last 15 months, but they work fine when the car is re-started later. Overall, I'd expect better reliability for this level of engineering. Would not buy in the future.

Great car

My wife and I love this car; it is luxury inside and out. The GLA sits high and is very comfortable; MPG is very good; handling is great; it has plenty of power; and it has a lot of storage space. I compared the GLA with the Lincoln, BMW, and Audi and we picked the GLA. Some of the supposed experts knock the GLA because it doesn't fit into a certain category; who cares. Just look at the reviews of the people who own the GLA. For my wife and I , it is perfect.

I love this car

I looked very seriously at 4 vehicles before buying the Mercedes GLA 250 : the Volvo V60, the VW Alltrack, and the BMW X1. The Mercedes has everything that I wanted. It has the Apple CarPlay, which I love. The controls are really easy to read and understand which makes driving the vehicle safer for me because I am not taking time to figure the display out. BMW - display was too busy and complex for me. The Volvo, seats not that comfy in my opinion and visibility terrible. The Alltrack was nice but to be honest, the customer service at the dealership stunk! The salespeople at Mercedes were so attentive and on point the entire time, that the sales process went very smooth. This car has driven like a dream for the 1000 miles I've put on it to date, and I really like it. Cons are that the glovebox is small, the headroom is a bit tight at times if you are tall and the back storage is a little tight, but the drive and comfort on the road and ease of controls, heat, radio, etc. I just love the layout of it all and the interior is very stylish!

Unique Multi-tasker

I have taken the GLA45 on road trips and the track. It is the best vehicle I have ever driven which includes some BMW M models. It has carried kayaks and paddle boards, been down some graded dirt roads and done a track day. It did everything superbly. I only used the Sport+ setting on the track, not even race. The dual clutch shifts seamlessly and almost no roll. I have the adaptive suspension, too. It is very quick but does have a pedal delay which is some really odd programming. The turbo will come on strong but smoothly. I like having a unique car. The only negatives for me are in the technology. The computer is complex and takes a lot of time to program and look for stuff. The car is new so I cannot comment on reliability but hopefully it will be average. I strongly recommend this car as a performance vehicle that can multitask, too. It is a lot of car for the money. If you want one you will want to limit options and I would offer ten percent less than the sticker. Mercedes overloads the options like a luxury cruiser which can add $25k and makes it a super expensive hot hatch. They also tend not to carry many colors outside of the gray scale. So, it you want red or blue and under $60k you will have to look far and wide. Most will be $65k and up and in black, gray, silver or white. However, if you love driving and need a crossover-hatch-SUV this is the best!

A sporty cross-over GLA250

I love this car! Its a small crossover but it's perfect enough for me and it doesn't feel like I'm in a big family SUV. I got the car with the sports package and it drives really really well with good handle on turns. The trunk, however, is small so if you have huge cargo at all times, this may not be the right car for you. The car is worth test driving and if you like it make sure that you do research before you lease. Don't forget to utilize edmunds.com for the resources they offer!

Overall a very nice ride.

Performance was less than I expected. Mercedes should increase the horsepower from 208hp to at least 250hp on this vehicle. The same 4 cyl turbo engine in the MB 300 series is rated at 240 hp. I had to bring the car to a performance tuning service to have the ECU reprogrammed to about 270 hp to get the performance I expect from Mercedes. At the 270 hp level the performance is what I expected. The other problem is the Android Auto would not connect with my Samsung S7 phone. The dealer uploaded the latest MB software and it still would not connect. My S7 was able to connect with other 2018 MB vehicles, so it was not my phone or cable. I finally gave up and had to buy a new S10e phone for almost $800 to be able to use Android Auto.

First Merc - wanting a small sporty luxury SUV

The styling of the GLA-250 caught my attention, absolutely loved it. I was in the market for a small sporty luxury SUV and was looking to trade in my 05 Infinity FX35. First time leaser, and wanting to keep the monthly cost as low as possible, it was between the GLA and the new Infinity GX30. Several competitors didn't make the shortlist: BMW X1 looks like a cheap/inferior BMW. Lexus NX styling is bizarre. Land Rover Evoque looks like an elephant sat on it and is super expensive. Audi Q3 was close to the shortlist but didn't have time to fully research. Lincoln MKC is American, say no more. I researched, test drove and received quotes for the GLA and Infinity, which are essentially the same platform. The GLA (just) won every category on my comparison checklist, and the dealership experience was much 'classier' and less 'salesy'. And after a couple of rounds of negotiation I was presented an unbelievable 3 year / 12,000 mpy lease for under $300/month, including service costs. Absolutely love the deal, the car and the buying experience.

MB Summer event - great lease deals

I'm 3 days into having this car and I LOVE it! I purchased an Acura RL brand new in 2004 and this car has all the bells and whistles (if not more) than that car did at 50K. Sticker price was around $47K for the GLA250 4matic but I can only surmise that I got the most unbelievable deal of the century on mine as it was Kryptonite Green and most conservative MB and BMW owners prefer boring black/white/grey instead. It's chalk full of stuff I'll probably never need or use but luxurious to the core. My ONLY slight negative would be the fact that storage on interior is sparse. The glove box is pretty small and then there is a small area in the center console armrest. I can fit an umbrella and a few papers into the glove box and that's about it. I'm sure they needed the room for on board computers and such so that's the only thing I noticed that I thought could use improvement. Otherwise MB hit it out of the park.

EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS!!!

Mercedes offers several maintenance programs; a 6 year extended warranty, full scheduled maintenance for 5 years at a greatly reduced price, (if you sit down and calculate the actual cost of individual items and required fluid replacements and such it really adds up; this not only schedules everything to keep the vehicle in top shape but saves money over the long run), and my favorite the "ding & bump repair" program, (for only a few hundred dollars Mercedes Benz will repair all the unsightly little dings and bumps that happen in parking lots and elsewhere each time you bring your car in for service, how cool). We purchased our 2016 GLA250 4dr SUV from Park Place of Plano in North Texas. They were terrific. In fact we probably will purchase from them again shortly. I cannot say enough good things about our salesman, the managers, everyone involved.

Best sporty smaller SUV

Great looking inside and out, very comfortable, great handling, LOVE this vehicle!!!! Quality purchase

Such a FUN combo of SPORT & CLASS!

Looks are unique- definitely a head turner. Expected it to be much more expensive! Love this car. I've owned several Volvo's, a BMW, a Porsche, domestics, & other MB's. This has been the best value, by far!!

Worst car ever!!!!!

The first week the horn stopped working. While in the shop car would not start. Car has been in and out of the dealership at least 6 times because it refuses to start!! VERY UNDEPENDABLE! Worst Mercedes we’ve ever had. TERRIBLE CAR AND NO ASSISTANCE FROM MERCEDES!!!

Wheel Spin, Torque Steer, and Bluetooth Disconnect

I got this car from SIXT rental car in San Francisco and spent the week with it. I really wanted to like this car but every time you accelerate (even lightly) the wheels want to spin or you get torque steer around a turn. The engine is peppy but not so much that it should be spinning one of the front wheels. This car only had 5K miles on it so it was pretty new. The interior was nice, although the seats were pretty firm for a small SUV. The ride was firm but this doesn't other me because I like sporty cars. The other annoying thing about the car is that my bluetooth kept disconnecting randomly while on phone calls. I have an iPhone 6S Plus so there is no reason for this (and it does not happen in other cars). I think I would have given this car 4 stars if I had the all wheel drive version. I would not recommend the front wheel drive version.

A disappointing experience

This car has a really significant 'blind spot' caused by the width of the strut between the front and rear doors and the wing mirror is small. My model has the 'Blind Spot Assist' feature which I find to be unreliable to the point of being dangerous.

new

Noisy cabin, more than normal engine noise, doors are too small, hard to get in, hard to make the horn to work, bad visibility. Not filling like driving a luxury car. On a nice day if one of the rear windows are full or partially open while driving the noise is irresistible.

Should be the "Or Nothing" Vehicle

The best or nothing, huh? This vehicle should have been the "or nothing". Mercedes made a terrible mistake using front wheel drive. The tires easily break from pavement when accelerating around any corner. Torque steer is among the worst I have experienced. Very poor engine performance. So many rattles. Nothing even close to fuel mileage indicated on windows sticker. About the only good I can say, the seats are comfortable. But overall, pass on this one.

Great choice for young generations

Although the noise control and riding comfort is not good as other Mercedes model, it is totally enough for young people. I really don't care about the space of rear seat. The power is great and also it's fuel economy. It's perfect for young people, I enjoy the driving so much.

I hate fake leather

for this amount of money, fake leather is annoying. Also, I know I live in TX but why is it so difficult to find a dark leather interior (I have dogs and teenagers...... light colored interiors are difficult to keep clean.... and light pleather doesn't clean well at all) so damned difficult to find.

So far so good

Owned for 55 days and 3200 miles. Easily gets 31mpg on the highway, and pretty good (28+) around town. Car is very tight and very quick. The various driving modes actually do make a noticeable difference. Cross shopped Cayman and Macan; am extremely glad with my choice so far. The rumble sound and feeling is reminiscent of the Cayman. Insurance was less than it's predecessor, a 2017 Jaguar XF. So far no wear/tear issues. A service manager at a MB dealer says that the only "odd" wear issues he's observed are tires, oddly enough. In addition to the car itself, I like that you don't see a lot of them on the road. A previous reviewer complains about how often he has to fill the tank up.......that's because it has a small-ish fuel tank, duh. The interior is NOT it's strong suit. 6'2/245lbs no problem with ingress/egress or headroom. UPDATE. It's now been a year and I'm at 60k plus miles. At about 50k miles put new tires on; they may have had some life left but not much. Tirerack is the place to get tires. A couple of oil changes, replaced brake fluid preemtpively, and might have the differential fluid done at the next oil change. Still on the same brakes. Still 100% satisfied. Average 30.5 mpg overall, and have seen as high as 36. Car is stupid fast when I can get enough road to push it. Warm winter, so no snow/ice to speak of. Love that they are not super common on the road.

I safe my life in this vehicle. Super strong body

The only thing I that for me diminish the inside comfort is that driver's door frame is to low and affects the comfort of driver when looking for visibility

Great car , great price!

Great performance, comfortable ride, great gas mileage.

Reliability in question

I love this car. I love the way it handles tight turns and how it hugs the road. I enjoy driving this car. It picks up speed so quickly I never have to worry about merging into a highway, etc. The interior leaves no room for complaint although it’s usually just me in the car aside from the occasional passenger in the passenger and back seat and I’ve never had a problem. I love this car so much (it’s my 4th Mercedes) that I’m considering purchasing the exact same model/color. My concern is the reliability which lead to my reviewing reviews this morning. I recently had an electrical problem (computer is shot and needs to be replaced) which will cost me $2800. Upon thinking about last few years with this vehicle, I have had the radio turn off on me while driving for no reason and I have had the car not start for me more than handful of times on first me even second try. Periodically, my road side assist would stop working and then return to working order on its own. I’m not sure if these issues are unique to my vehicle or if this is a common issue among the gla model. I did read in a previous review that another owner also experienced an electrical problem. I just would expect more from Mercedes. Again, these electrical issues began when the car was not even a year old. Was under warranty and they fixed it but still made me lose confidence in the car.

Glam no gutts!

Looked liked a Honda on the inside. Too expensive for what you get. Might as well buy a CRV.

Benzo Time!!

Amazing SUV we couldn’t be happier with this purchase well worth it!! The panoramic roof is amazing and the Matte paint job is absolutely stunning!!

Return MB buyer

Love my cer

A Poor Man's Mercedes

Fun to drive in town. A pleasure to drive on the highway