Used 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Consumer Reviews
Love the Lowrider
jbrooks, 07/03/2018
GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
30 of 31 people found this review helpful
Updated Jan 2020 - After 18 months, like this car better than when we purchased it. Would prefer more headroom (believe a sunroof, which we don't have, provides more). Needs an interior lock/unlock key on passenger side. Long trips - i.e. RTP NC to Pittsburgh round trip - firm ride but comfortable and when you arrive after 9 hours on the road, you are NOT beaten up - very appreciative of that. Gas mileage still good - used oil the first 2-3K miles - since then zero oil consumption. No mechanical issues or electrical/infotainment concerns - knock on wood (which is attractive by the way). Car drives and handles well - both AC and heat are good - esp AC in the South. Would buy a new one (and probably will looking at how sharp the 2021's are...). Original Purchase: Key things: 1. Premium gas (offset by really good gas mileage). 2. Lower height than most SUV's and crossovers 3. Learn how to use the throttle correctly to moderate turbo. We shopped everything - Ford Edge Titanium | BMW X1 and X2 | Volvo XC 40 | Audi Q3 | Subaru Outback | Chevrolet Equinox. Looked for five star safety (US or Europe). Reviews said car was loud. We don't find it any louder than our other cars. Maybe a little quieter. Believe any excess noise due to run-flat tires. Reviews also said car was jerky. It is correct that between 1600 and about 1900 RPM there is some turbo lag to be managed by the driver in automatic mode (i.re. not shifting manually). Brakes are excellent and steering, despite steer by wire, appears to have good feel and is on point. AC fan control is via up and down buttons - would prefer a dial...Apple car play works as it should. There are a lot of customization options available..Front seats are very comfortable - back seats are comfortable for me - 6' tall - much taller and there could be an issue! We did a "test packing" at our dealer - we loaded suitcases with the back seats up and then loaded - with the seat down - we stored 4 standard suitcases, four other cases, two backbacks, a dog crate and some other this and that. Of course, while we are the dealership, we did the same load test in the GLC as well. Got a good end of model year closeout price so very pleased.
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Loving my GLA 250 4MATIC
Jules, 11/15/2018
GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
13 of 14 people found this review helpful
I recently purchased my 2018 GLA 4MATIC after having a hard top Miata for a few years. I LOVED my Miata but it was time for a more luxurious ride. I first looked at the Volvo XC40 and while I really liked the car, there was a huge blind spot and none of the dealers within a 100 mile radius had any in stock and I would have to order one and wait until the new year for it to arrive. No instant gratification there! Then I started to consider the GLA, the Audi Q3 and the BMW 1 & 3. I test drove the GLA and really liked it but thought I'd look at the other brands before purchasing. The Audi didn't have Apple Car Play and that was a deal breaker. And I have never liked BMWs (I know I'm weird) so after looking at them in Palo Alto, I crossed them off my list without a test drive. (I sat in both the 1 & 3 and didn't like the interior on either - both felt cheap and cramped.) I decided on the GLA 250 4MATIC and I've had it for a month. I really like the way it drives and handles. I like a car to go and pick up quickly, so I was concerned it wouldn't be zippy enough, but that isn't an issue. The front is very comfy and I love the support the seats offer as well as the layout. The tech systems was very easy and intuitive and I'm not a techie so I was worried about that, but again, not an issue. I'm short and the head room isn't the greatest but I have the first seat position button set to very low and the second button set to where I drive, so entering and exiting isn't an issue. The back seat is small and I wouldn't want to sit there, but I don't have to, and I rarely have passengers in the back. As for the cargo space, don't buy this car if you're looking to haul big or large items - it's not built or meant for that. I love this car and it fits my lifestyle perfectly - beautiful exterior and interior, great ride, great pick up, and I think it handles great. Also, the dealer experience at MB surpassed all the others except Audi - they were very good as well. Bottom line, I'd totally buy this car again.
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Sexy little car
taigerl, 12/09/2018
GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
I love the way this car looks, I think it’s really the prettiest car on the road. Mine is midnight blue with white leather interior and it makes me smile every time I see it! I paid way more than the regular MSRP, I probably should have bargained a bit on the price but I was so excited about the car I didn’t bother. It has all the bells and whistles, very fun car and I feel incredibly safe in this thing. I feel like it knows when I want to turn, the handelling is almost intuitive it’s so smooth. It feels like it floats instead of drives and I would say it is way quieter than any car I have ever driven aside from a Prius. It took me a while to get used to the shifter, I kept using this instrument to signal instead of shift. Of course nothing happens when I do that, it’s all safe, just frustrating to get used to a shifter like this. It does have a few dash board rattles occasionally, not great for a car this expensive. But it’s usually only on rough pavement. It’s a lot smaller than it looks on the inside. Coming from driving a true mid sized suv this feels like a sedan. I leased it in case I would feel it’s too small for my daily needs, but really my only complaint is that I may want to get the AMG as I love speed and though this car is faster than any other 4 cycle coming from my previous car that was 264 hp this feels slow. Sport mode definitely helps a lot though and when I’m not feeling thrifty about gas consumption this definitely gives it a big boost!! My butt gets a little numb on long drives so I bought a gel cushion and that is definitely the way to go! Over all I give it 4 stars. For five it would need to be a little bigger (more head room), a little faster, and more padding on the seats. Everything else is pretty great, I’m very happy with it.
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I really enjoy this vehicle.
George, 11/09/2017
GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
24 of 29 people found this review helpful
This vehicle is very comfortable to drive. Even in cold weather, the heating system keeps the vehicle comfortable. After about 1500 miles, I have had no trouble with it at all. The styling of the exterior makes me smile. It is a cute, stylish SUV. After 7800 miles I continue to enjoy this vehicle. The Apple CarPlay deserves mention. It makes finding where you are going relatively easy since there is a clear map with verbal directions as well as directions pictured on the GPS map. I ordered all of the safety features available. The car has stopped itself to prevent getting too close to the vehicle in front of my vehicle. The vehicle provides an audible signal and a visible warning to warn me not to change lanes. This is especially helpful when driving on a dark road. When my back was not feeling fine for a day or two, the supportive seats were helpful. In short, I like the style, comfort, and practicality of the vehicle. Update: Now that I have about 26,000 miles, I continue to enjoy having the vehicle. All of the things I wrote about the car above remain my feelings about the vehicle. I have two cars. When it cane time to replace my other car, I bought another Mercedes Benz (a convertible). Even though Mercedes cars are not cheap, I believe they are worth the money because they provide a feeling of enhanced safety, comfort, and happiness. Update: At 30,000 miles, what I wrote about the vehicle remains true. It has chugged along very nicely as it took care of the important tasks of taking me back and forth to work, to get healthcare, to visit family, and to shop for food during the pandemic. When I bought the vehicle. I did not expect the healthcare I would need or a pandemic. But the vehicle has handled these challenges very well. With about 32,000 miles on it, the vehicle is still a joy to own and drive. Now I use it as a backup to my daily driver — another Mercedes Benz. I do not work for Mercedes. But this is how I feel.
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2018 GLA really good but just short of great
Joe Hemberger, 03/01/2018
GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
7 of 10 people found this review helpful
Good quality for a small cross over. Has a rattle in the left side of dash and TPMS problem. That should not happen in a new vehicle.
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