2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Review

Name: 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Review
Brand: Mercedes-Benz
Rating: 4.3 (37 reviews)

Price Range: $19,998 - $28,590

2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

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Price & Payment

38 cars

$23,859 avg. price

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2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

The AMG GLA 45 has been discontinued
Part of the first GLA generation introduced for 2015

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in New Jersey

$173/mo

$165/mo

Avg. Compact SUV

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Excellent

#4 out of 18 among Luxury Compact SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

$544/yr

vs. $559/yr
for Average Luxury Compact SUV

Frequency

0.72x/yr

vs. 1.23x/yr
for Average Luxury Compact SUV

Severity

6.1%

vs. 8.6%
for Average Luxury Compact SUV

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Owner Reviews

4.3

37 reviews

5(62%)

4(22%)

3(5%)

2(8%)

1(3%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Love the Lowrider

jbrooks, 07/03/2018

2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)

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 …

Smooth ride with lots to offer

Pleased owner, 05/25/2019

2019 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)

Didn't know exactly all that I was getting in purchasing the 2019, but I'm indeed happy with my GLA 250! Aside from the comfortable interior and technology at my fingertips - the ride is smooth and on point! I can easily fit friends in it comfortably for a quick getaway or enjoy my solo ride listening to whatever I like on the radio. It's roomy with enough cargo space to accomodate …

Excellent Drive, but Very Expensive Maintenance

Tycoop , 02/19/2020

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)

I’ll begin by admitting I have a strong personal affinity for the way German engineered cars perform and drive. BMWs and Mercedes have long been my favorite cars. I’ve racked up 90,000 miles on the 2020 GLA 4Matic, and can sum up the car with the following statement: When the car is working properly, it’s a strong, sporty driving experience…but it’s a high-maintence car which requires … expensive upkeep. Juxtapose this car with a similarly priced Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander, Honda CRV, or Subaru Outback: They aren’t on the same level as the GLA when it comes to handling, driving experience, or overall performance. But Japanese small crossovers are extremely reliable and almost never suffer expensive malfunctions in the first 100,000 miles. Mercedes, unfortunately, aren’t as reliable in my experience. In other words…the Japanese cars don’t break. Mercedes do break. The car experienced a severe problem with the powertrain at 70,000 miles, requiring a several thousand dollar repair. The standard warranty ends at 50,000 miles. The car also requires transmission fluid service at 70,000 miles, which cost $1,000. The car has a nice 7 speed electronic transmission. But it’s not so nice that it justifies that kind of maintenance cost. Like I said, the driving experience of this car is excellent. The suspension is nicely tuned for a comfortable, yet sporty drive…similar to BMW 3 series handling characteristics. Steering control and feedback is responsive and tight, handling is sharp, and acceleration is strong throughout the RPM range. It doesn’t drive like a typical front-wheel drive car (the 4Matic system doesn’t engage the rear wheels until the front wheels slip). There’s no “yanking” of the front wheels when accelerating hard through turns, and the rear of the car doesn’t slop around if you take corners aggressively. Very nicely balanced. The dash and instrument cluster are dated and functionally obsolete. For example; the climate control system is located at the bottom of the dash. It’s difficult to mess with the climate control without taking your eyes off the road. Poor ergonomic setup in that regard. The car also has a full phone keypad on the dash. That was a nice tech idea back in 2003…but it’s been obsolete since the advent of Bluetooth and CarPlay. The heated seats work perfectly, as do the electric seat adjustments. The small video screen above the dash is easy to see and navigate with the control wheel. CarPlay works flawlessly. Options are expensive. The aforementioned similarly-priced Japanese cars offer more options in the same price range. But, they aren’t as much fun to drive, especially on the highway. This car was designed to perform beautifully at highway speeds. It can safely cruise at 85mph all day and night, and do it with ease. The small turbo 4 cylinder engine doesn’t have much punch over 75 mph. But it provides smooth and consistent acceleration in city driving. If you’re seeking an SUV large enough for a family, the GLA is probably too small. It seats four comfortably, but there’s not much space for luggage behind the rear seats for more than two people. If you want a small crossover with a sporty driving experience, you won’t find a better automobile for the price. Just be prepared for high-maintenance costs after the warranty expires.

In Love with an Inanimate Object!

JenintheDesert, 06/06/2019

2019 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)

Had it a month and it's a pleasure to drive every time I go out. Easy to use infotainment system and dashboard controls, decent gas mileage, SOOOO fast, corners like a dream, and has some wonderful features that I'm still discovering. Only cons are lack of storage space, headroom due to panoramic sunroof, and blind spots galore. If you can't turn your head to look to the side or …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, so we've included reviews for other years of the GLA-Class since its last redesign.

See all 37 reviews of the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

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2020 GLA-Class Highlights

Trim:

GLA 250

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$34,250
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	28 MPG
Cost to Drive	$173/month
Seating	5 seats
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the GLA-Class models:

Active Brake Assist: Uses radar to detect vehicles and objects ahead and applies automated braking if necessary.
Distance Pilot Distronic: Maintains a set distance from the car ahead of you when the cruise control is set on the highway.
Lane Keeping Assist: Monitors road markings and helps detect unintended lane drifting. Alerts the driver by vibrating the steering wheel.

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2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Review

Price & Payment

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Review

What's new

Cost to Drive

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Love the Lowrider

Smooth ride with lots to offer

Excellent Drive, but Very Expensive Maintenance

In Love with an Inanimate Object!

2020 GLA-Class Highlights

Safety

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