2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Review

Name: 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
Brand: Mercedes-Benz

Price Range: $26,993 - $45,998

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class AMG GLA 35 4dr SUV Exterior

This second-generation Mercedes-Benz GLA is a huge improvement over its rather compromised predecessor. It's comfortable and suitably refined for an entry-level SUV.

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Average price: $27,273

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2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Review

Pros

GLA 250's smooth ride and comfortable seats
Features one of today's best, most advanced infotainment systems
Mercedes badge at an affordable price
Exciting performance from the AMG GLA 45 model

Cons

Most of the GLA's advanced safety features are optional
Too much road noise for a luxury SUV
Cargo capacity is small compared to the Mercedes GLB
AMG GLA 45 ride quality may be too stiff for some buyers

What's new

Dashcam no longer available for AMG trims
Part of the second GLA generation introduced for 2021

Overview

Written by automotive expert Dan Frio

1/23/2023

Buyers seeking a starter Mercedes will find plenty to like in the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA. For one thing, it starts at less than $40,000. Second, it's an SUV — sort of. The GLA is based on the A-Class sedan but stands a little taller with fake skid plates, gray body cladding and optional all-wheel drive. It has a higher ride height and larger cargo area than the sedan, but similar coupe-like style with its tapering roofline. If you push your budget a little farther, you can add Mercedes' advanced gauge cluster display, larger central touchscreen and a premium sound system.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Ashburn, VA

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Certified 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
AMG GLA 35 4dr SUV
$37,995
great price
$4,445 below market
- 19,097 miles
- No accidents, 1 owner, rental vehicle
- 5 Seats, 22 City / 29 Hwy MPG
- Mercedes-Benz of Arlington (23 mi away)
- Home delivery*
- AWD/4WD
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Sunroof/Moonroof
Close
Located in Arlington, VA
Experience exhilarating performance and luxury in this striking Red 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA AMG GLA 35 4MATIC SUV. Powered by a 2.0L Turbo I4 engine wi...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
25 Combined MPG (22 City/29 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: W1N4N5BB6PJ511563
Stock: BJ511563
Certified Pre-Owned: Yes
Listed since: 09-12-2024
New Listing
2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV
$27,998
fair price
$772 above market
- 47,019 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, personal use only
- 5 Seats, 24 City / 33 Hwy MPG
- CarMax Dulles (3 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Keyless Entry/Start
- Upgraded Headlights
Close
Located in Sterling, VA
Wanna drive? CarMax puts you in the driver's seat-and that includes transparency. Certain cars may have unrepaired safety recalls, so check nhtsa.gov/...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: Yes
Features and Specs:
27 Combined MPG (24 City/33 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: W1N4N4HB0PJ445254
Stock: 27606267
Certified Pre-Owned: No

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So is it an SUV or just a high-riding hatchback version of the A-Class? It doesn't matter. It delivers traditional Benz goodness — soft, compliant ride, excellent interior fit and finish, advanced in-car and infotainment tech — in a stylish compact package at a reasonable price. If this diminutive Benz doesn't push your buttons, there are several alternatives including the more cargo-friendly Audi Q3, more romping BMX X2 or the stylish Jaguar E-Pace. The Lexus UX and Volvo XC40 are also worthy options. Among these rivals, only the BMW offers a performance-tuned variant that can match the AMG-tuned versions of the GLA. If the GLA sounds like a good fit, be sure to read our Expert Rating below.

Edmunds Expert Rating

edmunds TESTED

by the Edmunds Experts

Good

7.9

out of 10

We drove the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.

Performance

7.5/10

How does the GLA-Class drive? The GLA 250, which is the model we tested, should be more than enough for the vast majority of drivers. Power is appropriate for the vehicle size, and it gets up to speed with ease. Our front-wheel-drive test vehicle needed 6.8 seconds to hit 60 mph, which is an average time for an extra-small luxury SUV.

The engine and transmission are mostly smooth, though you'll notice some engine vibration from the automatic engine stop-start system when it first fires up. The transmission can also be a little slow to engage when you mash the gas for a quick burst of speed.

Around turns, the GLA is stable and secure. Less impressive were the numbers during our panic-braking test, where the GLA 250 needed a long 138 feet to stop from 60 mph. That's longer than the braking distances of some full-size trucks we've tested. We suspect that's due to a lack of grip from the economy-biased tires rather than the brakes themselves. On the flip side, we found the brakes very smooth during everyday driving.

Comfort

8/10

How comfortable is the GLA-Class? In close to base form, the GLA delivers a good amount of overall comfort. The MB-Tex synthetic leather breathes well on hot days, and the seats provide plenty of support and cushioning for longer drives. Short and tall drivers should find the front seats to their liking thanks to the generous adjustment range and extendable thigh supports. Multi-contour seats with heating and ventilation are available as options.

The ride quality is pretty good too, with no harshness over road imperfections. Undulations can cause some moderate jostling, but the suspension strikes a good balance of handling and comfort. On the downside, road noise is noticeable and sometimes intrusive on coarse road surfaces. The engine sounds labored under hard acceleration, but it is otherwise well muffled.

Interior

8/10

How’s the interior? The ride height and sensibly sized doors make it easy to get in and out of the GLA even in very tight spots. The wide adjustment ranges for the driver's seat allow you to select a more upright or reclined position with no compromise.

The primary controls are logically placed and easy to read. You control many of the secondary features with the infotainment screen, which doesn't take long to get acquainted with. The cabin is surprisingly spacious and airy considering the GLA's sleek profile. There's plenty of adult-sized space in the rear too. Visibility out of the front and to the sides and rear is clear, which helps with safety and parking.

Technology

8/10

How’s the tech? The GLA gets high marks for its infotainment system and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. Mercedes' MBUX system is one of the easiest systems to use, with multiple control methods (touchscreen, trackpad, voice control and steering wheel thumb controllers). Voice commands are accurate but sometimes take a moment to process.

Disappointingly, the GLA is pretty light on standard advanced safety features. Only frontal collision mitigation and a blind-spot warning are included unless you spring for some costly option packages. That's a little surprising these days when a Kia or Toyota comes with a full suite of driver aids.

Storage

7.5/10

How’s the storage? Cargo capacity behind the rear seats is only 15.4 cubic feet, which is more in line with what we expect from a midsize sedan. It's accommodating but small compared to the cargo areas in some key rival SUVs. The low liftover height does make loading heavy objects easier.

Inside, there are moderately sized bins and pockets for your things. The cupholders feature some nifty spring-loaded tabs to better secure smaller beverages or personal items. A rubberized tray does a good job of holding a phone. It also serves as a wireless charging pad if you pick that option. Got small children? A rear-facing infant seat should fit without affecting front passenger space. The car seat tether and anchor points are easy to find too.

Fuel Economy

8/10

How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimates fuel economy for the front-wheel-drive GLA 250 at 28 mpg combined (24 city/34 highway). We observed 31.2 mpg on our 115-mile evaluation route that includes a fair amount of highway driving, indicating that the EPA's numbers are realistic. Overall, the GLA 250 is a little more fuel-efficient than rivals such as the Audi Q3 and Volvo XC40.

Value

8/10

Is the GLA-Class a good value? The GLA's starting price is reasonable but doesn't include some features you'll probably want. Be prudent with your picks and your GLA should come in under $40K. The GLA is built just as solidly as any Mercedes-Benz, though there is more hard plastic inside. The good thing is those pieces are convincingly grained and aren't placed where we'd normally come in contact with them. It's a definite step up from the first-generation GLA.

Warranty coverage is a fairly standard with four years/50,000 miles for bumper-to-bumper as well as the powertrain. Roadside assistance is covered for four years/50,000 miles, but Mercedes doesn't give you any complimentary maintenance like some other automakers do.

Wildcard

8/10

In many ways, the GLA looks and drives like a fun-sized version of Mercedes' bigger GLC SUV, and that's a good thing. If you don't need the extra seating from the GLB or the extra space of a GLC, the GLA delivers a lot of luxury and tech for the money. While it's not particularly exciting to drive, it does what it needs to in regards to comfort and refinement.

2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class trim level differences

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA is a small crossover SUV available in GLA 250, AMG GLA 35 and AMG GLA 45 trim levels. In performance terms, think of them as mild, medium and hot. Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel-drive system is optional on the GLA 250 and standard on the performance-tuned AMG variants. Standard features include:

Which GLA-Class trim does Edmunds recommend?

If speed and performance are priorities, the AMG trims are the only way to go. Otherwise, get the GLA 250 with 4Matic. Even if you don't need all-wheel drive, the 4Matic comes with an off-road mode that helps control downhill speed and modulate power on slippery or snowy surfaces for better traction. It's also just a beat faster than the front-wheel-drive version. We'd add the Premium package for the larger displays, and Driver Assistance package (which requires the Multimedia package) for the additional driver aids. Even with all three of these packages, the price remains well under the base price for the AMG version.

Compare 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$163/mo

$158/mo

Avg. Compact SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

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Reliability

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class has a 4 years / 50,000 miles basic warranty and no recalls. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 4 out of 5, ranks it #4 out of 18 among Luxury Compact SUVs. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

4 out of 5 stars4/5Excellent

#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

Recalls

There are no recalls for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Warranty

4 years / 50,000 miles Basic Warranty

Basic Warranty: 4 years / 50,000 miles
Drivetrain Warranty: 4 years / 50,000 miles
Rust Warranty: 4 years / 50,000 miles
Roadside assistance Warranty: 4 years / 50,000 miles

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.4

33 reviews

5(76%)

4(6%)

3(6%)

2(3%)

1(9%)

See all 33 reviews of the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

A big car in a small wrapper!

HPB (Colorado), 11/05/2020

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8AM)

Mercedes somehow squeezed a big car into a small car! This tiny SUV is classified a subcompact, but I'm 6'1 and have plenty of headroom, legroom, and shoulder room front and back. It's high enough that it's easy to get into and out of and to see out of. It's built very solidly, has a peppy but full efficient engine, and 4-matic for Colorado mountains and weather. And the Burmester …

Luxury Crosstrek at semi-luxury price

WhereHaveTheManualsGone?, 06/04/2021

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8AM)

Much like another reviewer here, we had test driven both the Volvo XC40 and Mazda CX-30 Turbo. While they were both great cars in different ways, they both had major flaws. The Mazda had bland interior options which really only allowed for choosing seat and headliner colors, the infotainment system was frustrating and was only controllable via the dial-interface, the headroom and rear … passenger cabin is smaller than a Ford Focus's, the whole car's windows were tiny and hard to see out from. And for a $35k car, the cheap exterior black cladding was and odd choice. And the overall look of the car, in my opinion, is fairly bland. It genuinely looks like a Mazda 3 Turbo with a 3" lift kit. Still the interior looked and felt high-quality, and is a huge step up for Mazda in the CUV market The XC40 was a complete mess. The tire-on-road noise was very poor, the infotainment screen seems to be a cheap knockoff of Tesla's, some interior parts are really nice and some were sourced from Fisher-Price, the door cubbies are lined with bargain-bin RV carpet material, and all of the infotainment controls are buried deep in the sub-menus of the annoying touch screen. Great looking and powerful SUV, but that's about it. While the lower-tier 2021 GLA's lacks some of the features of these other two cars, the interior quality and design is far beyond what they offer. I understand some buyers loath touch-pad controlled infotainment systems, but the Merc's was fairly easy to use. Especially if you're an Android user, the mouse-style controls seem to mirror that of stock Android controls. But if you don't like it, the screen is easily reachable from the driver's seat, and is a touchscreen. The interior design is unique, but not entirely cohesive. I would say the Mazda's interior design is like a new/modern mountainside suburb, and the Merc's design is like those random housing communities near the coast in L.A. I like it, but to each his own. The seats are fairly firm, especially if you opt for the ventilated seats, but their design is fairly comfortable. The headroom will work for anybody under 7' tall, and mostly the same for the rear seats and rear legroom. The exterior looks like Mercedes took their GLC, and used a machine to shrink it by 30%, then added normal size wheels/tires. I personally think the car looks better with the standard 18" wheels than the Fast and Furious 20+ inch options, the base wheels make it look more like an SUV rather than a massive hatchback. It has fair power, and the 8-speet dual-clutch is great for shifting yourself, but can be sluggish in auto-mode in certain situations. Yes, this is far more expensive than other small SUV's made in Asia, especially when you start adding options. If you are considering the 2021 GLA, I'd suggest sitting in and driving your other considerations, then go take the GLA for a spin. The GLA we purchased had an MSRP of $45k, but we were able to knock off around $3k through a common "SuperCostShopperMart" auto-purchasing program included in the membership. The other factor is the auto-industry's poor supply of inventory at the moment, and finding other high-demand small SUV's is either difficult, or equally expensive. It's a decent option, and the base-model GLA's are a decent middle-ground between the economy options, and the spec'd-up versions of the luxury models. Reliability is a long-term question, and we're just not there yet...

Best kept secret in the automotive world

Paul Scarpelli, 11/14/2021

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class AMG GLA 45 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8AM)

At age 74, I traded my ferocious '19 Z06 Corvette M7 even up for a loaded 2021 GLA 45 AMG. I immediately noticed the comfort and manners of the Mercedes, and decided I could live with a 12.6 1/4 mile instead of the 11.0 1/4 of said Corvette. Of the 17 new cars I've owned, this is the best. Comfort, sportiness, decent fuel economy, utility. And with Race Mode, it launches HARD. I had no …

Nice job MB

Ralph Dodds, 04/13/2021

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class AMG GLA 45 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8AM)

Now that I’m older and facing health issues I needed something more suitable than the 63 AMG I had and loved. This is it! Power and handling are almost as good. Comfort is as good or better. MBUX is okay so far. Build quality is exemplary. While I have happily owned SLCs, Corvettes, Carreras and Macans in the past I am perfectly happy in my GLA 45 AMG.

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, so we've included reviews for other years of the GLA-Class since its last redesign.

2023 GLA-Class Highlights

Type:

SUV

Trim:

GLA 250

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$37,500
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	28 MPG
Cost to Drive	$163/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.4 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the GLA-Class models:

Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call service: Automatic collision notification system with an SOS emergency call button. Service is active for as long as you own the GLA.
Pre-Safe Sound: Standard feature that emits a special noise during a collision to protect your hearing during the impact.
Active Emergency Stop Assist: When using adaptive cruise control and lane centering systems, this feature detects an unresponsive driver and brings the GLA to a safe stop.

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2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Review

Price & Payment

2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

For sale near Ashburn, VA

Certified 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-ClassAMG GLA 35 4dr SUV

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-ClassGLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class trim level differences

Which GLA-Class trim does Edmunds recommend?

Cost to Drive

Reliability

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Recalls

Warranty

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

A big car in a small wrapper!

Luxury Crosstrek at semi-luxury price

Best kept secret in the automotive world

Nice job MB

2023 GLA-Class Highlights

Safety

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Certified 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
AMG GLA 35 4dr SUV

2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
GLA 250 4MATIC 4dr SUV