Skip advert
Advertisement

Mercedes GLA AMG Line 2017 facelift review

We try the facelifted Mercedes GLA SUV in top AMG Line trim. Is it worth the extra money?

Overall Auto Express rating

2.0

How we review cars
Find your Mercedes GLA
Offers from our trusted partners on this car and its predecessors...
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car
Advertisement

Despite its facelift, Mercedes’ smallest SUV continues to prove that even a company which is enjoying record sales can’t get everything right. There are quieter, more comfortable and more practical small SUVs on offer out there. And if your heart really is set on a GLA, you’ll get something approaching better value further down the range than this high-end edition.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Mercedes didn’t really pull up any tree stumps when it facelifted its GLA small SUV earlier this year. Based on the A-Class, the company’s rival for the Audi Q3 and BMW X1 got a chunkier look and, for the UK at least, comfort suspension, plus a raised ride height.

However, when we drove the car back in April, we concluded that it was still more of a crossover or a beefed-up version of Mercedes’ family hatch than a true small SUV. Our test drive on foreign roads confirmed that it remained firmly in the middle of the pack at best.

Best crossovers on sale

Now we’re trying one of the punchier versions of the updated GLA in the UK: the GLA 220 d 4Matic, which sits in the upper half of the line-up. It has Mercedes’ ageing 2.1-litre turbodiesel under the bonnet, producing 175bhp and 350Nm of torque, and feeding it through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (there’s no manual option available with the 220 d) and four-wheel drive.

Of course, the facelift didn’t change the GLA’s fundamentals, so its cabin is as cosy or as cramped as ever, depending on your perspective. The interior doesn’t really feel any more roomy than an A-Class’s, with just about enough room for four adults.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Our AMG Line test model features sports seats that are impressively supportive for front passengers – but their hard backs could prove a pain for tall rear occupants. The optional full-length panoramic sunroof does headroom in the back no favours.

There’s a reasonable selection of cubbyholes, though, and the luggage area is a decent size, too, at 481 litres. That’s enough to trump the capacity of the Q3 (420 litres), but a little shy of the space on offer in the X1 (505 litres).

On the road, though, the GLA can’t get close to either of those rivals. It stays pretty flat in corners, although inert and slow steering means it’s not the most involving drive on twisty roads – and it’s cumbersome around town and in tight car parks as well.

While the new suspension does a reasonable job of soaking up big bumps, the GLA still has a habit of finding road imperfections and transmitting the resulting patter through to the cabin. You’ll notice thuds from cat’s eyes, for example. The AMG Line’s 19-inch wheels probably don’t help on this score; we suspect one of the more modest trim levels on 17 or even 18-inch rims would be more compliant.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

The engine and gearbox don’t feel particularly well integrated, either, so you get plenty of revs when you’re pulling away from junctions and traffic lights – and that exposes the age-old weakness of Mercedes’ 2.1-litre powerplant: refinement.

The sound of the motor is drowned out by wind and road noise at motorway speeds, but anything other than gentle acceleration anywhere else brings with it a coarse, loud rattle. And this doesn’t really improve once the engine has warmed up, either. In this respect, the diesel Mercedes is behind not only its premium rivals but also ‘mainstream’ alternatives such as the SEAT Ateca and Renault Kadjar.

At least the cabin finish will remind you that you’ve forked out the extra cash for a Mercedes; it’s all well screwed together and there’s a nice blend of quality materials and enough chrome flourishes to give it a premium feel. There are a few too many buttons on the console for our liking, though, and it’s disappointing to see that even AMG Line doesn’t come with proper Mercedes navigation.

Unless you stump up an additional £995, the car gets the more modest Garmin-based system as standard instead – and even though it does include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, this is hard to swallow on a car that costs the thick end of £35,000 before you add a single option.

Apart from the 19-inch wheels, AMG Line specification tries to make up for this deficit by including exterior styling tweaks to give the car a sportier look. There are also aluminium pedals and a flat-bottomed steering wheel. You get rain-sensing wipers and dual-zone climate control, too.

Fuel economy of 56.5mpg is on par with a comparable X1, although the Mercedes’ slightly higher CO2 emissions put it one tax bracket higher for company car drivers.

Click on the gallery above to see more of the facelifted Mercedes GLA...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Editor-at-large

John started journalism reporting on motorsport – specifically rallying, which he had followed avidly since he was a boy. After a stint as editor of weekly motorsport bible Autosport, he moved across to testing road cars. He’s now been reviewing cars and writing news stories about them for almost 20 years.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ford Capri review
Ford Capri - front

Ford Capri review

This is no sports car, nor even a retro reboot – rather a capable, refined and well-built EV that happens to sport a controversial name
In-depth reviews
29 Oct 2024
New Audi RS 3 2024 review: is there a new hyper-hatch king?
Audi RS 3 - front

New Audi RS 3 2024 review: is there a new hyper-hatch king?

The Audi RS 3 renews hostilities with the Mercedes-AMG A 45, but this time it might just have the edge
Road tests
27 Oct 2024
Hot new Abarth 600e is the performance outfit’s most powerful car ever
Abarth 600e - front

Hot new Abarth 600e is the performance outfit’s most powerful car ever

The fiery electric SUV uses Abarth’s own newly developed e-motor that produces up to 278bhp
News
28 Oct 2024