2017 Mercedes GLA launched, priced from Rs 30.65 lakh

Looks like Mercedes is on a roll in India. The automaker launched the E220d recently, followed by the G63 Edition 463 and GLS63 AMG last month, and now has launched the updated version of the GLA with some cosmetic changes and has added some equipment to it too. The 2017 Mercedes GLA is priced from Rs 30.65 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) and is the 7th launch from the company this year.

Showcased at the Detroit Motor Show earlier this year, the Mercedes GLA facelift will continue to be assembled at the company’s Chakan plant. The GLA45 AMG however, will be a full import. So what has changed on the facelifted GLA, we’ll tell you, read on. On the visual front, the 2017 Mercedes GLA gets a revised grille with chain-link chrome elements and a sharper bumper with larger air intakes.

The grille looks more upmarket and premium. The updated crossover features round fog lamps in the front bumper now. The Bi-Xenon headlamps have been replaced by powerful LED units. The side and rear profile haven’t gone through a major rejig, save for the new alloys and reworked detailing on the LED tail lamps.

All thanks to a revised suspension setup, the GLA now sits 30 mm higher than the previous GLA. With the new alloys and the higher clearance, the stance of the car has improved and it has a far better SUV feel now. The coefficient of drag now stands at 0.24, which is 0.01 lower than before. Off-road package is standard on the diesel model.

Get inside the car and everything is so familiar. The interiors remain more or less similar to the outgoing GLA, but there are subtle changes. For instance, Mercedes has plonked in a larger 8.0-inch infotainment system with connectivity for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There is also chrome detailing done on the seat control buttons and the centre console stowage compartments.

The dials and needles in the twin-pod instrument console are new too. On the equipment front, the Mercedes GLA facelift gets a 360-degree parking camera with a bird’s eye view and an electric tailgate with motion detection that needs only a foot gesture to open and close the boot. There’s also an Active Brake Assist feature which signals the driver when a car is too close.

Under the hood, Mercedes has carried forward the same set of engines, a 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.1-litre diesel mill with no mechanical changes. The 2.0-litre petrol engine is good for 183 HP at 5500 RPM and 300 Nm at 1200-1400 RPM (0-100 km/hr in 7.6 seconds, top speed 225 km/hr) while the 2.1-litre oil burner produces 136 HP at 3600-4400 RPM and 300 Nm at 1600-3000 RPM in the 200d (0-100 km/hr in 9.9 seconds, top speed 205 km/hr) and 170 HP at 3400-4000 RPM and 350 Nm at 1400-3400 RPM in the 220d (0-100 km/hr in 7.7 seconds, top speed 218 km/hr).

Both these engines come mated to a 7G-TRONIC transmission. The Mercedes GLA comes with a service package which starts at Rs 49,000 for the petrol and Rs 63,000 for the diesel, extended warranty is priced from Rs 37,500. The 2017 Mercedes GLA competes with the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.