India-bound 2020 Mercedes GLA officially unveiled

Almost 5 years after being introduced and over a million units sold globally, the Mercedes GLA has entered its second generation. The all-new Mercedes GLA should go on sale in India in late-2020. At launch, it will even be available with a sportier AMG version, while plug-in hybrid and electric variants will follow at a later stage.

The 2020 Mercedes GLA draws heavily on the related fourth-gen A-class. Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius comments on the second-gen model by saying "better in every respect, with more convenience, more safety and more efficiency."

For starters, the BMW X2 rival's dimensions have been altered significantly. It is now 14 mm shorter (4,410 mm), 2 mm narrower (2,020 mm), 104mm taller (1,611 mm) and has got a 30 mm longer wheelbase (2,729 mm). The ground clearance has been increased by 9 mm to 143 mm.

With the full model change, the Mercedes GLA departs away from the jacked-up hatchback appearance. The front now looks brawnier thanks to the wider front grille which is flanked by angled LED headlights. The rear gets a wider (redesigned) tailgate and remastered bumper with chrome inserts along with two squared exhaust pipe finishers. Its increased height lends the second-gen model a taller stance, typically what you'd expect from a crossover. It clearly looks more dominating which is also accentuated by the extended (by 46 mm) tracks at either end. "The all-new GLA combines muscular off-road genes with our philosophy of sensual purity," says Mercedes-Benz design head Gordon Wagener.

The revised dimensions have impacted the cabin spacing. The passengers on the second seat now get to enjoy extra space for elbows, shoulders and legs, but the headroom has been slightly reduced. While the front seat passengers now get more room for elbow, shoulder and head, the legroom has been slightly compromised.

Inside, the all-new Mercedes GLA packs similar updates as the other recently introduced Mercedes-Benz models. It sports a newly designed dash with a floating digital display panel which embeds two 7.0-inch screens for the driver and the centre console each. There is also optional widescreen version featuring two 10.3-inch screens. Apart from this, another major update is the introduction of the MBUX infotainment system supporting both, touchpad and voice controls. Also, a head-up display (colour) is also available.

The entry-level Mercedes GLA 200 (front-wheel-drive) employs a 163 PS 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, while the Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 (four-wheel-drive) sources power from a 306 PS, 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. There'll be a diesel engine, too, but Mercedes-Benz is yet to reveal the complete engine line-up.

Reports say that several other engine options will be added in the later stage, including the 218 PS 1.3-litre petrol-electric plug-in hybrid which will propel the GLA 250e EQ Power variant. It will employ a 15.6kWh lithium-ion battery and will be good enough for a full (all-electric) range of over 64 km.

Also Read: New Mercedes GLC (facelift) launched in India, priced from INR 52.75 lakh

The next-gen GLA will be officially launched in the international markets in Q2 2020.