We review the Mercedes GLA-Class AMG Line from price to economy and all its features

THIS is the stunning Mercedes-Benz GLA AMG Line, an SUV but not as we know it.

Think Sports Utility Vehicle and you generally expect to see a big rugged machine with raised suspension but the GLA looks more family car than off-roader.

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It’s based on the Mercedes A-Class platform but is bigger in size so more passenger room inside and has an extra 50mm ride height with the addition of chunky tyres and plastic arches and trim plus roof rails.

Mercedes 4MATIC all-wheel drive system comes as standard for all models bar the entry level 200 CDI.

With 4x4 you have superior grip in wet and slippy condition especially in cold weather and if you want to venture off-tarmac there’s a special off-road driving mode. This feature improved traction, especially on loose surfaces and a downhill Speed Regulation that helps you master steep descents in total control and safety.

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But no 4x4 for me as my test car was the entry-level 200 CDI but because the GLA bucks the tall, skinny, SUV trend its looks are sleek and menacing thanks to the lower stance and aggressive styling that includes huge front air vents that sit low in the bumper and at the rear you have twin oval exhaust and diffuser.

It’s the sort of car you could easily see a professional footballer drive and as my car was also the sporty AMG Line model, it looks nearly as good as the range-topping performance model, the GLA45 AMG but it starts at £44,595. Compare that to the £26,850 AMG Line GLA, that’s a saving of almost £19k, but you still get plenty of bling without the hefty price sting.

Plenty of bling without the hefty price sting

The SE trim-level looks great but the AMG Line sees the GLA’s exterior further enhanced by adding a subtle AMG bodykit comprising front and rear aprons and side sill panels plus sporty 18” AMG alloy wheels.

The brakes are bit special too, the callipers are embossed with Mercedes logos and the discs are vented and drilled that not only add extra cooling when braking hard, they look cool too. The AMG Line also boasts a Dynamic Handling Package that lowers the suspension by 15mm, as well a Sports Direct-Steer System with speed-sensitive power assistance and variable steering ratio.

It all adds up to an agile car, especially in AMG Line trim, providing superior handling over the majority of SUVs.

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The GLA features softer suspension set-up, compared to the A-Class, bodyroll is kept to a minimum, another advantage of not being so tall, grip is really impressive, even more on the 4MATIC cars.

The bonnet features double bulges that look like they are there to hide a muscle car V8 but there isn’t — instead a 2.2-litre diesel 200 CDI engine that produces 136bhp with 300Nms of torque, my car also had the seven-speed automatic 7G-DCT dual clutch transmission — but a six-speed manual is also on this entry level model.

You can opt for a more powerful 2.2-litre diesel, the 220 CDI with 170bhp and 350NMS of torque or two, 2-litre petrol engines, the 250 with 211bhp and 350Nms of torque and the fire-breathing 45 AMG that has 360bhp with a massive 450Nms of torque.

Performance on the 200CDI is brisk, 0-62mph takes ten seconds flat and the top speed is 127mph.

It’s economical too with a combined figure of 62.8mpg possible with mid-50s the norm, higher if you drive in Eco mode all the time.

There are another two driving modes, Sport and Manual — Sport provides more oomph, the GLA will hold in gear longer allowing the rev range to rise but this means more noise from an already noisy engine.

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It’s a pity because the engine noise doesn’t reflect the GLA’s racy exterior but if it gets too much the 450W Harmon Kardon surround sound system has 12 speakers including a sub-woofer so you can’t even hear yourself speak when you crank that baby up, let alone the engine.

You can go all F1 style in Manual mode and shift gears via the trip-tronic paddles situated behind the steering wheel. The intrusive diesel clatter is soon forgotten inside the cabin, not because it’s so well sound deadened, but because the cabin is a masterpiece of interior design and more than makes up for any intrusion from the engine.

Benz it like Beckham as you rock up to a glitzy movie premiere

The dash was inspired by the Mercedes SLR and it shows — superb black leather sports seats with integrated headrests and red contrast stitching. They’re heated of course and hold you firmly in position. It features a chunk of sculptured aluminium trim with longitudinal grain and five circular air vents adding a touch of class.

There’s ambient lighting that extends to the aluminium kick panels and when you open the door at night to climb in you have a glowing red AMG logo staring back at you. Sadly, some of the plastics, especially lower down, are a bit low-grade.

The centre point of the dash is a 7” large tablet-style display that offers information on all the cars systems including internet capability via your mobile phone as well as apps, internet radio and 10GB of storage space.

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Jeremy Clarkson once poked fun at Lewis Hamilton on Top Gear because the F1 star chose to drive a diesel Mercedes instead of opting for the potent AMG petrol version as his company car.

Hamilton was content with adding a set of 20” wheels to his diesel Merc and used it to ‘lay back and go cruising’ which proves, when a car looks good you don’t need supercar horsepower under the bonnet to look cool.

And that is the same story with the 200CDI GLA. It’s not blisteringly fast and it’s not the sweetest sounding diesel around but in AMG Line trim you can be too cool for the school run or Benz it like Beckham as you rock up to a glitzy movie premiere.

It has the superstar looks for all occasions.

We like: Looks, amazing interior, superb seats, power boot, drilled and vented from brakes, AMG alloy wheels.

We dislike: Diesel a bit noisy and 200CDI