2027 Mercedes-Benz GLA – 800V EV SUV with big grille, up to 354 PS, 657 km WLTP range, hybrid available

Mercedes-Benz is continuing its wholesale electrification of its lineup with the new GLA, joining its CLA and GLB siblings in Stuttgart’s rejuvenated compact car range. Like the GLB, the new SUV is doing double duty, replacing not just the H247 second-generation model but also the unloved EQA EV.

The company has released some absolute styling howlers in recent months (I’m looking at you, AMG GT 4-Door), but the design team appears to have finally hit its stride with the new GLA – even if the stars in the head- and taillights continue to grate. That’s despite the fact that this pint-sized crossover is the first compact model to feature the massive “iconic grille”, already found on the GLC and C-Class EVs.

That big chrome cheese grater, which looked contrived on the bigger cars, actually looks at home here, framed by sharp LED headlights (Multibeam matrix lamps are optional, of course) and less over-styled air intakes. This being 2026, you can opt for the obligatory illuminated grille, incorporating 608 pixels illuminated by 158 micro LEDs. The three-pointed star can also be either partially or fully lit, depending on market regulations.

Moving away from the bulbous look that has characterised the latest Mercs, the GLA incorporates a sculpted bonnet with raised edges and a subtle shoulder line just above the flush pop-out door handles to give it some much-needed structure. Meanwhile, the upswept window line helps accentuate the swollen rear haunches.

The rear end is arguably the car’s most successful angle, with the full-width taillights forming an inverted U shape and housing C-shaped light guides. With the AMG Line fitted, the bumper gets an unusually large diffuser, giving the car a hint of Ferrari Purosangue in concert with the vertical reflectors and the bumper-mounted number plate recess.

All this is complemented by a useful reduction in height. Having erred by raising the roof (literally) of its predecessor by over 100 mm, Mercedes has made new GLA some 20 mm lower. Thus, the car looks sportier and more dynamic compared to the slightly ungainly H247.

Buyers can choose from four distinct looks, with the base Style Line getting a silver chrome grille and polished aluminium trim on the bumpers. The Progressive line adds an illuminated grille surround, while the aforementioned AMG Line gains sportier bumper designs and a dark chrome grille, plus either body colour or gloss black cladding. The AMG Line Plus throws on gloss black accents and comes exclusively with 20-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, the company’s reliance on screens instead of physical controls continues, with the CLA and GLB’s flat-faced dashboard being retained here. This houses a 10.25-inch instrument display and a 14-inch infotainment touchscreen, with the optional MBUX Superscreen adding another 14-inch touchscreen for the passenger.

The displays incorporate the latest evolution of the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), with the Zero Layer interface now showing the most recent apps. As before, you get the option of a Burmester 3D surround sound system, now with 16 speakers, an output of 850 watts, silver chrome speaker grilles and Dolby Atmos support. The 360-degree camera system also gains a “transparent bonnet” function.

Flanking those screens are round air-con vents with fluted bezels as well as unique concave door panels. The latter features stylish tubular grab handles, although the driver still only gets two permanent window switches. The bridge-style centre console is again carried over from the CLA and can now be specced with paper decor – so don’t drop a pen on it, I guess.

With a wheelbase now 61 mm longer at 2,790 mm, the new GLA not only more legroom across the front and rear seats but also more headroom – even with the reduced height. The latter is thanks to a panoramic roof that is standard-fit, coming without a powered sunshade but gaining a heat-insulating coating. A Sky Control version is available as an option, featuring segmented electrochromic frosting and 172 imprinted illuminated stars.

Open the tailgate and you’ll find 410 litres of boot space – a handy increase of 70 litres – expandable to 1,400 litres with the 40:20:40-split rear. On the electric models, the bonnet opens to a capacious 107 litre front boot.

From launch in November, the GLA will be available in three electric versions. The range starts with the rear-wheel drive GLA200 that produces 225 PS (165 kW) and has a 58 kWh LFP battery, while the 272 PS (200 kW) GLA250+ swaps the pack out for the 85 kWh NMC unit. The GLA350 4Matic adds dual-motor all-wheel drive and boosts power to 354 PS (260 kW), enabling it to sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds.

Mercedes has yet to provide full range figures for the GLA but promises an impressive WLTP-rated range of up to 657 km, presumably for the GLA250+. A variant with a 71 kWh NMC battery will follow in early 2027.

Inheriting the 800-volt electrical architecture from the CLA, the car supports up to 320 kW of DC fast charging, allowing it to recoup up to 270 km of range with just ten minutes of charging. A 400-volt DC converter continues to be an optional feature, while AC charging support reaches up to 22 kW.

Next year will also see the debut of a 48-volt hybrid version, using an M252 1.5 litre turbo four-cylinder developed in conjunction with Geely. This is mated to a 30 PS (22 kW) motor integrated into the eight-speed 8F-eDCT dual-clutch transmission and a lithium-ion battery of up to 1.3 kWh, the latter allowing for limited pure electric running at lower speeds. Two variants will be made available with either front- or all-wheel drive.

In terms of driver assists, the GLA will be fitted as standard in Europe with a full sensor suite comprising of eight cameras and no less than five radar sensors, plus a water-cooled high-performance computer with 254 TOPS of processing power. This enables a variety of MB.Drive packages, including MB.Drive Assist with Level 2 semi-autonomous driving functionality, now with auto lane change assist.

Park assist functionality has also been expanded and now enables the car to exit the parking space automatically even if it was parked manually. The optional MB.Drive Parking Assist 360 gains improved surround camera views, a 3D view function and a Rim Protection Warning. The latter is only available via subscription, as is a reversing assist.

That’s everything you need to know about the new Mercedes-Benz GLA. It comes at a crucial point for Stuttgart – having been battered by a swarm of new-age Chinese competitors – so this car absolutely needs to do well. What do you think about the looks and the headline specs? Let us know in the comments.