OFFICIAL: Mercedes GLA Compact SUV – UPDATED with video

The Mercedes GLA Compact SUV – the latest take on the Mercedes A-Class – has been revealed ahead of its Frankfurt Motor Show Debut.

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It’s been clear since we revealed last week that the Mercedes GLA was heading for a reveal at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show that Mercedes were unlikely to wait until Frankfurt itself to unveil the GLA.

Yesterday they published sketches of the GLA on Facebook and followed that up with a teaser video. But now we get the full reveal of the new Mercedes GLA.

As the video yesterday showed, some of the glitz of the concept GLA has gone to be replaced by more production friendly treatments, particularly at the front and back, but the GLA still looks an appealing compact SUV.

Inside the GLA is pretty much the same as any of the other A-Class derivatives, which means an appealing cabin with a decent amount of room (although the GLA is 125mm longer than the A-Class the wheelbase is the same), folding and reclining back seats which offer 421 litres of space for stuff with them in place and 836 with the seats folded down. Enough for family luggings.

Under the skin there is a choice of petrol or diesel with front or four wheel drive, with a 1.6 litre petrol in the GLA 200 and 1.8 litre turbodiesel in the GLA 200 CDI for FWD and 2.0 litre petrol GLA 250 or turbodiesel GLA 220 CDI if you want to have 4MATIC 4WD.

The front wheel drive GLAs get a six-speed manual ‘box as standard, but the 4WD 4MATIC versions come with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic as standard kit, which can be optioned on the FWD models.

The GLA looks like a good effort from Mercedes to take on cars like the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, and its higher driving position will appeal to buyers of the last generation A-Class too, as well as families looking for a butch, premium urban warrior.

Key to much of the GLA’s likely success will be price, and with top end models likely to cost approaching £40k once you’ve ticked appealing options – and the GLA 45 AMG even more when that arrives – the GLA is walking in to Range Rover Evoque territory. But it looks convincing.

The New Mercedes GLA will debut at Frankfurt next month and go on sale in the UK in November from a round £25k. First customer GLAs are expected early 2014.