The small Mercedes SUV / Crossover based on the new A Class – the Mercedes GLA – has been caught on video out testing.

Mercedes already has a hit on its hands with the new A Class (it’s sold 100,000 already) but there are more variants of the new A Class to come including the new CLA – the baby CLS – and the car we have here – the Mercedes GLA SUV / Crossover.

Based on the same platform as the new A Class, the GLA is a new Mercedes niche aimed at the growing compact SUV market, just like the new Volvo V40 Cross Country.

It seems likely that Mercedes will offer the same range of engines in the GLA as they do in the A Class, which will mean everything from a GLA 180 all the way through to the GLA 45 AMG with more than 300bhp.

It also probably means a much wider use of the new Mercedes 4MATIC 4WD platform than we’ll see in the A Class and CLA. Mercedes has already told us the CLA and A Class are only going to get the 4MATIC option on the AMG and 250 models, but it would surely make sense to offer a wider choice of 4WD powertrains in the GLA?

The Mercedes GLA is expected to debut in 2013 – probably at the Geneva Motor Show in March – before going on sale across Europe later in 2013.

Source: WCF