2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLA 45

2021 AMG GLA 45 Photos
A small, utilitarian machine like the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 is a magnet for car enthusiasts. The boxy, cargo-friendly shape and small footprint of the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 is appealing enough in its own right, but the GLA 45 takes that formula and adds 250 more horsepower and a trick all-wheel drive system. What’s not to like? The new GLA rides on Mercedes’ new MFA2 platform (modular front-wheel-drive architecture), which is fundamentally front-wheel drive. This architecture is shared with the new, family-friendly GLB, the A-Class sedan and the CLA “coupe.” Take that CLA, add some ground clearance and a more utilitarian rear cargo area, and you have the GLA. The basic GLA 250 offers an adequate but not particularly impressive 221 horsepower and standard front-wheel drive. You don't need to go all the way up to the 45 for an upgrade, though. The Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 splits the difference with 302 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Fundamentally, that has the same engine that powers the GLA 45, but here it produces 382 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque – all from a 2.0-liter turbo-four. That’s underselling it, considering it’s the most powerful production four-cylinder engine currently for sale. The hand-built AMG engine utilizes a twin-scroll turbocharger to maximize low-end response and maximum flow closer to redline, which was increased from 6,500 RPM to 7,200 RPM while the compression ratio was lowered from 10:1 to 9:1 to make room for more boost.   The turbo-four is paired to an eight-speed dual-clutch automated manual and standard torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. Like the 35, the GLA 45 sits 7/10ths of an inch lower than the non-AMG models, with just 4.6 inches of ground clearance to the GLA 250’s 5.3. That’s not very high for something Benz markets as an SUV, but it’s still more than an inch higher off the ground than the CLA 45, and putting it on stilts and trading in its sleek coupe lines for those of a hatchback came at a cost. The GLA 45 tips the scales at 3,913 pounds – 250 pounds more than the CLA 45, 200 pounds more than the current GLA 35 and about 450 pounds more than the previous-generation GLA 45. Thanks to its tall stance, those extra pounds are also higher up, which isn’t a good recipe for flat cornering. It’s difficult to describe the sensation of being in what is otherwise a small, buttoned-down sport compact that has been repurposed in this manner, but if you can imagine taking a go-kart and replacing its seat with a bar stool, you can probably wrap your head around what we’re trying to illustrate. We’re exaggerating for effect here, but the point is that the resulting sensation is a bit incongruous. That’s not to say it’s bad, necessarily; it just requires a bit of mental recalibration. What makes it noteworthy is that it’s absent from Benz’s larger five-door AMG models; the GLC and GLE feel wider and more car-like. It helps that it’s quick. Tall or not, this …
Full Review
A small, utilitarian machine like the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 is a magnet for car enthusiasts. The boxy, cargo-friendly shape and small footprint of the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 is appealing enough in its own right, but the GLA 45 takes that formula and adds 250 more horsepower and a trick all-wheel drive system. What’s not to like? The new GLA rides on Mercedes’ new MFA2 platform (modular front-wheel-drive architecture), which is fundamentally front-wheel drive. This architecture is shared with the new, family-friendly GLB, the A-Class sedan and the CLA “coupe.” Take that CLA, add some ground clearance and a more utilitarian rear cargo area, and you have the GLA. The basic GLA 250 offers an adequate but not particularly impressive 221 horsepower and standard front-wheel drive. You don't need to go all the way up to the 45 for an upgrade, though. The Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 splits the difference with 302 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Fundamentally, that has the same engine that powers the GLA 45, but here it produces 382 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque – all from a 2.0-liter turbo-four. That’s underselling it, considering it’s the most powerful production four-cylinder engine currently for sale. The hand-built AMG engine utilizes a twin-scroll turbocharger to maximize low-end response and maximum flow closer to redline, which was increased from 6,500 RPM to 7,200 RPM while the compression ratio was lowered from 10:1 to 9:1 to make room for more boost.   The turbo-four is paired to an eight-speed dual-clutch automated manual and standard torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. Like the 35, the GLA 45 sits 7/10ths of an inch lower than the non-AMG models, with just 4.6 inches of ground clearance to the GLA 250’s 5.3. That’s not very high for something Benz markets as an SUV, but it’s still more than an inch higher off the ground than the CLA 45, and putting it on stilts and trading in its sleek coupe lines for those of a hatchback came at a cost. The GLA 45 tips the scales at 3,913 pounds – 250 pounds more than the CLA 45, 200 pounds more than the current GLA 35 and about 450 pounds more than the previous-generation GLA 45. Thanks to its tall stance, those extra pounds are also higher up, which isn’t a good recipe for flat cornering. It’s difficult to describe the sensation of being in what is otherwise a small, buttoned-down sport compact that has been repurposed in this manner, but if you can imagine taking a go-kart and replacing its seat with a bar stool, you can probably wrap your head around what we’re trying to illustrate. We’re exaggerating for effect here, but the point is that the resulting sensation is a bit incongruous. That’s not to say it’s bad, necessarily; it just requires a bit of mental recalibration. What makes it noteworthy is that it’s absent from Benz’s larger five-door AMG models; the GLC and GLE feel wider and more car-like. It helps that it’s quick. Tall or not, this …
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Retail Price

$54,500 - $54,500 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 2.0L I-4
MPG Up to 20 city / 27 highway
Seating 5 Passengers
Transmission 8-spd auto-shift man w/OD
Power 382 @ 6500 rpm
Drivetrain AMG Performance 4MATIC all wheel
Curb Weight 3,847 lbs
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