Mercedes-Benz is consolidating its gas and electric powertrains into a single new GLA lineup, blending the third-generation gasoline model with a fully electric replacement for the EQA. The German automaker is retiring the EQ sub-brand and the EQA badge after just one generation, using its new Modular Mercedes Architecture platform to unify the two models. This single-model approach mirrors a strategy the company adopted earlier this year with the CLA and GLB, allowing buyers to choose between electric and gasoline power without losing size or styling.
The new GLA sits an inch lower than its predecessor and rides on a wheelbase stretched by 2.4 inches, resulting in an overall length of about 180 inches. Mercedes-Benz claims meaningful gains in passenger accommodation and cargo space. The battery-electric models gain a 3.8-cubic-foot front cargo compartment beneath the hood in addition to a 14.5-cubic-foot rear trunk. Although instantly recognizable as a GLA, the new model adopts cleaner exterior surfacing, a more upright front end and stronger proportions.
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Three Electric Drivetrains and Charging Speeds
At launch, the new GLA will be offered exclusively with three electric drivetrains. The entry-level GLA 200 electric uses a rear-mounted motor producing 221 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, powered by a 58-kWh lithium iron phosphate battery operating on a 400-volt electric system. Mercedes-Benz quotes a European-cycle WLTP driving range of up to 278 miles. Above it sits the rear-wheel-drive GLA 250+ electric, developing 268 hp and 247 lb-ft and sporting a larger 85-kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery and a claimed WLTP range of up to 408 miles. The flagship GLA 350 4MATIC electric adds a second motor to provide all-wheel drive, increasing output to 349 hp and 380 lb-ft. Mercedes-Benz claims a 0-62 mph time of 5.4 seconds and a driving range of up to 400 miles.
The larger battery’s 800-volt electrical architecture supports DC charging at up to 320 kW, allowing up to 168 miles of additional driving range to be recovered in 10 minutes under ideal conditions, according to Mercedes-Benz. The smaller battery can charge at up to 200 kW. European order books for the new GLA opened on July 30, with the first three electric models due to reach customers in November. U.S. orders and deliveries are planned to begin in 2027, according to Mercedes-Benz spokesperson Tom Steller.
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Gasoline models yet to come will use the company’s new turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine together with a 30-hp electric motor integrated into a newly developed 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. The 48-volt system is capable of powering the new GLA for short distances on electric power alone in urban driving, allowing it to coast with the engine switched off at higher speeds and recuperate energy through all eight gears. Front-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive variants have both been confirmed.
Mercedes has adopted a new suspension geometry to help reduce road noise and vibration. Depending on the model, buyers will be able to choose between standard dampers or an adaptive damping system that continuously varies damping forces according to road conditions and driving mode. The steering has also been recalibrated, with what the German automaker describes as “quicker responses around the straight-ahead position and greater weighting through faster corners.”
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Interior Updates and Tech Features
Inside, the horizontal layout is centered around Mercedes-Benz’s latest MBUX Superscreen, combining a 10.25-in. digital instrument display with a 14.0-in. central touchscreen and an optional 14.0-in. passenger display. The latest MB.OS operating system also debuts on the GLA with a trio of AI agents — ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Microsoft Bing — to answer more complex questions and conduct conversations. The automaker shifts to a calmer, more horizontal look with its screens and controls, and it plans to tap into three different AI agents to help make voice queries more productive.
The new GLA also receives Mercedes-Benz’s latest driver assistance systems, including an upgraded Level 2 assistance package with automated lane changing, parking assistance and a new 360-degree camera system featuring transparent vehicle views during low-speed maneuvers. Although the electric and internal combustion engine models share the same steel body, Mercedes-Benz has provided subtle visual differentiation.
