A grocery-getter for the Autobahn: Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG revealed

By Stephen Edelstein January 7, 2014

Mercedes-Benz’s AMG performance division loves variety.

Over the years, AMG has committed itself to building a hot-rod version of each of its parent company’s models, so it’s not surprising that the engineers in Affalterbach have turned their attention to the pint-sized GLA-Class crossover.

The GLA45 AMG will be unveiled at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, and will essentially be a CLA45 AMG with a hatch and a bit more ground clearance.

Under the hood is the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder found in the CLA45 AMG and the A45 AMG hatchback. Producing 355 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque, it’s coupled to an AMG Speedshift DCT seven-speed automatic transmission and 4Matic all-wheel drive.

AMG says the GLA45 AMG will do 0 to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds, compared to 4.4 seconds for the lighter CLA45. Both models (and most other AMG offerings) are electronically limited to 155 mph.

The GLA45 AMG’s electronic systems are also optimized for performance driving. It gets its own electronic stability control programming – including a way to turn the system off – and recalibrated electronic power steering. Sports suspension and upgraded brakes are also on the menu.

The styling hews pretty close to that of the GLA45 AMG Concept from the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show, albeit without the racing numbers and fancy aero aids. Bigger front intakes, AMG-specific wheels, and a rear diffuser add some muscle to this cute ‘ute, but the unwashed masses might not notice the difference.

The interior also gets a dose of adrenaline, in the form of sport seats trimmed in man-made Artico leather and Dinamica microfiber. The three-spoke steering wheel, on the other hand, gets covered in traditional Nappa leather. As is fashionable on factory hot rods these days, there’s contrasting red stitching, and even red seat belts.

Ensconced in the brushed aluminum center console is a version of the non-AMG GLA’s infotainment screen, featuring an AMG-specific startup screen, menu, and a Racetimer for impressing (or boring) the driver’s friends.

The Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG will go on sale in mid-2014, beginning with a special “Edition 1” model featuring unique exterior and interior trim. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV preview: The EV lineup grows again

Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.

As Mercedes-Benz has steadily expanded its EQ range of electric cars, the lineup has become a bit like the late stages of a Tetris game. It’s mostly complete, but with a few gaps still left. And the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is the piece that perfectly fits one of them.
Mercedes recently launched two other electric SUVs at opposite ends of the price spectrum. The EQS SUV is positioned as the lineup’s flagship, while the EQB is the entry-level model. The EQE SUV slots between those two in size and, presumably, price. The latter hasn’t been confirmed yet, and likely won’t be until the EQE SUV’s planned March 2023 on-sale date.

Design
As the name says, the EQE SUV is a utility-vehicle version of the EQE sedan, which will likely beat it to showrooms by a few months. Mercedes did the same thing with the EQS, which is available in both SUV and sedan body styles.
With its tall, upright profile, the EQE SUV definitely looks like a proper SUV compared to the low-slung EQE sedan. Park it next to an EQS SUV, though, and you’ll have to get out a measuring tape to spot the differences.
The EQE SUV is 0.6 inch narrower and 1.2 inches lower than the EQS SUV, but the most significant difference is in length. The EQE SUV is 10.3 inches shorter than the EQS SUV, with a 2.1-inch shorter wheelbase. And while the EQS SUV has three-row seating, the EQE SUV has two rows. Based on our experience with the EQS SUV’s third row, that’s not a big loss.
The interior design theme carries over from other Mercedes EQ models, with an expansive sloping dashboard designed to accommodate many screens, and multicolor ambient lighting that should look pretty dramatic at night. However, leatherette upholstery is standard, rather than real leather, which Mercedes is now spinning as a vegan option.

Cars

We need more 7-passenger EVs, but the 2023 Mercedes EQS SUV has room to improve

Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.

Mercedes-Benz is continuing to expand its EV lineup, this time with a model aimed at (wealthy) families.
As the name states, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is an SUV derivative of the EQS sedan. With the EQS sedan positioned as the electric analog to the Mercedes S-Class, the EQS SUV is the electric version of the GLS-Class. And like that vehicle, the EQS SUV is available with up to seven seats across three rows.
That makes the EQS SUV an important vehicle not just for Mercedes, but for the cause of EV adoption in general. While the Tesla Model X and Rivian R1S also offer three rows for family-hauling duty, there’s a lot more room in the market for another entry. Given the popularity of equivalent gasoline luxury SUVs like the GLS, Land Rover Range Rover, and Cadillac Escalade, the EQS SUV arrives not a moment too soon.
The EQS SUV is scheduled to reach U.S. dealerships this fall in three guises. The base rear-wheel-drive EQS 450+ starts at $105,550 with destination, while the all-wheel drive EQS 450 4Matic and EQS 580 4Matic start at $108,550 and $127,100, respectively. Although it will be built in Alabama, the EQS SUV won’t qualify for the revised federal EV tax credit because it exceeds the $80,000 price cap for SUVs.

Design and interior
A defining feature of Mercedes’ EQ lineup is aerodynamic bodywork aimed at maximizing range. The typical SUV is not aerodynamically ideal, but Mercedes managed to achieve an impressively low drag coefficient for an SUV — at 0.26, it’s close to the Toyota Prius. But function clearly took precedence over form. Mercedes deserves credit for not going in the polarizing direction BMW did with its two-row iX SUV, but the EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.
More disappointing is the third row, which should be the EQS SUV’s defining feature, but seems more like a useless afterthought. Adults will find it difficult to insert themselves into the third-row seats, let alone tolerate riding in them. As in most three-row vehicles, the rear seats also pretty much eliminate cargo space. And if you want to fold them down to create more cargo room, you’ll have to do it manually as Mercedes didn’t include a power-folding system — a bit disappointing for a six-figure car. The EQS SUV also lacks a frunk; like the EQS sedan, the hood is sealed.
The EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.

Cars

2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB first drive review: An EV better than its gas sibling

Front three quarter view of the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB.

Mercedes-Benz aims to go all-electric in at least some markets by 2030 but to do that it will need to launch electric equivalents of each of its many gasoline-powered models. The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB fits that description to the letter.

Where the EQS sedan aims to fill a similar role to the S-Class without directly copying it, the EQB is literally an electric version of an existing Mercedes crossover SUV — the GLB-Class. It uses the same body shell as the GLB, even retaining that model’s optional third-row seats.