2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250e Review

The GLA has been on sale since 2020 and has recently been given a midlife facelift. It gets a new headlight and taillight signature and a fresh grille and bumper. You sit behind an updated wheel, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity have been added, along with illuminated USB ports.

The GLA’s interior feels larger than it appears from the outside. The front seats are comfortable with a lot of adjustability. The driver gets a 10.25-inch screen that’s been refreshed with nice-looking graphics. The other 10.25-inch infotainment screen is easy to use and points to Mercedes for keeping the HVAC controls below as physical buttons. There is a lot of piano black throughout this interior, which tends to show fingerprints. The wheel buttons generally work ok, but I did find executing left-to-right swipes difficult. Oddly, you have to use the screen to change the song you’re listening to, as there isn’t a button on the wheel for this.

There’s a panoramic roof that tilts and slides, a fun feature in summer. Should things get too hot, there is pre-entry climate control. The ambient lighting gives the interior a premium feel at night. 

Rear passenger space is good for two adults without compromising the front passenger seat position. There is a transmission hump for the person in the middle to contend with, despite the 250e not being 4MATIC. The second row gets air vents, an armrest with cupholders and USB-C ports, but overall it’s all fairly standard back there, nothing too fancy.

Out back is a power tailgate with a hands-free function, the hold carrying 425L and 1420L with the seats folded. Overall it’s a premium-looking, classy interior that feels well-built.

The GLA delivers a smooth ride and has decent power. It gets the 1.3L turbo four found in the GLA 200 but with an 11.5kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motor, it makes a combined output of 160kW and 450Nm. On a full charge you can get 65km of electric driving. It has 3.5kW AC charging, with 11kW available as a $900 option.

Having an electric vehicle over the summer can be a bit of a worry if you’re in places like the Coromandel, where fast chargers may be in high demand and you don’t have access to a wall charger. So a plug-in-hybrid can be a good compromise. 

It does pay to keep it charged for best fuel efficiency and to have more power on hand, but should the volts run dry, it’s still very usable. I did find myself considering my braking to gather charge on hill descents. The eight-speed dual clutch gearbox shifts very quickly, though the electric assistance helps smooth out your starts, something that this kind of transmission can struggle with.

Taking it over the Coromandel Range, the GLA handled well, but pushed too hard, it suffers body roll, which is a warning to ease back. The steering is well-weighted with a great connected feel. The 19-inch tyres with a 55 profile soak up bumps on roads, however there is some tyre roar at higher speeds on rougher roads. But overall it’s surprisingly competent, almost fun for a family car.

The GLA is well-appointed in the safety department with adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot assist, traffic sign assist, great parking sensors, a 360 camera and self-parking.

At $93,199 it’s more than a BMW X1 25e and the soon-to-arrive Audi Q3. I’d recommend forking out an additional $2700 for the AMG line package, which gets you the usual AMG exterior and interior features and sportier brakes, making it a little more special and more desirable when it comes to sell.  

Mercedes-Benz GLA 250e 
$93,199  /  5.4L/100km  /  122g/km
0-100 km/h 6.6s
Engine  1332cc  IL4 / DI / T
Max power  160kW@5500rpm
Max torque  450Nm
Drivetrain  8-speed dual clutch, FWD
Weight (claimed)  1773kg