It takes the quickest of educated glances to spot the similarity between the Mercedes GLA so-called crossover and the A-Class hatchback.
The two models may be marketed differently, but they really aren’t, and the GLA is intentionally kept more expensive by not being offer with the hatchback’s base engines.
CarBuyer recently tested a GLA, and while it deemed the model very competent and pleasant, it did also note the misleading way in which it was presented. On top of that, it’s far from the most practical high-riding vehicle of its type, and for families who value an airy easy-to-see-out-of interior, it’s far from ideal.
Even so, its rakish design, good drive and moderate rutted track capabilities do make it a tempting buy. However, you need to be aware that aside from the taller suspension, you’re not getting that much more than you are in the A-Class and the price difference can be hard to justify.