Mercedes-Benz Tweaks GLA and GLB

My current car is a 2018 Mercedes A250 AMG Line which shares its platform with the current B-Class, CLA, GLA and GLB. I have the AMG Line package (lowered body) and the Advanced Suspension Package which allows me to select between comfort and sport and the suspension firmness changes accordingly. I rarely drive in sport because the suspension is too hard in this mode, but even in comfort mode the handling is very nice for a FWD car.

I have plenty of experiences with these Mercedes’ cars based on this platform because whenever my car goes to the shop for its yearly service, I pay 40,- Euros for a loaner and it’s always a small modern Benz. So, I’ve driven the A200 AMG Line, A220, B200, CLA180, CLA200 AMG Line and most recently a brand new GLA200 AMG Line which only had 400 km on the clock.

The current GLA drives pretty nicely. Seating position is nice. In fact it doesn’t feel like an SUV at all. The steering feedback is sharp, the suspension is firm and provides a nice mix of comfort and sport and the little 1.33-l turbo 4-cylinder engine is very agile, powerful and smooth. It only runs out of steam at around 150 km/h on the Autobahn where afterwards its acceleration takes a little hit. I’m not a fan of the GLA’s design, but the driving experience was pretty nice. It didn’t have the fancy Advanced Suspension Package but it didn’t need it - I could easily toss this car around and the handling was good enough for me to have some fun in it. I could live with this car on a daily basis as it’s both comfortable and sporty and offers good interior room.

One more thing, the A220 loaner I once had was a regular A-Class with no AMG body kit or fancy suspension. For my tastes it was too soft in corners. The steering feedback was great but the suspension was too soft. IMO it needs the AMG Line body kit and the Advanced Suspension Package because this provides a nice blend between sport and comfort. I found the 193-hp motor to feel strangely slow compared to my car (224-hp) and even the smaller A200 with the 1.33-l 163-hp engine, which felt far more agile and quicker than the ‘220 motor (the A220 and A250 share the same engine but with different tuning settings).

The regular non-AMG CLA180 drives very nicely. In fact I’d say it’s the best driving model amongst these Benzes which share the same platform. The AMG Line CLA200 I once got to drive drives even better.

Not sold in the USA but a surprisingly relaxing car to drive was the B200 MPV. It handles ok but don’t expect to toss it around corners and expect sports car handling. The strengths of this car are the great seating position and the very comfortable driving experience. I like sporty cars but here I just got in and cruised around and didn’t feel the need to drive in a sporty manner. It was a very relaxing car to drive.

Hope this helps!

I'm sure this drives nicer than, say, a loaded-up MX-5 turbo, but this thing is going to run $55,000-$60,000 with the right options. Is it $20,000 nicer than the Mazda? I highly doubt it. But, as they say, it ain't my money.

If anything, vehicles like this make the case for Mazda selling itself as a sub-luxury brand.