Tell anyone anywhere in the world that you own a Mercedes-Benz and you will instantly have either their attention or respect, often both. The brand’s global presence can be likened to Rolex for watches, instantly recognisable with a luxurious feel and a perpetually desirable brand image. Mercedes is a luxury marque like few others, the ‘Three Pointed Star’ is one of the oldest names in the business, yet has maintained a similar sense of prestige for well over a century. Like with many objects of desire, people sought to be part of this exclusive club, they wanted to buy into the Mercedes way of life and if they were already in it, they wanted to stay there.
The birth of the A-Class gave rise to a new entry point within the Mercedes-Benz range. It wasn’t cheap, no, but what it did offer was that coveted badge and ownership experience at a lower price point when compared to something like a C-Class which was traditionally when people would have entered the portfolio. With a keen eye on the rising demand for crossovers and SUVs, Mercedes followed a similar recipe, launching the first generation GLA which went on to sell more than a million units by the end of its production. With such a successful run, the nameplate had to continue for a second generation which was launched in 2019 and facelifted in 2023. This second generation car presented a huge leap forward in design, build quality and most importantly, technology. Addressing a migration towards electrification led to the birth of the GLA250e in 2020, a plug-in hybrid, the facelifted model of which is what we have on review today.
As I mentioned before, those who have previously owned a Mercedes-Benz and had positive experiences, will want to stay within its care for future purchases, I certainly know of a few friends with a similar outlook. That’s where the GLA250e comes in. Not only does it base itself on the GLA platform as an entry point into Mercedes’ crossover/SUV lineup, but the addition of plug-in hybrid tech means that this is a viable option for those who want the half step of electrification without needing to change loyalties.
On the outside, there isn’t actually much at all to give away the fact that this is a plug-in hybrid! Normally these cars come with a sizable ‘PHEV’ badge somewhere prominent, letting the world know that the driver is doing their part to save the trees or whatever. Not this PHEV though, it’s a Mercedes that just happens to be a PHEV. To the untrained eye, it could almost pass off as a petrol powered GLA. However, I’ll let you in on a couple of secret giveaways. Firstly, there is a discrete badge on the side of the vehicle denoting its ‘EQ Hybrid’ powertrain and then of course there is the ‘e’ on the end of ‘GLA250’, that is literally all!
While evidence of its powertrain may be hidden, its role as a compact crossover/SUV is not. Dimensionally, this GLA is right on the money for its segment. Measuring in at 4.4m long, 1.61m tall and 2.02m wide, it will conveniently fit into narrow lanes, parking garages and other such alcoves that an urban environment might present on a daily basis. Curiously though, our car looked like it was lacking a bit of muscle and that’s because it was without the all important ‘AMG-Line’ package, instead specified with the ‘Progressive Line’ pack, an oddity for New Zealand’s Mercedes landscape.
Given the lack of a performance package (which I do recommend choosing), its width was less prominent especially without those flared arches, the wheels also were small, 18inches on this particular review car, riding on run flat tyres curiously. However, where Mercedes got the specification right was in the colour, another masterclass from its PR team who have presented us with some absolute pearls over the course of the year! ‘Patagonia Red Metallic’ from the ‘MANUFAKTUR’ palette, a $1,000 option was an excellent choice and helped this GLA stand out. Where most prospective owners will tend to select a variation of either black, grey or white, I only saw one other red GLA during my week with this car, an important consideration for those, like me, who enjoy exclusivity.
Progressing to the interior, this is where it especially becomes apparent that this is a proper German made Mercedes-Benz, the thunk of the door closing is reassuring and reminiscent of days gone past, it also says ‘Made in Germany’ on the VIN plate. Harry & I poked and pressed all around but there was barely so much as a creak within earshot, this thing is well made that’s for sure. The list of luxuries continue as both front seats are electrically adjustable with heating and memory, the car also has a dual sunroof setup with shades.
Continuing with the cabin, the seats are made from ‘ARTICO’, a synthetic (man-made) leather which is livable but does get excruciatingly hot if the car is left in the sun with the sunshades open. This is worth bearing in mind over summer, especially since the seats are not ventilated. As this car lacked the ‘AMG-Line’ option, the steering wheel was a completely round unit wrapped in a wafer thin piece of leather, although it was the real thing at least. However, the oddest feeling in the cabin by far was the integration of the infotainment screens, they felt small for the relative size of the GLA. One part of me was pleased to see the technology take a back seat to the cabin experience but the other part wanted to at least see a screen size that was proportional to the dashboard!
Now comes the powertrain, this GLA being a plug-in hybrid means that there is the benefit of drawing on two powertrains individually or in unison, or so I thought. It has a 1.3L turbocharged four cylinder Renault derived engine mated to an eight speed dual clutch transmission for the petrol powertrain. A 13kWhr battery provides 65km of claimed electric only range in addition. The outputs are 120kW and 80kW respectively or 163hp and 109hp. On paper, the claimed combined efficiency is 1.2L/100km with the electric only figure being set at 21.3kWhr/100km.
At the start of the review period, the car had both a full tank of petrol and fully charged battery. Curious to see how it would fair, I used ‘Dynamic Select’ to put into hybrid mode and let the car do its thing. However, as I learnt through the week, the two powertrains operate almost independently of each other. In hybrid mode, the GLA first used battery power only, draining it all the way before engaging the petrol engine. My calculations indicated an estimated 43 kilometres of electric only driving range was achieved. Now fully depleted, the electric system turned into a mild-hybrid style starter, giving the car enough boost to move away from the lights before the petrol engine kicked in before it was promptly switched off again when presented with a downhill descent. Try as I may though, I could find no way to properly charge the battery using the engine. Yes, you can tell the car to hold charge at a particular percentage but there seemed to be no way to actively recharge it without plugging in. Recharging seemed to only happen either through braking or coasting downhill which fed into my theory that the two powertrains operate independently of each other.
All in all, I covered 358km during my week with the car, 12% of it in electric only mode, averaging 6.5L/100km which admittedly is not terrible reading but does defeat the purpose of a plug-in hybrid to an extent. For the most part, it was a comfortable 358 kilometres though, the GLA is a compliant motorway cruiser but the small engine does struggle with acceleration when it’s not being electrically assisted. Around town, maneuverability is a strong suit of the GLA but things start to get rough over coarser surfaces and speedhumps. It’s not that agile around faster corners either, lacking a bit of confidence when pushed harder. Being a car nerd, a quick peek under the rear presented a ‘torsion beam’ suspension set up. While I understand that Mercedes have turned to this to free up rear space for the battery, a discerning owner may feel a little shortchanged considering this is a $93,000+ car with a suspension set up that is famed for being cost efficient above all things. That being said, this is not a performance car and it is a GLA after all, so such a set up is passable if you are willing to stomach the price tag.
The Verdict
Honestly speaking, the GLA250e is not the Three Pointed Star’s finest effort. Two powertrains operating independently, a few blank buttons in the cabin, harsher suspension set up and a steep price tag leave a bit to be desired. However, for those who religiously follow Mercedes’ “Best or Nothing” philosophy and as such will purchase from no other brand, this otherwise mediocre PHEV becomes desirable thanks to its badge.
2025 Mercedes-Benz GLA250e: 3/5
Thanks for reading! For more Mercedes-Benz news and reviews, visit Tarmac Life.
Car courtesy of Mercedes-Benz New Zealand. Words and pictures by Matthew D’Souza.
