Such are the business demands of a mainstream performance car maker these days that no stone can be left unturned, hence AMG’s latest contender, the GLA35. Set to slot beneath the upcoming GLA45 into a burgeoning crossover category that only last decade would have been clearly marked as a no-go AMG zone, the 306hp GLA35 goes up against the BMW X2 M35i and Audi SQ2 using – surprise, surprise – the same 2.0-litre four-pot and all-wheel drive hardware as its 35 siblings.
The GLA’s familiar running gear includes the 250 AMG-based turbocharged 2.0-litre, eight-speed dual-clutch automatic and front-biased two-axle drive. It gets the same torque split - up to 50 per cent - as the hatch and just-launched CLA35, so there’s no Drift Mode hooliganism on offer. But with a 5.1 second 0-62mph time and the raised Mk2 MFA platform, the model might just amount to the most compelling combination of performance and comfort in AMG’s 35 line-up.
Let’s not beat around the bush, though, in this category looks are often a priority and the GLA35 certainly caters to modern mainstream tastes with its Panamerica front grille, 15-spoke AMG rims and the bumper butchness that has taken hold across the AMG line-up. The twin-tailpipes at the back create a slightly more subtle performance look than the quad pipe setup that’s headed to the following 45, but there’s a clear step up from the character possessed by lesser variants of the new GLA. No doubt some will opt for the 35 on its styling alone.
Inside, Mercedes’s widescreen MBUX infotainment system is the dominant feature, but just as important in this segment will be the GLA 35’s practical cabin. It includes 140mm of available of rear bench adjustment to free up 116mm more leg room than the previous GLA. Boot capacity is also up by 14 litres with 435 litres of space on offer before the seats are folded down, and Mercedes claims better headroom all round. The car adds to this practicality with a long list of driver assist features, including an optional Evasive Steering Assist that automatically steers the car around an incident if there’s no space to stop.
While pricing is yet to be announced, we’d expect a specced-up GLA35 to set you back around £50k, meaning it’ll be one of the priciest entries into this growing world of jacked-up performance machines. Not that anyone actually buys a car outright in this segment anymore. Expect to see many of these PCP’d machines on roads early next year.
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