2019 Mercedes-Benz GLA

MY2019 is a carry-over year for the first-generation (X156) GLA. The H247 was revealed in December 2019 and reached the US as a 2021 model. The volume GLA 250 has a 208-hp 2.0L turbo-four, and the AMG GLA 45 with 375 hp stays in the 2019 US lineup.

The GLA 250's 2.0T makes 258 lb-ft from low rpm, which gives it more midrange shove than the horsepower figure suggests.

Mercedes quoted roughly 6.6 s for the GLA 250 4MATIC. Instrumented tests of the same powertrain ran 6.1–6.2 s, while KBB lists 7.1–7.2 s, so the manufacturer figure is used as the midpoint.

The 2.0T has strong low-end torque, but reviewers note turbo lag from a stop, a coarse note under load and an abrupt stop-start system. It trails the smoother engines in the BMW X1 and Audi Q3.

The 7G-DCT shifts quickly once moving but is widely criticized for hesitant, sometimes jerky low-speed engagement in traffic and when parking.

Mercedes-Benz USA published no towing rating for the X156 GLA and offered no factory US hitch, so it is treated as a light-duty tower at best. This matches the treatment on the 2020 and 2021 scorecards.

FWD is standard and 4MATIC AWD is optional on the GLA 250, and the AMG GLA 45 gets AWD as standard. 4MATIC is an on-demand system with an Off-Road mode, but it has no torque vectoring on the GLA 250.

The GLA is a pavement-oriented, car-based crossover with low ground clearance. The optional Off-Road Comfort suspension and Off-Road mode with downhill speed regulation help on gravel, but there are no skid plates, lockers or off-road trim.

There are two gas powertrains: the 208-hp GLA 250 (FWD or 4MATIC) and the 375-hp AMG GLA 45 4MATIC. There is no hybrid, PHEV or EV, and the AMG was dropped after this model year.

The 2019 GLA 250 4MATIC volume trim (X156, 7-speed DCT) is EPA-rated at 26 MPG combined, and the FWD GLA 250 at 27 MPG.

This is the EPA city rating for the 4MATIC volume trim.

This is the EPA highway rating for the 4MATIC volume trim.

Range is computed from the EPA combined rating and the X156's 14.8-gallon tank.

This is EPA's annual fuel cost estimate for the GLA 250 4MATIC on premium fuel at 15,000 mi/yr.

EPA lists premium gasoline for every 2019 GLA 250, a running-cost penalty against rivals that run on regular.

NHTSA never crash-tested the 2019 GLA, a carry-over year of the first-generation (X156) car. Both the FWD and 4MATIC entries read 'Not Rated' for overall, frontal, side and rollover.

IIHS never crash-tested the first-generation GLA, so the 2019 model has no Top Safety Pick and no US crashworthiness data, while rivals such as the BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Volvo XC40 carry awards. It sits in the untested band. Its 2014 Euro NCAP 5-star result keeps it off the floor, but that test predates current protocols.

The 2019 GLA 250 comes standard with radar-based Active Brake Assist (forward collision warning plus automatic emergency braking), ATTENTION ASSIST and a rearview camera. Blind-spot monitoring is a package option, and adaptive cruise and lane keeping are in the Driver Assistance Package. Locking those core features to options leaves it well short of the X1 and XC40.

IIHS has no front crash prevention rating for this GLA, and NHTSA's MY2019 record lists forward collision warning only as 'Optional'. The standard radar-based Active Brake Assist is an older-generation system with no verified US pedestrian or night performance.

Blind Spot Assist is not standard. It is a package option, with active intervention only in the Driver Assistance Package, and rear cross-traffic alert is not offered on the X156 GLA in the US.

Lane departure warning and Active Lane Keeping Assist are optional only, through the Driver Assistance Package. The X156 GLA cannot get Active Steering Assist lane centering, so the volume car has no lane assistance at all. CarMax's claim that lane keeping was standard conflicts with NHTSA and the dealer data.

DISTRONIC PLUS adaptive cruise is available in the Driver Assistance Package and works as competent radar cruise. It is optional rather than standard and has no steering-assist integration.

The 2019 GLA has no hands-free driving option, and its optional assistance offers no lane-centering steering support.

IIHS never rated this GLA's headlights. Base headlamps are standard, and LED High Performance lamps with Adaptive Highbeam Assist are optional, so the volume car's real-world lighting is unverified.

The first-generation GLA is low-slung and hatchback-like, with a shallow side glasshouse, thick rear pillars and a small rear window that limit over-the-shoulder views. A rearview camera is standard and the surround-view camera is optional.

There are two outboard LATCH positions, but the X156 GLA's low roofline, small rear door openings and tight rear legroom make rear-facing seats a squeeze and three-across impractical. IIHS has no LATCH rating for this model.

The 2019 GLA is a carry-over year of the first-generation X156. It seats five in two rows on every configuration.

The X156 body is unchanged for 2019, and Mercedes quoted 38.3 in of front headroom for it. Third-party databases disagree (iSeeCars 38.4 in, TrueDelta 40.0 in), so the manufacturer figure is used.

Front legroom is generous on paper, though reviewers note a cramped driver footwell.

Rear headroom is respectable on paper, but the sloping roof and small rear doors make the space feel tighter.

Rear legroom is tight for the class. The 2021 H247 redesign stretched the wheelbase specifically to fix this.

There is no third row. The 2019 GLA is a strictly two-row, five-seat subcompact crossover.

Seats-up cargo space is small for a crossover, closer to a hatchback. The low-roof X156 has a shallow load bay.

Max cargo of 43.6 cu ft is well below boxier rivals such as the BMW X1.

The cabin shares the MFA1 A-Class/CLA interior, with a narrow console, small door pockets and few clever cubbies. The 60/40 split rear seat is the main provision.

The firm, supportive power front seats suit long drives. The rear bench is short on legroom and thigh support.

The X156 GLA rides stiffly, especially on rough roads and with larger wheels or run-flat tires. It is one of the firmer rides in the class.

Road and engine noise intrude more than luxury buyers expect, with tire roar and a coarse 2.0T note under load.

Dual-zone automatic climate is standard, but heated front seats need the $1,800 Premium Package. There are no ventilated seats, no heated wheel and no rear climate controls.

MY2019 is a carry-over year of the first-generation (X156) GLA, sold as the GLA 250 (FWD or 4MATIC) plus the AMG GLA 45. At $33,950 before destination, the GLA 250 was one of the cheapest ways into a luxury-badge crossover.

The GLA 250 4MATIC is the volume configuration at $36,945 delivered. Typical dealer stock adds the Premium package and other options, which puts a common build around $40,000.

The X156 GLA 250 uses dealer-only A/B service on the M270 2.0T and 7G-DCT, and the dual-clutch adds repair exposure late in the ownership period. That puts it well above the Lexus UX. No 2019-specific projection was found.

The 2019 GLA was an aging first-generation design that was superseded within two years, and it depreciated faster than the redesigned H247 and rivals such as the X1. Model-level estimates put 5-year depreciation near 44–56% of value lost.

This is the standard Mercedes-Benz new-vehicle limited warranty. It matches BMW, Audi and Volvo but trails Genesis and Lincoln.

Mercedes-Benz has no separate powertrain warranty. The engine and transmission are covered only by the 4-year / 50,000-mile basic warranty, below the band's 5-year floor.

Roadside assistance for the warranty period and a Mercedes me connect trial are included. Scheduled maintenance is paid, either per service or through Prepaid Maintenance, which is weaker than BMW Ultimate Care and Volvo's included maintenance.

$40,200 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (46% retained, or about $18,492) leaves about $21,708 in depreciation. Add the projected $8,300 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $30,008 in total.

2019 is a late carry-over year of the first-generation (X156) GLA; the platform was mature, which usually helps reliability. The ratings I could retrieve are average to good. The unusually long list of 2019-only campaigns argues against putting it above the 2020 car, so it sits in the middle of the average band. I could not retrieve a Consumer Reports or J.D. Power verdict for this model.

Mercedes-Benz has sat in the lower third of Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings for years. In J.D. Power's U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study it lands mid-pack or lower, behind the premium leaders (Lexus, Porsche).

Eleven NHTSA campaigns cover the 2019 GLA, about double the 2020 count. Several are specific to this model and year and touch safety systems: transmission-control power loss, a loose engine fusebox that can disrupt ESC, brake assist and steering assist, a loose rear-center seatbelt anchor, and sunroof bonding that lets water damage the side-airbag system. That count of repeated, safety-relevant faults puts it in the low band.

The GLA 250 uses the long-running M270 2.0L turbo four (208 hp) with the 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission. The engine is broadly durable but has owner reports of timing-chain stretch. The 7G-DCT has a known pattern of low-speed shudder and clutch wear. This year also carries a transmission-control power-supply recall and a fuel-rail/injector recall, so it sits in the 'mixed history' part of the mid band, just below the 2020 car.

Reviewers rate the materials and finish highly, but by 2019 the cabin design dated from 2014: an older controller, a small perched screen and hard plastics low down. Material quality is competitive, but the newer rivals look and feel more modern.

Reviewers call the cabin well finished, but 2018–2019 production carries several assembly-quality recalls: wrong seat-back carpet, a loose seatbelt anchor plate, sunroof bonding that leaks water, and a loose fusebox. That record pulls it down to the lower part of the mid band, well below the cleaner 2020 car.

Mercedes-Benz has a dense US network of roughly 380+ dealers with strong metro coverage and luxury service amenities such as loaners. Its service satisfaction is respectable but trails Lexus.

The platform is shared with the CLA and older A/B-Class, so parts are abundant and the used and aftermarket supply is large. Mercedes OEM parts and dealer labor are still expensive, and a 7G-DCT repair can be costly.

The 2019 GLA has a freestanding 8-inch display run through the console controller rather than by touch. MBUX and touchscreens arrived with the 2021 H247.

The older COMAND/Audio 20 menus, driven by a rotary knob and touchpad, are usable but dated next to BMW iDrive and the MBUX in Mercedes' own A-Class, launched the same year.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are a paid, wired-only option ($350 Smartphone Integration, or bundled in the Multimedia Package). No wireless projection is offered.

Navigation is optional, in the $2,300 Multimedia Package (COMAND). Voice control is the older command-based Linguatronic rather than natural-language MBUX.

The base system is adequate. A harman/kardon Logic7 upgrade is available, and owners rate the stereo well.

The X156 keeps analog gauges with a small color multifunction display. No full digital cockpit was offered before the 2021 redesign.

The pre-MBUX platform has no meaningful over-the-air updates. Map updates for the optional navigation are dealer- or download-based.

Mercedes me connect (formerly mbrace) provides remote lock/unlock, vehicle locate and send-to-car. There is no digital key.

The front console has USB-A ports and a 12V outlet. There are no rear USB ports and no standard wireless charging, which is outdated for the class.

Push-button start is standard. Keyless-Go proximity entry and hands-free access require the Premium Package, and there is no phone-as-key.

A rear camera is standard. A surround-view camera, parking sensors and Active Parking Assist come in the optional Parking Assistance Package.

No head-up display was offered on the first-generation GLA. A color HUD arrived with the 2021 H247.

Small rear doors, 33.9 in of rear legroom and a shallow 17.2 cu ft cargo bay make rear-facing seats and strollers a squeeze. It works for one young child.

Active Brake Assist and Attention Assist are standard, but the 2019 GLA was never crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS. Blind-spot and lane-keeping cost extra.

The firm ride, cramped rear, lack of rear vents and USB ports, and 17.2 cu ft cargo area limit its appeal for long trips with four aboard.

It is compact and nimble in traffic, but the 7G-DCT's low-speed hesitation, turbo lag and an abrupt stop-start add friction to daily driving.

At 26–27 MPG combined it is reasonably efficient for a luxury crossover, but premium fuel ($3,000–3,100/yr EPA) keeps per-mile costs average for the class.

The short, low body is easy to place in the city. A turning circle of about 39 ft, a small rear window and thick C-pillars, with 360 cameras only optional, hold it back.

There is no US tow rating, the cargo area is small, and the dual-clutch powertrain is not built for loads. It is not a work vehicle.

It is a luxury-oriented compact with a dual-clutch transmission and has no fleet or work-duty reputation.

There is no onboard power beyond 12V outlets, no tow package and little upfit ecosystem. Roof rails are the only utility provision.

Up to 33 MPG highway gives decent range and the front seats are supportive. The stiff ride, road noise, and adaptive cruise and lane keeping costing extra make it a middling tourer.

4MATIC AWD with an Off-Road mode and roof rails handles snow and gravel. Ground clearance is barely above a hatchback's and there is no tow rating, so it is essentially pavement-oriented.

The 60/40 rear seat and roof rails help, but at 17.2 cu ft up and 43.6 cu ft folded, bulky gear runs out of room quickly next to boxier rivals.

The low-slung, A-Class-based X156 corners like a tall hatchback, with good body control, and reviewers consistently praise its handling. The 375-hp AMG GLA 45, still in the 2019 lineup, is sharper again.

The electric power steering is quick and precise but offers little feedback, typical of the MFA1 platform.

Adaptive braking includes brake priming, hold and hill-start assist. Stopping power is adequate for the class, with no standout instrumented result.

The 2.0T has a strong midrange (258 lb-ft), but turbo lag, low-speed DCT hesitation and an abrupt stop-start hurt drivability.

The four-cylinder sounds coarse under load, and owners find cabin noise below luxury expectations.

The curb-to-curb turning diameter is mid-pack for a subcompact crossover.

The driver sits low for an SUV, with a cramped footwell and poor rearward visibility. 14-way power seats and a tilt/telescoping wheel help, but the rotary controller takes a reach.

Hatchback-like agility and a punchy 2.0T (0–60 mph in about 6.2–6.6 s) make it more engaging than most small luxury crossovers, though the dual-clutch quirks dull the character. The AMG GLA 45 is a genuine hot hatch on stilts.

The 2019 GLA 250 comes with an 8-in COMAND-era screen, a rear camera and a power liftgate. Heated seats, smartphone integration, blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise and the panoramic roof are optional, and it has no MBUX. That is sparser than the BMW X1, the redesigned 2019 Audi Q3 and the Volvo XC40, which carry newer interfaces and more driver aids as standard.

At $34,945–$36,945 delivered, the GLA 250 undercuts the X1 and Q3 on sticker price, but matching their equipment costs options, and its rear seat, cargo hold and dated cabin trail them. The 375-hp AMG GLA 45 adds a performance-per-dollar story at the top of the range.

The 2019 US lineup is the GLA 250 in FWD or 4MATIC plus the AMG GLA 45 4MATIC, with option packages layered on top. That is a reasonable spread from entry to performance, but there is no mid-level engine.

Late in its life cycle, the X156 GLA was a steady but declining seller in a growing segment. Its volume trailed the X1, and from 2020 the new GLB drew showroom traffic away from it.

The three-pointed star is one of the strongest luxury badges in the US and the GLA's main draw over roomier rivals.

The aging 2019 GLA 250 was commonly discounted, with Mercedes-Benz Financial lease specials and subvented APR offers in a pre-pandemic market with ample inventory.

MY2019 is the fifth US year of the first-generation X156, which launched in 2015 and was lightly updated for 2018. The redesigned H247 was revealed in December 2019, so a 2019 buyer got an aging design with replacement close.

Reviewers liked the badge, the punchy 2.0T and the AMG GLA 45, but consistently marked the GLA down for a stiff ride, a cramped rear seat, poor rear visibility, a dated interior and a hesitant DCT. It ranked in the lower half of subcompact luxury SUV lists and won no major awards.