2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA

MY2020 is the last US year of the first-generation (X156) GLA. EPA lists it with the 7-speed DCT, not the H247's 8-speed. The GLA 250's 2.0L turbo-four makes 208 hp, and the AMG GLA 45 is no longer in the 2020 US lineup.

The X156 GLA 250's 2.0T makes 258 lb-ft from low rpm, which gives it more midrange shove than the headline horsepower suggests.

Mercedes quoted roughly 6.6 s for the X156 GLA 250 4MATIC and 7.1 s for FWD. Instrumented tests of the 4MATIC have run quicker, near 6.1–6.2 s. That is competitive for a subcompact luxury crossover.

The 2.0T has strong low-end torque, but reviewers consistently note noticeable turbo lag from a stop, a coarse engine 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. It is widely criticized for hesitant, sometimes jerky low-speed engagement and creep in traffic and parking maneuvers.

Mercedes-Benz USA published no towing rating for the X156 GLA and offered no factory US hitch. Overseas markets rate the car for light braked trailers, so it is treated as a light-duty tower at best, the same treatment as the 2021 scorecard.

FWD is standard and 4MATIC AWD is optional on the single GLA 250 trim, so AWD is available across the whole range. 4MATIC is a basic on-demand system with an Off-Road drive mode and no torque vectoring.

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 and snow, but there are no skid plates, lockers or off-road trim.

For MY2020 the US GLA comes with one powertrain only: the 208-hp 2.0T with the 7-speed DCT, in FWD or 4MATIC. The AMG GLA 45 had ended, and there is no hybrid, PHEV or EV.

The 2020 GLA 250 4MATIC volume trim, an X156 car with the 7-speed DCT, is EPA-rated at 25 MPG combined. The FWD GLA 250 is rated 28 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 2020 GLA 250, a running-cost penalty against rivals that run on regular.

NHTSA never crash-tested the 2020 GLA, the final US model 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 2020 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 2020 GLA 250 comes standard with automatic emergency braking (Active Brake Assist), ATTENTION ASSIST and a rearview camera. Blind-spot monitoring is a standalone option, and adaptive cruise and lane keeping are in the Driver Assistance Package. Locking those core features to options is a significant gap against the X1 and XC40.

IIHS has no front crash prevention rating for this GLA, and NHTSA's MY2020 record does not even credit it with forward collision warning. The standard radar-based Active Brake Assist is an older-generation system without verified US pedestrian or night performance.

Blind Spot Assist is not standard. It is a standalone or 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 the newer Active Steering Assist lane centering offered on MFA2 cars, so the volume car has no lane assistance at all.

DISTRONIC PLUS adaptive cruise is available in the Driver Assistance Package and works as competent radar cruise. It is optional rather than standard and lacks the steering-assist integration of the 2021+ MFA2 GLA.

The 2020 GLA has no hands-free driving option, and its optional assistance offers no lane-centering steering support at all.

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 2020 GLA 250 is the final US year of the first-generation X156 and seats five in two rows on every configuration.

Mercedes quoted 38.3 in of front headroom for the X156 GLA, and this body carried through MY2020 unchanged. Some third-party databases list 40.0 in, but the manufacturer figure is used here.

Front legroom is mid-pack for a subcompact crossover. One review notes a cramped driver's footwell despite the headline figure.

The rear headroom figure is respectable on paper for the class. The sloping roofline and small rear doors make the space feel tighter than the number suggests.

At 33.9 in, rear legroom is tight. It is about 4 in short of the 2021 H247 redesign, which stretched the wheelbase specifically to fix this.

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

Seats-up cargo space is small even by subcompact-luxury standards, closer to a hatchback's than a crossover's. The X156 sits low, with a shallow load bay.

With the 60/40 rear seats folded there is only 43.6 cu ft, well below boxier rivals such as the X1 and the 2021 GLA's 50.5 cu ft.

The cabin shares the A-Class/CLA (MFA1) interior, with a narrow console, small door pockets and few clever cubbies. The split-folding rear seat and a modest underfloor tray are the main provisions.

The firm, supportive front sport seats with power adjustment and memory are fine for long drives. The rear bench is short on legroom and thigh support, so it trails the larger H247 successor and the GLB.

Reviewers and owners consistently describe the X156 GLA 250's ride as stiff, 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 are more noticeable 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 are an extra-cost option ($750 or the Premium Package). There are no ventilated seats, no heated steering wheel and no rear climate controls on the 2020 car.

MY2020 is the final US year of the first-generation (X156) GLA, sold only as the GLA 250 with FWD or 4MATIC. At $34,250 before destination it was one of the cheapest ways into a luxury-badge crossover.

The GLA 250 4MATIC is the volume configuration at $37,245 delivered. Typical dealer stock adds the Premium package and other options, which puts a common build around $40,000–$41,000.

The X156 GLA 250 uses dealer-only A/B service on the M270 2.0T and 7G-DCT, and the aging dual-clutch adds repair exposure late in the ownership period. That puts it slightly above the second-generation car and well above the Lexus UX. No 2020-specific projection was found.

As the outgoing first-generation design, the 2020 GLA depreciated faster than its redesigned successor. Model-level estimates put 5-year depreciation near 44–56% of value lost, and KBB values for the adjacent 2019 GLA 250 sit around $14,500–$15,800 at about seven years old.

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.

$40,500 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (47% retained, or about $19,035) leaves about $21,465 in depreciation. Add the projected $8,300 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $29,765 in total.

2020 is the final US model year of the first-generation (X156) GLA, a mature carry-over with six years of running changes behind it, which usually means fewer early-production faults. Third-party reliability signals are average to good. Consumer Reports and J.D. Power model-level verdicts could not be retrieved, so it sits in the middle of the average band rather than above it.

Mercedes-Benz sits in the lower third of Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings year after year. In J.D. Power's U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study it trails the premium leaders (Lexus, Porsche) and lands mid-pack or lower.

Five NHTSA campaigns cover the 2020 GLA, and three of them are fleet-wide eCall software fixes. The other two carry more risk: a fuel rail/injector recall on a subset of 2019–2020 GLA250s, and a panoramic-roof glass bonding recall shared across many Mercedes lines. None is model-specific or repeated, so it sits in the typical-activity band, at its lower end.

The GLA 250 pairs the long-running M270 2.0L turbo four (208 hp) with the 7G-DCT dual-clutch. The engine is broadly durable, but owners report timing-chain stretch and cold-start rattle. The 7G-DCT has a known pattern of low-speed shudder and clutch wear from about 40k–75k miles. The fuel-rail recall also applies to this year, which puts it in the 'mixed history' part of the mid band.

Reviewers rate the materials and finish highly, but by 2020 the cabin was a 2014 design. It still had the older COMAND-style controller, a small perched screen and dated switchgear, with hard plastics low down. It is competitive on material quality but trails the newer rivals.

As the last year of a six-year production run, assembly is mature. Reviews report a solidly built cabin, and no 2020-specific assembly recall exists, unlike the launch-year 2021. Owners report only scattered trim rattles, which keeps it in the upper-mid band.

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

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

The 2020 X156 GLA uses the pre-MBUX 8-inch freestanding display operated through a console rotary controller rather than by touch. MBUX and its touchscreens arrived with the 2021 H247.

The 2020 GLA keeps the older COMAND-style menu structure, driven by a rotary knob and touchpad. It is usable but dated and fiddly next to the X1's iDrive and the MBUX in Mercedes' own 2020 GLB.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not standard. They are a wired-only, paid option (Smartphone Integration, about $350), and no wireless projection is offered.

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

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

The X156 retains analog gauges with a small color multifunction display between them. No fully digital cockpit was offered before the 2021 redesign.

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

Mercedes me connect (formerly mbrace) provides remote lock/unlock, vehicle locate, horn/lights and send-to-car. There is no digital key, and remote start is not documented for the 2020 car.

The front console has USB-A ports and a 12V outlet. No rear USB and no standard wireless charging are documented for the 2020 car, which is outdated for the class.

Push-button start is standard. Proximity entry (Keyless-Go) is an extra-cost option or Premium Package content, 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, so the setup is competitive but extra-cost.

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 cu ft cargo bay make rear-facing child seats and strollers a squeeze. It manages one young child, but family logistics are a compromise.

Automatic emergency braking and attention assist are standard, but the 2020 GLA was never crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS. Blind-spot monitoring and lane keeping cost extra.

The firm ride, cramped rear quarters, lack of rear vents and USB ports, and small seats-up cargo area limit its appeal for multi-hour trips with four aboard.

It is compact and nimble in traffic, but the 7G-DCT's hesitant, jerky low-speed engagement, turbo lag off the line, an abrupt stop-start and a stiff ride add daily friction.

At 27 MPG combined (FWD) it is reasonably efficient for a luxury crossover, but premium fuel and Mercedes service pricing keep per-mile costs average for the class.

The low, short body is easy to place in the city. A turning circle near 39 ft, a small rear window and thick C-pillars, plus 360 cameras only as an option, hold it back.

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

It is a luxury-oriented compact with run-flat tires and 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 real utility provision.

Highway economy of 31–33 MPG 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 and roof rails handle snowy roads and gravel. Ground clearance is barely above a hatchback's, with no tow rating, so it is essentially pavement-oriented.

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

The low-slung, A-Class-based X156 corners like a tall hatchback, with good body control. Reviewers and owners consistently praise its handling.

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

It has adaptive braking with brake priming, hold and hill-start assist, with perforated front discs in the AMG Line package. Stopping power is adequate for the class, though there is no standout instrumented result.

The 2.0T has a strong midrange (258 lb-ft), but turbo lag off the line, DCT hesitation at low speeds and an abrupt stop-start system 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 4MATIC is listed slightly wider by one source.

The driver sits low for an SUV, closer to a hatchback than a crossover, with a cramped footwell and poor rearward visibility. Power seats with memory and a tilt/telescoping wheel help, but the rotary-controller interface takes a reach.

Hatchback-like agility and a punchy 2.0T (0–60 mph around 6.2–6.6 s) make it more engaging than most small luxury crossovers, though the dual-clutch quirks and engine note dull the character.

The 2020 GLA 250 comes with a small 8-in COMAND-era screen, a rear camera and power liftgate. Heated seats, smartphone mirroring packages, blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise and the panoramic roof are optional, and it has no MBUX. That is sparser than the 2020 BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Volvo XC40, which carry newer interfaces and more driver aids as standard.

At $35,245–$37,245 delivered the GLA 250 undercuts the X1 and Q3, but it costs options to match their equipment, and its rear seat, cargo hold and dated cabin trail them. Without the AMG GLA 45 there is no performance value story in 2020.

The 2020 US lineup is a single GLA 250 trim with one engine, in FWD or 4MATIC, plus option packages. The AMG GLA 45 had been dropped, which leaves a narrow range.

As a run-out year for the aging X156, with the redesigned H247 already revealed in December 2019 and 2020 sales hit by the pandemic, GLA volume was weak. It trailed the X1, Q3 and the new GLB.

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

As an outgoing generation in a pandemic year, the 2020 GLA 250 was commonly discounted, with Mercedes-Benz Financial lease specials and APR offers to clear inventory before the H247 arrived. This was before the 2021 chip-shortage squeeze lifted prices to MSRP.

MY2020 is the sixth and final US year of the first-generation X156, which launched in 2015 with only minor updates. The redesigned H247 was revealed in December 2019 and replaced it for MY2021, so a 2020 buyer got the outgoing design.

Reviewers liked the badge and the punchy 2.0T, but by 2020 they consistently marked the GLA down for a stiff ride, a cramped rear seat, poor rear visibility, a dated interior and a hesitant DCT. It typically ranked near the bottom of subcompact luxury SUV lists and won no major awards.