Here’s another Mercedes-Benz model which will eventually make its way to India. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the all-new GLA. And the first glance brings much relief for many loyalists. The GLA, which looked like a jacked-up A-Class in its previous generation, now resembles more with its elder sibling – the GLC. You could even call the new GLA a shrunken GLC and people would agree. However, Mercedes-Benz defines the newcomer as a sporty brother to the more functional GLB. That, by the way, is also on its way to India.

In terms of dimensions, the new GLA is a tad bit shorter in length than its predecessor. Don’t let that statistic put you off as the new one is not only wider (without mirrors) and taller but also has a longer wheelbase. That latter development translates to some more space inside the cabin, including more legroom, should room and elbow room for the rear passengers. Even the boot capacity has gone up by 14 litres. For the wheels, customers will have a choice from 17 to 20 inches. Compared to the A- and B-Class, the seating position for the front occupants, is 140mm and 50mm higher in the GLA, respectively. That should help deliver a more commanding driving position.

As you’d expect, the GLA shares its interior design with the A-Class and other models from Mercedes’ compact class domain. The most notable design cues include five turbine-shaped AC vents and the massive space for two displays – a digital instrument cluster and an infotainment system. Depending on the trim level, the new Mercedes-Benz GLA comes with two 7.0-inch screens, with one 7- and one 10.25-inch display and two 10.25-inch displays. As standard, all GLA derivatives will come with the MBUX, height-adjustable load floor and a spilt rear seat configuration. The rest of the package will be market dependent.

For the time being, Mercedes-Benz has introduced two engine variants of the new GLA – the 200 and the AMG 35 4MATIC. The 200 gets a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine which produces 161bhp/250Nm, whereas the AMG derivative boasts a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol that pumps out 302bhp/400Nm. Thanks to a 7-speed DCT, the smaller engine can accelerate the compact SUV to 100kmph from nothing in 8.7 seconds. The top speed is 210kmph. The larger engine comes mated to an 8-speed DCT and an all-wheel-drive system, both of which help in delivering a 0-100kmph sprint time of 5.1 seconds and an electronically-limited top speed of 250kmph. Spunkier AMG derivatives are in the pipeline, and they should reveal themselves sometime next year.

The new Mercedes-Benz GLA will launch in Europe in Spring 2020, followed by the USA and China. The latter two territories should get the baby SUV maximum by the summer of next year. Only after Mercedes-Benz finishes those launch activities will the GLA head to our shores. Expect that to happen towards the end of next year.