Mercedes is deep into a run of new launches, and Electrifying argues this is the one that matters. The GLA is a volume seller, the sort of car that funds everything else in the range. The electric version arrives on a dedicated EV platform rather than a converted petrol floorpan, with UK prices starting at £45,400 and order books opening soon for deliveries towards the end of the year. Electrifying reports a 58 kWh entry battery expected to return around 260 miles, a larger pack quoted at up to 408 miles in the GLA 250 Plus and 350 4MATIC, and a switch to 800 volt architecture that allows DC charging at up to 320 kW.
The headline here is not the styling, which the presenter says has barely moved. It is the voltage. Eight hundred volt systems have mostly appeared on considerably more expensive cars, so fitting one to a compact premium SUV at this price is the part of the spec sheet that actually shifts the segment. Mercedes claims 168 miles of range added in ten minutes on a powerful enough charger, according to the video. One caveat for readers outside Europe: the 408 mile figure is a European WLTP rating, and WLTP generally reads higher than the EPA cycle used in the United States, so an equivalent American rating would land noticeably lower. Buyers should also weigh the boot. Electrifying puts it at 410 litres, up 70 on the outgoing car, but says the BMW iX1 still carries more.
Inside, every GLA gets a 10.25 inch driver display and a 14 inch central touchscreen, with an optional third 14 inch screen for the passenger, all sitting beneath one continuous pane of glass. The software has been developed with Nvidia, per the video, and the presenter rates the voice assistant as the standout feature. A panoramic roof is standard across the range, which the channel notes is a cost option on several rivals. Space is up modestly, with 38 mm more rear legroom and a flat floor. There are two ISOFIX points rather than three. The frunk holds 107 litres but opens with an interior lever instead of the badge-press mechanism on pricier Mercedes EVs, which the presenter attributes to regulations covering the petrol version. Power runs from 224 hp on the front-drive GLA 200, which Electrifying says the UK will not take, to 356 hp and 5.4 seconds to 62 mph on the all-wheel-drive range topper.
The rest of the specification is conventional in a way that will suit the buyers this car is aimed at. Electrifying reports the GLA has grown slightly but stays under 4.6 metres, on a lower roofline and a longer wheelbase with the wheels pushed further apart, running 18 to 20 inch alloys. LED headlights are standard and the rear lights can be specified as a full-width animated bar. The illuminated grille, which the presenter clearly enjoys, hides more than 600 LEDs behind a glowing surround and a lit three-pointed star, and runs a welcome animation on unlocking, though it is a cost option rather than standard. On charging hardware, an 11 kW onboard AC charger is standard with a 22 kW unit available for homes with three-phase supply. Vehicle-to-load is not offered at launch but the channel reports it is planned as an over-the-air update, which is worth confirming in writing before it influences a purchase.
Bottom line: The illuminated grille will get the attention and the 800 volt system deserves it instead. Charging speed is what owners actually live with, and Mercedes has put a genuinely quick system in its cheapest electric SUV rather than reserving it for the cars with better margins. That is the right call and a slightly surprising one. The open question is ride and refinement, because the company says it chased effortlessness rather than outright pace and nobody has driven the thing yet. Hold judgment until someone has. On paper it looks like the most complete car in its class.
Commentary on a third-party video. Figures and claims are as presented in the source and have not been independently verified. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.