BORN AGAIN

The latest star from Mercedes-Benz has all the makings of a hit

- Anubhav Sharma

Good leaders have some, er, good qualities. They listen, they adapt, and they act. This isn’t a lecture on leadership, but the new Mercedes-Benz GLA is something a good leader would bring to the market. That’s not to say the outgoing GLA was a mistake, but it was a little underwhelming — both as an SUV and as a Mercedes-Benz. It didn’t look the part for sure and the competition stood taller. So M-B did what good leaders do, and voila, the new GLA is here.

What is obvious is that the GLA has grown up to be much better looking. The low-slung look of the previous one is gone, and I am glad. The new GLA looks taller and larger than its predecessor, too, thanks to the higher roof and a more SUV-ish stance. The profile still gives it away as a crossover, but the beefed-up chin, squared wheel arches, and the 18-inch wheels give it more SUV street cred than earlier. The rear isn’t as interesting, but the MercSUV-family look with individual LED lights works well.

Interiors on all new Mercs have become a wonderful mix of technology and luxury, as compared to just luxury a few years ago. Technology plays an important role now, without compromising on luxury. The 10.25-inch display dominates the interior space, and there are a tonne of features on board — a panoramic sunroof, two-zone climate control, ambient lighting with 64 colours, wireless charging, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, memory seats for front seats, and even a massage function. There is a lot shared with its elder siblings and that only makes the cabin a comfortable place to be in.