Model research hub
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
The Mercedes-Benz GLA is the smallest SUV Mercedes-Benz sells, essentially the SUV equivalent of the A-Class, built over two generations since 2013. The Car Connection says the 2026 GLA still feels like a shrunken luxury SUV, with a plush ride and slick tech, but that its pricing creeps into territory where buyers expect stronger standard power, and lists the BMW X1 and Audi Q3 as its rivals. The 2026 GLA is rated 25 to 29 mpg combined.
What the Mercedes-Benz GLA is
Wikipedia (opens in a new tab) describes the GLA as a subcompact luxury crossover SUV made by Mercedes-Benz over two generations, essentially the SUV equivalent of the A-Class and the smallest SUV the brand markets, with a first generation (X156) from 2013 and a second generation from 2020. The 2026 GLA has a 2.0L four-cylinder mild hybrid, front-wheel or all-wheel drive, rated 25 to 29 mpg combined by the EPA, about $2,650 to $3,100 a year in fuel.
How it compares
The Car Connection (opens in a new tab) says the 2026 GLA still feels like a shrunken luxury SUV, with a plush ride and slick tech, but that its pricing creeps into territory where buyers expect stronger standard power. Car and Bike (opens in a new tab) says the GLA's rivals in the segment include the BMW X1 and the Audi Q3.
Recalls and reliability by year
VIN Check Engine (opens in a new tab) ranks every GLA model year from 2015 to 2026 by recall count, complaint volume, deaths and injuries, and CarsCounsel (opens in a new tab) publishes its own year-by-year buying guide. Check the 2015 GLA and 2020 GLA pages for that year's recall record, and confirm any used GLA's VIN for open campaigns before buying.
Questions buyers ask
What is the GLA the SUV equivalent of?
Wikipedia says the GLA is essentially the SUV equivalent of the Mercedes A-Class, and the smallest SUV the brand markets.
What are the GLA's main rivals?
Car and Bike (opens in a new tab) names the BMW X1 and the Audi Q3.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is built around 2.0L turbo four-cylinder (mild hybrid), rated at 221 / 302 horsepower across its subcompact luxury SUV body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2026 U.S. lineup has 2 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe 2026 GLA-Class seats 5 and is a Subcompact luxury SUV.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings for the 2026 GLA-Class.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
GLA 250 offers FWD with optional 4MATIC AWD at 221 hp; AMG GLA 35 is a tuned 302-horsepower version of the same engine with standard AWD.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
3 indexed Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 2026 record → | |
| 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 2025 record → | |
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 2019 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class.
The Mercedes-Benz GLA is a subcompact luxury crossover SUV manufactured and marketed by Mercedes-Benz over two generations. It is essentially the SUV equivalent of the A-Class, and the smallest SUV marketed by the brand. The production version was revealed in August 2013 ahead of the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show in September 2013.
Source: Mercedes-Benz GLA (Wikipedia); safety and recall figures from NHTSA.
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class at a glance
- Production
- 2013–present
- Model years
- 2014–present
- Class
- Subcompact luxury crossover SUV (C)
- Body style
- 5-door SUV
- Layout
- Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, Front-engine, all-wheel-drive (4Matic)
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class generations
The Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class has been redesigned in 2019, gaps of 6 years, an average of 6.0 years between generations. The current generation (second generation, H247) began in 2019.
| Generation | Code | Began | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| First generation | X156 | 2013–2019 | The production X156 GLA is closely based on the Concept GLA design and was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. |
| Second generation | H247 | 2019–present | The second generation, introduced on 11 December 2019 at Mercedes media event, is revised from the previous generation. |
Year by year
The Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class across 12 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 25–29 | $2,750–$3,200 | 3 |
| 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 24–29 | $2,650–$3,250 | 3 |
| 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 24–28 | $2,750–$3,250 | 3 |
| 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 22–28 | $2,750–$3,500 | 4 |
| 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 22–28 | $2,750–$3,500 | 4 |
| 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 23–28 | $2,750–$3,350 | 4 |
| 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 25–28 | $2,750–$3,100 | 2 |
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 25–27 | $2,850–$3,100 | 4 |
| 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 25–27 | $2,850–$3,100 | 4 |
| 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 25–27 | $2,850–$3,100 | 4 |
| 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 25–28 | $2,750–$3,100 | 4 |
| 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | 25–28 | $2,750–$3,100 | 4 |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, one model year at a time.
| Step | EPA records | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint | Added | No longer listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 to 2026 | 26.5 to 27.0 | |||
| 2024 to 2025 | 26.0 to 26.5 | |||
| 2023 to 2024 | 4 to 3 | 25.0 to 26.0 | Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; Mild Hybrid | Labels: AMG GLA45 4matic; Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI |
| 2021 to 2022 | 25.5 to 25.0 | Drives: All-Wheel Drive | Drives: 4-Wheel Drive | |
| 2020 to 2021 | 2 to 4 | 26.5 to 25.5 | Labels: AMG GLA35 4matic, AMG GLA45 4matic; Transmissions: Automatic (AM8); Size classes: Small Station Wagons, Special Purpose Vehicle 2WD | Transmissions: Automatic (AM7); Size classes: Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD |
| 2019 to 2020 | 4 to 2 | 26.0 to 26.5 | Labels: AMG GLA45 4matic; Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; FFV; Drives: Part-time 4-Wheel Drive; Fuels: Premium or E85; Size classes: Midsize Station Wagons | |
| 2017 to 2018 | Drives: Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | |||
| 2016 to 2017 | 26.5 to 26.0 | |||
| 2015 to 2016 | Labels: AMG GLA45 4matic | Labels: GLA45 AMG 4matic |
Trim by trim
Every 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLA 250 | FWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 221 | 258 | 3,604 | – | 29 | – |
| GLA 250 4MATIC | AWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 221 | 258 | 3,726 | – | 28 | – |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2026 model year; base price is KBB's national base price where its list carries the trim by the same name. A dash means KBB lists no figure.
Specifications by year
Power, weight and towing for every Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 221 | 3,604–3,726 | – | 13.5 |
| 2025 | 2 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 221 | – | – | 13.5 |
| 2024 | 2 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 221 | 3,384–3,494 | – | 13.5 |
| 2023 | 2 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 221 | 3,384–3,494 | – | 13.5 |
| 2022 | 2 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 221 | 3,384–3,494 | – | 13.5 |
| 2021 | 2 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 221 | 3,384–3,494 | – | 12.7 |
| 2020 | 2 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 208 | 3,164–3,340 | – | 14.8 |
| 2019 | 2 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 208 | 3,296–3,428 | – | 14.8 |
| 2018 | 2 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 208 | 3,296–3,428 | – | 14.8 |
| 2017 | 2 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 208 | 3,296–3,428 | – | 14.8 |
| 2016 | 2 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 208 | 3,296–3,428 | – | 13.2 |
| 2015 | 3 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 208–355 | 3,317 | – | 14.8 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for each model year. A range covers every trim KBB lists that year; a dash means KBB lists no figure.
Owning it
Oil, fluid and wheel-nut figures for the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class.
| Model year | Engine oil | Brake fluid | Wheel-nut torque | A/C refrigerant | Key-fob battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | – | – | – | – | CR2025 |
| 2018 | 0W-40 | – | – | – | CR2025 |
| 2017 | 0W-40 | – | – | – | CR2025 |
| 2016 | – | – | – | – | CR2025 |
| 2015 | – | – | – | – | CR2025 |
Source: the manufacturer's owner's manual for each model year. A dash means that year's manual gave no single value for it, for instance one that lists two oil grades or two key types.
Compared with
Models this Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is most often compared with.
Nearest Mercedes-Benz models
Other Mercedes-Benz models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2026 GLA-Class come in?
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class (subcompact luxury SUV) comes in 2 trims: GLA 250, AMG GLA 35.
Q02What are the 2026 GLA-Class trims?
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class trims are GLA 250, AMG GLA 35, listed from the entry GLA 250 up to the top AMG GLA 35.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2026 GLA-Class use?
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is built around 2.0L turbo four-cylinder (mild hybrid), rated at 221 / 302 horsepower across its subcompact luxury SUV body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2026 GLA-Class have?
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is rated at 221 / 302 horsepower (2.0L turbo four-cylinder (mild hybrid)).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2026 GLA-Class?
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is offered with FWD / AWD.