Mercedes’ baby crossover has been introduced to the American public two years ago in Detroit, and now the German car manufacturer has decided to unveil the refreshed 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA at 2017 Detroit auto show. The facelifted vehicle won’t become available until the summer but don’t you worry about it. The changes are mostly cosmetic, so there will be no any big harm if you buy the current model right away.
Anyway, the updated model gets pretty minimal changes on the exterior. More precisely, there are totally new front and rear bumpers and all-new and quite impressive wheels. The 2018 GLA45 also gets new fog lights, while the performance-oriented AMG sports larger air intakes, which are fake. Oh yes, the topping AMG GLA45 features the real intakes, as well as a silver chrome front splitter. The 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA gets standard LED headlights, but you can pick the optional bixenon lights. Around back, the crossover uses LEDs only.
The interior is so gently restyled that we can’t see the actual improvements. Okay, we see them, but they are rather minor. An eight-inch screen is standard now, as well as the rear view camera. A 360-degree cam is optional, and so is with Proximity entry and keyless ignition. Smartphone Integration package adds Android Auto connectivity with Apple CarPlay. As for the AMG, it gets a “new” dashboard covered in MB-Tex vinyl with red contrast stitching.
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA won’t get anything new under the hood. The SUV will continue to use a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that produces 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, as well as a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The carmaker decided to keep the front-wheel drive as standard, while 4MATIC all-wheel drive stays optional.
As for the performance model, it will keep its more powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that delivers 375 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. The mill launches the small SUV from 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds, which is really amazing.
Like we said, the refreshed GLA will become available in summer. The price should stay unchanged.