since 1976
since 1976
By Lee Pang Seng
PERFORMANCE vehicles, whether they be cars, SUVs (sport utility vehicles) or outright sports cars, are often acquired for what they do best – giving one the thrill of Formula One driving on public roads. The difference is that one does it in a lot more comfortable vehicle than an actual F1 car, which is somewhat like a highly sophisticated go-kart with a body.
To do what they do best, some sacrifice in ride comfort is to be expected of these performance vehicles. Having driven a good range of these vehicles, mostly under race track conditions, our experience with the vehicle’s ride comfort is limited to a few. The Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 is one of them.
If we count the Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 that we drove in January this year, that would make two. These Mercedes-AMG GLA range is classified as compact SUVs that pander to young and young-at-heart customers who love to revel in some fast driving, albeit in safe instances, and brief bursts of speed here and there to get the adrenalin going.
Unfortunately, there are no autobahns here, on which we have had some enjoyable driving moments in German and Japanese cars. Nevertheless, those brief spells of gung-ho acceleration from the traffic lights and quick overtaking manoeuvres are what gives these performance vehicles their bite in the Malaysian scenario.
Our recent go at the Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 was very much within that perspective. The quick-footed manner in which the GLA 35 picked up the pace with slight accelerator prompt was as much fun as driving the more powerful and higher AMG-spec GLA 45 nine months ago. The GLA 35 might be slower in accelerating from 0 to 100km/h at 5.2 seconds against 4.3 for the GLA 45, but the thrill of strong and heady acceleration remained consistent.
On the open highway, we could easily pick up speed and had to temper our exuberance to avoid being caught on camera. Here, the GLA 45 was noticeably quicker in picking up the pace as it has a higher top speed of 270km/h while the GLA’s top end is given as 250km/h, both of which are electronically capped.
All this heady performance comes from a 2.0-litre (1991cc) turbocharged engine. Although the engine in the GLA 35 has a lower turbo tune than that of the GLA 45, the output still impresses at 225kW (306hp) at 6100rpm and 400Nm that peaks at 2500rpm and plateaus till 4000rpm. The racier GLA 45’s engine boasts 309kW (421hp) at 6750rpm and 500Nm torque at 5000-5250rpm.
At the same time, the GLA 35 is a bit of mild hybrid as it is fitted with a belt-driven starter generator (RSG) and an additional 48-volt on-board power supply as standard. Mercedes says the second-generation RSG functions as a mild hybrid. Apart from a temporary power boost of 10kW (13.6hp) and torque of 150Nm, it provides functions such as coasting and recuperation for greater efficiency. To make driving comfortable, the 48-volt technology is said to allow smooth transmission between stop/go and coasting.
Meanwhile, the turbo engine output is distributed to all four wheels via an eight-speed AMG SpeedShift DCT (dual clutch transmission) and AMG Performance 4Matic all-wheel drive system. Damping modes could be selected via the AMG Ride Control suspension and AMG Dynamic Select for the drive modes. The GLA 35 is independently sprung all round with a MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear.
The GLA 35 comes with 20-inch AMG five twin-spoke light alloy rims (the AMG 45 gets 21-inch wheels) that are fitted with 255/40 ZR20 Continental SportContact tyres. Typical to SUVs, even compact ones, tyre pressures are on the high side. When cold, the tyre pressure monitoring system indicated the pressure at 230kPa for three of the tyres while the right rear was slightly under at 225kPa. This went up to 250kPa when tyres got hot after being driven around.
Although the GLA 35 has a slightly smaller wheel-tyre combination, we still had to drive over the roads we cover daily at modest speeds in much the way we approached them in the GLA 45. Bumps and potholes from badly patched tarmac sections and weather wear are the norm, along with the numerous speedbumps and rumble strips.
Driving the GLA 35 fast over such roads is a definite no-no, more so if you have passengers. The stiffer sprung springs and dampers would result in a jolting and jarring ride if the GLA 35 was driven at unreasonable speeds over bad roads. In any case, the Mercedes-AMG compact SUV was already showing signs of being ‘abused’ in this manner as there were some squeaks and rattles, something we didn’t encounter in the GLA 45.
All the jolts and hard road impacts were bound to loosen things. We even heard a rubbing sound in the driver’s door panel that suggested something was loose inside. Then again, the GLA 35 is a year old now while the GLA 45 was only a few months down the road when we took it in January. Thus, the difference in drive experience in this area.
The brake pads also appeared to have done its fair share of mileage as was audibly noted. The brakes squealed rather embarrassingly (for a Mercedes-AMG, that is) while trail braking in stop-go traffic crawl situations. The system probably needed some servicing and adjustments.
It was on the highway that the GLA 35 was at its best being designed for autobahns; like the GLA 45, it moved along at robust speeds with a planted feeling. The stable stance was complemented by the good body aerodynamics, which also contributed to a quiet drive with minimal wind turbulence. We also liked the same confident feeling that encouraged us to explore its dynamic limits through our favourite winding stretches. Unlike many all-wheel drives, the understeer in the GLA 35 wasn’t as noticeable, allowing us to take to the corners at higher speeds.
Being the less powerful version, the GLA 35 has fewer AMG equipment and appointments. For one, the front seats are more conventional than sporty (like the two-tone AMG Performance seats in the GLA 45) but the Artico leather seats do come with red stitching to exude a sporty touch. The dashboard has the same combined screen featuring the 10.25-inch MBUX multimedia display and 10.25-inch all-digital instrument panel. There is no HUD (head up display) as in the GLA 45 as well as no sunroof.
The MBUX multimedia system (NTG 7), which is the latest in the series, includes the Augmented Reality Navigation and Navigation Premium. It worked well with the 360-degree camera parking package in providing a visual guide. Wireless changing for mobile phones come standard and the Burmester surround sound system added to the pleasure of quiet highway driving.
The GLA 35 is also equipped with a full range of active and passive safety systems. We experienced one of them firsthand, which we also did in the GLA 45, the Active Brake Assist. When the system detected us being close to crashing into a car in front due to our exuberant driving, it applied the brakes and tightened the seatbelts after providing audible alerts beforehand. That it happened again in the GLA 35 meant that we didn’t learn our lesson from the GLA 45 experience!
For sure, driving the GLA 35 was as much fun as driving the GLA 45. If we had driven the GLA 35 first, we would been fully awed by its racy performance. Having driven the GLA 45 earlier, our follow-up in the GLA 35 was mostly to affirm its exciting driving performance as a lower power package.
At RM363,888 on the road without insurance, the Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 comes across as a more attractive package for the performance and level of exciting driving it could provide. But if money is no problem, then you could fork out an additional RM170,000 for the GLA 45 to enjoy some bragging rights to a slightly faster and more exhilarating performance compact SUV.
