The 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class "is not a poser. This is a real SUV." Thomas Weber, Benz's head of Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, made that very clear while speaking to journalists sampling the new GLA in southern Spain. It's a bold statement considering the GLA will share showroom space with the iconic G-Class, which solidified its reputation as a legit off-roader long before becoming a Beverly Hills staple. So what makes for a real SUV, anyway? According to Weber, a real SUV combines style, a higher seating position, more space to haul stuff, and off-road capability. The GLA checks all those boxes, especially when compared to its platform-mate the Mercedes-Benz CLA four-door sedan. The CLA was America's first taste of Benz's new front-wheel-drive platform, and the automaker has been very happy with the CLA's sales performance since it first rolled into dealership last September. That said, Benz's bean counters must get dizzy with visions of dollar signs when thinking about the GLA, because as much as Americans love the CLA, they're expected to love the crossover version even more.

The GLA250 4Matic and GLA45 AMG are slated to arrive this fall, while the front-drive GLA250 should come in early 2015. The GLA looks much smaller in person than in pictures, and is surprisingly low. At 60 inches tall, it's 1.5 inches shorter than a MINI Cooper Countryman and 4.4 inches shorter than the sexy Range Rover Evoque four-door. It looks less like a crossover and more like a big-boned twin to the A-Class hot hatch. It's slightly less chiseled, but still handsome nonetheless, especially when fitted with 19-inch rims, which are optional on the GLA250 but standard on the GLA45 AMG. Inside, premium materials are used where it counts. The gauges wouldn't be out of place in an SLS AMG, and our tester's large and curvy aluminum dash piece appeared to be undulating around the round air vents. Visibility is quite good and folks of average stature should have plenty of headroom in the back. Our drive started with the GLA250 4Matic equipped with the familiar 2.0-liter turbo-four powering the CLA. The engine, which puts out 208 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, is a bit timid off the line before really coming to life around 2200 rpm. This powertrain is focused on saving fuel. The seven-speed dual-clutch auto, while smooth and quick, is eager to upshift for maximum efficiency at the expense of performance. Switch the gearbox's mode from Controlled Efficiency to either Sport or Manual if you're in a hurry or want to have fun. The 4Matic all-wheel-drive system will spin the front wheels most of the time, but divvies power to the rear multi-clutch differential when needed. Benz says the GLA250 4Matic will run to 60 mph in about 7.1 seconds. That sounds about right.

Keep it away from cities and it's much happier. Should those open-road travels take you to or through a twisting mountain road, things get even better, as the GLA is otherwise a sharp, engaging and fun vehicle to drive. The fact that it's not much of an SUV hampers it from a functional standpoint, but it's a boon when driving. It feels solidly tethered to the road, instilling confidence while tackling corners with minimal body roll. The steering is of particular note. It errs on the lighter side of effort, but it remains consistent and precise while turning, and allows you to feel the road. Plus, the optional 4Matic all-wheel-drive system gets rid of the torque steer (the phenomenon of the steering wheel tugging left and right due to excess torque being channeled through the front wheels) we experienced in the CLA250. When it comes to off-roading, it's quite obvious you won't be doing rock crawling in the GLA250, but its 8-inch ground clearance is more than that of most small SUVs and (obviously) hatchbacks. Its 4Matic all-wheel drive also includes hill-descent control, an off-road transmission mode and a special display in the COMAND electronics interface that shows steering angle.

Most of the time the GLA powers the front wheels, but the 4Matic system is able to send as much as 50 percent of torque to the rear wheels when needed. There are no locking differentials or fixed torque distributions, but the GLA will likely do well in snowy or slippery conditions. How Does It Accelerate and Stop? The GLA250 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 that produces 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Initial throttle delay aside, the engine itself is eager and there's ample low-end power that makes it feel quick around town and robust when passing on the freeway. In other words, it's a good engine hampered by a wonky transmission and throttle calibration. At our test track, the GLA went from zero to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, which is 1.2 seconds quicker than the rather pokey Audi Q3. It's a half-second slower than BMW's estimated time of 6.3 seconds for the X1 xDrive28i, but the BMW's more powerful turbocharged four-cylinder is a pretty exceptional engine.

The GLA's 0-60 time also happens to be the average for larger "compact" luxury SUVs. When it came time to test the brakes at our test track, the GLA went from 60 mph to zero in a superb 105 feet. Some of the credit goes to the grippy summer tires and upgraded brakes included with the optional Sport package. Subsequent panic stops were similarly shorter than average. The pedal itself is a little spongy and longish in travel, but not objectionable. What Kind of Fuel Economy Can You Expect? The GLA250 with 4Matic is rated to return 27 mpg in combined driving by the EPA. With front-wheel drive, it bumps up to 29 mpg. These are excellent figures, and on our 116-mile Edmunds evaluation route, the GLA250 4Matic returned 27.5 mpg. This is better than we got in the less powerful Audi Q3 as well as larger luxury SUVs. During our year-long test of the mechanically related Mercedes CLA250, we struggled to match some of its EPA ratings, but tanks higher than 30 mpg were commonplace. What's the Interior Like?