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 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.