pdeacon

I've had the GLA for nine months. It is probably the worst car they ever built. The interior noise is so bad that I can't use the voice command under certain circumstances. The transmission is an abomination. Herky /jerky under most conditions. I've tried running in sport mode...not much help. I now set it to manual and shift very gear with the paddle shifters under all conditions. Probably knocks the heck out of mileage but at least it is not as annoying. We have two other vehicles (E350) so the GLA gets limited use. Only 4700 miles in nine months. I've owned many MB over the years but this thing somehow slipped below their engineering radar. I'd unload it tomorrow if I didn't have to take a beating on my lease. Probably complaining in the wrong place because everyone here already owns one. Maybe my experience is unique to my vehicle? When it goes in for service I'll request that a regional factory service rep assess the car. Based on my experience I could not recommend this model to anyone. Absolute JUNK!

SPG43

It's not an E350 and doesn't cost as much as an E350 so why would you expect it to be an E350? It's an A class after all. The entry level. What MB wanted was to make a fun to drive hatch that would get decent mileage and offer a lot of the MB features without breaking the bank. If I bought a Sprinter van I wouldn't expect it to have the same acceleration as a GLA!
...ok, let's actually look at your complaints. -The noise is most likely because of the run flats. You could swap those out, but you mention that you're on a lease, so not sure if you really want to spend the money.
-Shifting. Have you brought it in to have that looked at? There were some reports a while back of transmissions doing this that were fixed with a software upgrade. Yours might just be one of them.
The GLA is definitely not the car for everyone, especially if you're looking for that autobahn cruiser feel of an E or S class. It's a good car for someone in the compact SUV market who wants some sportiness in their drive. You have the E350, so enjoy that for it's cocoon of comfort and enjoy the GLA for it's sporty zippy little self that it is. Don't expect them to be the same and you'll be a lot happier with them both.

pdeacon

I wasn't attempting to compare the GLA to my S550 or E350. I understand what the market segment is for the GLA. I'm just saying that a company like MB could have done a better job with the concept/market niche they were aiming at. Something like a little more sound deadening material or a better engineered transmission set up. I understand that the GL is what it is. Just not for me.

PeterUbers

9 months ago there was lots of info on how crappy the gla and cla are... Sorry you got stuck in one... Hopefully you can flip into something nice

Benz does not mean anything anyone by name alone

Shadwell

It sucks that you have had a nightmare with yours and it hasn't met your expectations..


I have had similar (as a load of isues) with a brand new C Class... a crap ton of issues from day one and it just keeps coming up with more and more niggles as time passes..
I'm workingthrough them both with the dealer and making certain things to my liking (I am an auto Mech Eng) so i know i will get to where i want to be with it but I shouldn't have to..


In regards to the GLA my wife has a similar age and mileage GLA 250 4 matic AMG optioed up tp the max from the dealership floor... It has been aside from a duff battery.. been faultless !!!! bugger all creaks rattles or interior noises..
Sure its road noise is present but its running AMG 19's so thats not helping....
And re her transmission i fitted A GFB DV+ which was cheap and super easy to fit (anyone could).. and it has made the transmission which was already fine even smoother an quicker shifting (as in return to power on following a shift)..


It really does show you can be super unlucky within a range and great and poor examples exist... seems we got one of each...


as an aside i will be adding some dynamat toboth cars boot floor and pare wheel well, as well as the arear wheel arches.. alot of echoing from road noise and exhuast is emitted in hatches and wagons from this source so a noticeable improvement can be made again for little outlay and complexity..


All the best with what you move on too..

SPG43

Yeah, I get that you weren't comparing them directly, but you have a preconception of what a Mercedes is to you and it's more in line with the big cruisers than the little cars. If you'd spent the last couple years driving around Paris in an A class, the GLA would be a big step up.
I was driving my GLA this last weekend and came upon a section of concrete highway that had chewed up ruts from semis and idiots with studded tires. Man was the road noise loud with the windows down! If that was my daily commute I'd be bummed. I do sympathize with you if that's the kind of road you're on every day. For me it's mostly zipping around town and then some 50mph winding backroads where this car really shines. Horses for courses and all that.

Marcos51

I went from a 2013 GLK to the 2016 GLA and I initially felt every corner they cut. I was disturbed by the lack of isolation, which I think they could do better. But after a couple of months, without owning the GLK any more, I began to really like the car - the edgy styling, low center of gravity, sporty feel, etc. I took a short trip with a friend in her Subaru Crosstrek, which is not cheap, and you could really see and feel what a nicer car the GLA is in comparison. Unfortunately, you still own the E, so you never forget how nice the upper MB models are. But I have to say, I really dig the car now. Maybe you shouldn't drive the E so much?

Machine1

Now you can get one in an Infiniti version. I think they did a better job on the interior than M-B did.

ptkacik

I know nobody wants to hear it but my wife just bought a new GLA and it has to be the worst car ever made by MB. The user interface is horrible, the seats are painful, the ride is the worst in the world. The touch screen is bright as a headlight even in nightime mode.

Yikes. Could it be worse? She says she likes that it's ride is so bad nobody wants her to drive (seriously?).

Yes, yes yes, it has all the bells and whistles. It's a good thing it has backup camera and lane departure as it has the visibility of a delivery van.

Omg,
Peter

badm

My wife just recently started a lease on a GLA 250 4matic , It a nice low level benz and decently appointed , Yes it has tire noise , Yes theirs some cheapness , . But its a nice driving car , looks great to us and most important is the MB safety systems and construction and solid feel unlike some America small suv's . Its also lease if its starts having problems its on Mercedes not "US"and where turning it back in at end of the lease and "BYE BYE" , no big maintenance bills or tires out of my pocket and Its the same price retail as any other over priced FORD, BUICK, CADDY , Japanse suv's that don't have Mercedes safety systems . My wife had enough maintenance issues & quality issues with the FORD crossovers & Volvo suv's we've had . . Its also made in USA and American workers are getting paid at the factory & dealerships . Some of these America SUV's are made in Mexico & china now so your not getting what you think. Badm

dieseldoc

Congrats on your GLA. actually it was built in Germany. Take a look at the sticker on your B pillar. C class, GLE and GLS are made in the the USA.

badm

Oh , thanks for Info , my wife is very pleased with vehicle it fits her budget and price range. The we luv new technology its light years from my 2006 CLS 55 AMG 030 car . Only thing I'd worry about in the long run is the maintenance and repair for this new electronic stuff especially from the "STEALER SHIP dealer " if its out of warranty and no extended warranty . These vehicles depreciate so bad now its almost no point in buying them cost of replacing tires , brake jobs etc . Just make the payment and keep on rolling

ptkacik

I serviced my wife's car today and need to reset the assyst. The owners manual has a section on resetting it but all it says is that if it gets reset accidentally then take it to the dealer to adjust.

Really? They must be joking.

It's not as bad to drive as I originally felt though. The delivery van visibility does make it scary to drive in traffic. Put turn signals on and see if the lane warning thing alarm. Then pray and move over.

Peter

Sentosa

I am about to take delivery of a 2017 220d. Do you know if the GFB DV+ can be installed on this model?

Shadwell

I'm not sure for the 220d.
Take a quick look in the web site, it has a good applications page...