glayfan40

Come next year around the same time my current GLK250 lease will be up. A couple new vehicles that interest me include the GLA45 and the Macan S.

Both should start at around the same price (~$50K). I've played around with the Porsche online configurator already - the optioned up price gets pushed to just under $65K (my budget). And that required quite a bit of retraining on my part, meaning I could've easily added another $5-7K to get it to 100% of what I'd want in my next car.

Not sure what the option pricing will look like on the GLA45, but if they are similar enough to the CLA45, my estimated total will be around $63K (factored in base price difference between the two vehicles at around $2500-3000).

Performance wise, the GLA will have a slight edge (being a smaller/lighter vehicle with a more powerful engine). But the Porsche will likely have better fit-and-finish. The V6 engine in the Porsche will also make for a smoother/refined ride. The extra trunk space will be appreciated when needed, but not a must as I rarely haul large items.

I'd like to hear from you guys as to which you think would make for a better car.

Also, the money factor (AKA lease rate) for both of these vehicles will most likely be too high (>5%) so I will probably end up financing it to end my lease cycle. This means, for the first time ever, I will get to keep a vehicle for more than 3 years. From a reliability standpoint, are both car makes similar? Never owned a P car before but the GLK has been flawless so far at just under 7000 miles.

djejglk

Interesting question. I hadn't even heard of this porsche model until i read your post! I'm a mercedes fan, and have never owned a porsche, but the porsche interior (interior design=very important to me) is quite nice.


I love very horizontal, symmetrical interiors, which both seem to have. I HATE swoopy interiors. I currently have a 2013 c class which has everything I want in interior design, and I even love the new w205 design.

just typing at this point lol.

MIKE ZELL

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/...benz/gla45-amg
A review of the GLA 45 AMG you might find of interest.

Sincity

I'm hoping the Q3 RS will make it here to make things interesting. Though less in power, I think it looks better inside and out.

soupy454

I will be cross shopping them. I am looking to move into 1 of those brands and those are the 2 sweet choices I am eyeing as a 1st time brand buy. I have a tuned mkv gti now, and will definitely looking at them or a B8 S4. The Porsche will be a bit more 'tamed' -unless you go for the turbo! I will be very interested in some comparison tests.

jstefanop

iTrader: (1)

Saw both of them at the NYAS, the GLA 45 looks even better in person and I'm pretty much sold on it, even though the Macan was more refined in terms of looks (interior looks better too). I can't ignore the performance differences though...if the Macan had similar performance figures it would be a tough choice but i think the AMG beats it currently.

soupy454

Yeah I saw them both in person the same day at the NY show and those were my thoughts exactly. Porsche looks great but might get that 'dull' look after a while in the S trim (unless you go Turbo)
Just seeing and hearing the 45 in videos makes me really like it more. I'm curious on interior space- I think the Macan might have an edge in size, but the performance doesn't compare.

OBP

similarly equipped, won't a 2015 macan s be about 10-15% or so higher msrp than a gla45 ?

DFW01E55

Anyone know the wheelbase length and width?
Didn't see that in the order guide.

Sincity

Yeah, but they get loaded with options and get expensive quickly.

JMacan911

I just picked up the Macan S a month ago and now my GF is looking at the GLA 250, although I'm trying to convince her to get the 45.

schorert1

I would consider the q3 but probably not the Porsche...looks like a chopped down cayenne, which is definitely not an appealing shape...especially at what looks to be 15% more at least.
I'd shop the audi because the q3 style is growing on me, and I'm feeling self conscious about having 3MB's in the driveway. Assuming audi offers this in an "S" version...
I love the brand but I'm feeling like a "fanboy". if I make my 63amg convertible go away I could get the f355 spider I've been eyeing and then have no remorse about the gla45.

It's odd to talk about an AMG that is "tame" and "economical" enough to be a daily driver...explaining to the wife that its' actually a bargain.

Sincity

What bothers me about the Q3 is that it came out late. It has the "older" motor and no DSG. and IIRC, none of the current packages have Homelink. Would be great if we (U.S.) will get the RSQ3 for around the same price as the GLA45.

supernsx

I had a Macan for a month and we are planning to get a GLA45 to replace our C300. Went to the dealer today to see the GLA250 in real life and it was beyond disappointment. The car is in coco brown and the proportion between height and width is way off. Has to be the worst looking Mercedes in the lineup today.

I traveld to Asia during summer this year and A class looks 100x better. Mercedes should bring the A45 here instead and I would buy it in a heart beat.

Sincity

Also saw your post in the Macan forum. I'm looking for something to replace my aging RDX in a couple of years. I've seen one Macan and not a GLA. Was the GLA sitting too high? Front end looks a little strange? I don't like the non-AMG grill. Does it look a little "strange" like a Tiguan's proportions? To me, the Tiguan looks a little too narrow for it's height.

supernsx

Tiguan looks much more proportional than the GLA. Don't know how to explain but the narrow width with the high ground clearance makes the GLA look off.

Sincity

I wonder if it was the color? In the videos I have seen so far, it (GLA45) doesn't look too
in white, silver, and grey. But again, you get an entire different perspective in-person. Just like how I didn't really like the pre-facelift Q3 I have seen in Taipei.

schorert1

I'm driving the GLA 250 this afternoon, but after seeing the BMW X1 yesterday, this is suddenly a tough choice...the X1 is actually pretty well done....fully loaded with the M package and all the trimmings it's $10k less than the GLA. don't know if that amg logo and extra 60hp is worth it.
Never owned bmw before...feeling my loyalty ebb.

mihaelb

Where are you located? In Canada, the GLA 250 is less than a fully-loaded X1 xdrive28i by $500, and that is WITH the Edition 1 package.

schorert1

sorry, I was driving the 250 in anticipation of ordering a gla45. it was actually a pretty fantastic little car! comfortable seating, roomy actually with ample headroom, pano roof. great fit and finish, except for the silver dash. The stock seats in the 250 were nice, but I like the stock seats in my wife's e350 too.
very quick little engine...I was able to spin the tires pretty easily. great handling.
It's very small looking to my eye. not tall at all, but the ride height seemed pretty low compared to my current small suv. all in all the headroom and legroom are actually larger in the gla(according to specs).
all of this said...the hood brow is distracting, the silver dash has to be wood, and why have a hatch that opens with a switch but doesn't close?


Fully loaded, the X1 is at least $7k less. It's hard to say that that the 60hp is worth the premium price. it's not a true M-power...more like an "amg appearance kit".

mihaelb

Oh, I see

what do you mean by 'hood brow'? those logitudinal lines along the hood?

I haven't seen the GLA yet (going this weekend), and didn't see all the new finishes MB offers, but the honeycomb silver trim and the matt wood trim are aweful. They do have a couple of other silver trims and glossy wood which look better in pictures (as well as carbon fiber for the GLA45).

As for the trunk opening thing, I think they were thinking that you'd be loading stuff into the trunk with full hands. The BMW's option of threatening to kick your car in the butt in order for it to open the trunk is pretty neat for that (albeit I admit I'd use it very rarely, so dunno if it's worth the extra $$).

schorert1

So the most annoying BMW dealer.
I sent her a build sheet for the BMW X1 I wanted to price, 3.5L with M-sport package and fully loaded it came to $50k. I told her I was cros-shopping this with the GLA45 that spec'd out to $60k.

She writes back and says (paraphrasing) "forget about the 3.5l and the m-sport, I have a very well appointed 2.8L on the lot with all options for much less".

So let me see if I understand this...I tell you I'm looking at a $60k car, I spec out the most expensive version I can create of your version, and you try to undersell me with a car out of your inventory...because it happens to be sitting on the lot?

cookstar

Yes

dtc100

Agree Macan looked like a Cayenne lost its rear end.

The CLA250 sat too high, will have to look at a 45 in person to be sure.

mihaelb

CLA45 looked just right. They actually raised the height of the GLA250 for North America to make it more SUV-like. Bad choice, in terms of looks, I believe as well.
Maybe they will offer an AMG pack in the future that will include the suspension from the 45, but as of now, it's just the body kit.