E550 or GLA45
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Joined: Jan 2009
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
I was thinking about GLA since occasionally I drive on desert and sedans on gravel roads are no the best, but several factors like additional cost of driving and less comfort prevails so far.
So unless I run into extraordinary deal, I stay with sedan.
Lot of people have false impression that SUV are safer vehicles.
They are in frontal collision with Fiat 500 or in case of roll-over, but we did have ML and my wife was brutally rear-ended in it.
The truck being strike first in 5-cars pile up look impressive as it could drive home, but stiff frame transferred the impact to my wife spine leaving permanent damage.
I favorite couple of topics in W210 section, where owners have been rear-ended similar way.
W210 wagon with its crumple zones look very poor after accident, but driver walked away unharmed.
So unless I run into extraordinary deal, I stay with sedan.
Lot of people have false impression that SUV are safer vehicles.
They are in frontal collision with Fiat 500 or in case of roll-over, but we did have ML and my wife was brutally rear-ended in it.
The truck being strike first in 5-cars pile up look impressive as it could drive home, but stiff frame transferred the impact to my wife spine leaving permanent damage.
I favorite couple of topics in W210 section, where owners have been rear-ended similar way.
W210 wagon with its crumple zones look very poor after accident, but driver walked away unharmed.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2009
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None currently
You haven't said what you value, so it's difficult for anyone to advise you about how these two stack up on the issues you care about. But I'm wondering if you've driven both of them? They are so different, I'm surprised anyone would be torn between these two.
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,189
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From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
Yeah, the GLA45 is the lower level car, but it's newer. The E550 is a higher level luxury trim, there's things like dynamic headlights, auto high beams, cooled seats, rear entertainment package, dynamic seats etc that you won't find on the GLA. But some of those options are hard to find even an E550. Basically do you want a turbo 4 cylinder or a turbo V8.
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Joined: Oct 2014
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From: Zion
W212 E550 4M P2
Do you like the idea of keeping with a sedan or is it time for a change? The world wants SUV's and cross-over's these days - and I get it. You wouldn't be alone.
Do you want more room than your C? Keep in mind you can get an E with a split-folding rear seat. Maybe your C has the same? I wouldn't get one without it. However, the GLA may not be much bigger than the E aside from the rear cargo area though that may be a push. As an aside from only a few years ago, the BMW X5 had less interior room than a 5-series wagon.
Not sure, but suspect the GLA45 is harder-edged than the E550 which is a soft cruiser in my experience. Also suspect your C and the E will be closer in driving comfort and sporting capability versus the AMG-lite GLA45.
Me? I'm a sedan buyer, which is just about a dinosaur these days. I'm apparently a crumedgeon. However, I've got both a sedan and SUV in my garage. I arguably therefore have the best of both worlds and you should therefore take my preference for a sedan with a grain of salt (because I can drive the SUV when I need to).
I think cetialpha5's comment about newer versus older is spot-on. In other words, some of us believe that MB builds its S to a higher quality than its E which is built to a higher quality that its C and so on. Think the C is nice? Check out the E. Think the E is nice? Check out the S!
However, I really don't think it matters how the power is technically developed - be it a turbo 4 or turbo 8, as both hit 60 in essentially the same low 4sec window. While the GLA's output is lower, it's offset by a lower curb weight (and likely a smarter tranny that can launch) so they're identically quick. The future is smaller displacement powerplants and it's turning the adage "there is no replacement for displacement" on its head.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,224
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
Recently I drive 2.1l diesel and 3l diesel.
By the book they have similar HP > 195 v/s 210 and when biturbo on small engine really makes the wonder, the 3l still kicks at lower rpm.
Than I used to have 250HP in Ford 7.3l .... could pull the house on idle....
,,, or do donuts having 1000 rpm
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,107
Likes: 393
From: West Central Florida
2011 E550 P2 4M Sedan
E550 FTW. I would love to see what they'd say in the GLA forum. Seriously, they are so different you should just drive and get the one that best meets your needs. GLA does have some quality issues from what I've read.
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Thanks for the input. Our dilemma is we often go camping and access is gravel and rough so the added clearance would help. On more than a few occasions I have scraped the bottom of my car, lucky not to damage it. We do want a larger vehicle as the c300 lacks space. Test drove both and prefer the E550. The ride on the CLA45 feels wierd to me. Perhaps it's the difference between a sedan and a crossover.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,820
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From: NY & FL
MB’s of all kinds.
Thanks for the input. Our dilemma is we often go camping and access is gravel and rough so the added clearance would help. On more than a few occasions I have scraped the bottom of my car, lucky not to damage it. We do want a larger vehicle as the c300 lacks space. Test drove both and prefer the E550. The ride on the CLA45 feels wierd to me. Perhaps it's the difference between a sedan and a crossover.
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 748
Likes: 27
From: Zion
W212 E550 4M P2
Not so fast.
Recently I drive 2.1l diesel and 3l diesel.
By the book they have similar HP > 195 v/s 210 and when biturbo on small engine really makes the wonder, the 3l still kicks at lower rpm.
Than I used to have 250HP in Ford 7.3l .... could pull the house on idle....
,,, or do donuts having 1000 rpm
Recently I drive 2.1l diesel and 3l diesel.
By the book they have similar HP > 195 v/s 210 and when biturbo on small engine really makes the wonder, the 3l still kicks at lower rpm.
Than I used to have 250HP in Ford 7.3l .... could pull the house on idle....
,,, or do donuts having 1000 rpm
Puffing significantly more air into smaller displacement motors is generating unreal hp and tq outputs.
Member
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 96
Likes: 21
From: Miami, FL
2014 e250 bluetec
My 2.1L turbo diesel has about 370 lb-ft while the 3.0L turbo diesel has 400 lb-ft. It's pretty close, and you also have to consider the 3.0 weighs quite a bit more than the 2.1.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 2,411
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From: 122W, 37N
2016 E350 4Matic wagon, 2019 Ford Expedition, 2019 Chevy Bolt EV
Thanks for the input. Our dilemma is we often go camping and access is gravel and rough so the added clearance would help. On more than a few occasions I have scraped the bottom of my car, lucky not to damage it. We do want a larger vehicle as the c300 lacks space. Test drove both and prefer the E550. The ride on the CLA45 feels wierd to me. Perhaps it's the difference between a sedan and a crossover.
I've not been at all impressed with the GL series, we drove a GLC and GLE and strongly disliked both for various reasons. the GLA is FWD centric, isn't it?
