All-New Mercedes-Benz GLA Revealed: 657km Range, Three EVs

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the all-new GLA, its best-selling compact SUV, in a significant overhaul that adds a fully electric powertrain lineup for the first time. European orders opened on 30 July 2026, with three electric variants available at launch and high-tech electrified combustion versions to follow in early 2027.

The new GLA sits on a lower, wider stance than its predecessor and brings Mercedes-Benz's illuminated iconic grille to the compact segment for the first time. Mercedes-Benz Australia has not confirmed local pricing, specification or launch timing.

Three Electric Variants at Launch

Three fully electric GLA variants are confirmed for the European launch. The entry GLA 200 electric uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery with a usable capacity of 58kWh and produces 165kW. The GLA 250+ electric steps up to 200kW, and the GLA 350 4MATIC electric is the performance flagship with 260kW and a claimed 0 to 100km/h time of 5.4 seconds. Both the GLA 250+ and GLA 350 4MATIC use a larger nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery with a usable capacity of 85kWh.

Mercedes-Benz says a fourth variant with a smaller 71kWh NMC battery will follow in early 2027. Power and pricing for that variant have not been announced.

Range and Charging

The electric GLA offers up to 657 kilometres of WLTP range, Mercedes-Benz's longest yet for the model. The 800-volt architecture supports DC fast charging at up to 320kW, adding up to 270 kilometres of range in ten minutes. Owners without access to 800-volt chargers can use an optional DC converter to charge at 400-volt stations. AC charging tops out at 22kW.

For context, the BMW iX3 50 xDrive, built on BMW's new Neue Klasse platform, charges even quicker. Its own 800-volt system supports up to 400kW DC charging, adding around 350 kilometres of range in ten minutes, ahead of the electric GLA's fastest-charging variants at 320kW and 270 kilometres in the same time. The entry GLA 200 electric, capped at 200kW, trails the iX3 by a wider margin.

Hybrid Variant to Follow in 2027

From early 2027, Mercedes-Benz will add high-tech electrified combustion variants to the GLA range. These use a newly developed 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. A 22kW electric motor is integrated into a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, letting the GLA run on electric power alone at urban speeds and coast with the drivetrain disengaged above 100km/h. Mercedes-Benz says the system can recover up to 25kW of energy under braking, in any of the eight gears.

Mercedes-Benz has not confirmed whether the electrified combustion variant will be sold in Australia. The outgoing GLA range on sale here is petrol-only, with no plug-in hybrid variant currently offered locally.

Design: Illuminated Grille and Four Equipment Lines

The electric GLA is the first model in Mercedes-Benz's compact segment to use the brand's illuminated iconic grille, a chrome-framed panel with more than 600 backlit polycarbonate light points that can be animated. The high-tech electrified combustion variants keep a light-flooded star grille with 150 hot-stamped stars instead.

For the first time, the GLA is offered in four equipment lines: Style, Progressive, AMG Line and AMG Line Plus, plus a Night Edition that combines the AMG Line with a dedicated Night Package. Wheel sizes range from 18 to 20 inches depending on the line.

Interior: MBUX Superscreen and a Generative AI Assistant

Inside, the new GLA gets an optional MBUX Superscreen spanning the dashboard, combining a 10.25-inch instrument display with two 14-inch screens for the driver and front passenger. The MBUX Virtual Assistant is powered by generative AI, and Mercedes-Benz says it can hold multi-part conversations and remember context from earlier in the exchange, similar to the system already fitted to the CLA.

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A panoramic roof is standard. An optional SKY CONTROL roof can switch individual glass segments between transparent and opaque, and can project up to 172 individually lit stars onto the cabin ceiling at night. A Burmester 3D surround sound system with 16 speakers and Dolby Atmos support is available as an option.

Space and Practicality

The wheelbase grows by 61mm to 2,790mm, adding 38mm of rear legroom. Boot capacity is rated at 410 litres, or 1,400 litres with the rear seats folded, and electric variants add a 107-litre front boot. On 4MATIC all-wheel-drive models, braked towing capacity reaches two tonnes. A TERRAIN drive mode and a transparent bonnet camera view are available for unpaved roads.

EQA to GLA: Mercedes-Benz Retires the EQ Badge

The new electric GLA will not sit alongside the EQA - It replaces it. Mercedes-Benz is retiring the separate EQ naming convention across its range, and the EQA is one of the first names to go. Electric GLA variants carry the same GLA badge as their combustion and hybrid siblings, distinguished only by the word "electric" in the name, such as the GLA 200 electric.

Key Competition

The electric GLA enters a crowded premium compact electric SUV segment. In Australia, its closest rivals are the BMW iX1 and iX2, Audi Q4 e-tron and Volvo EX40. Mercedes-Benz's own EQA, which the new electric GLA effectively succeeds, remains on sale in some markets while stock lasts.

When It Might Reach Australia

Mercedes-Benz has not confirmed an Australian launch date for the new GLA. European deliveries of the electric variants begin around November 2026, with the electrified combustion versions following in early 2027. Based on how Mercedes-Benz has typically brought updated compact models to Australia, a local launch is more likely in the second half of 2027, but this is Zecar's estimate rather than a confirmed date. Local pricing, equipment lines and options will also need to be confirmed separately, as Australian-delivered cars sometimes differ from the European line-up.

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