Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 Updated Locally With Mild Hybrid Power

This facelifted GLA 250 also now pairs its new mild hybrid powertrain with 4MATIC all-wheel drive. 

Following on from the recent local reveal of the facelifted GLA 200, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has since announced that it has also revamped its slightly posher variant as well. Though aside from the slight changes to its exterior and interior as per the base-trim compact crossover, what this GLA 250 brings to the table too with this revamp is a new 48 V mild hybrid powertrain and 4MATIC all-wheel drive. 

Discussing that newly electrified portion of its powertrain first, this updated GLA 250 has adds a 48 V belt-driven starter-generator to the outgoing iteration’s 224 hp 2.0-litre M260 turbocharged four-pot and 8-speed wet DCT pairing. Mercedes-Benz is currently touting for this mild-hybrid supply to provide an additional 10 kW and 150 Nm of EQ Boost to increase the agility of this compact crossover, while simultaneously increasing driving comfort and fuel efficiency by enables coasting with the combustion engine switched off.  

This aforementioned increase in agility can be observed from the updated model coming in 0.1 seconds quicker than its outgoing iteration from 0-100 km/h, with Mercedes-Benz quoting a reasonably spritely 6.8 second time for this electrified compact crossover. Though it is perhaps worth highlighting that some of that credit too may be down to the new 4MATIC variable all-wheel drive with torque-on-demand system, which has since been made standard on this particular variant of facelifted GLA. 

Touching now on its exterior, the updated GLA 250 4MATIC differs from its pre-facelift predecessor up front by way of a slightly restyled bumper and new graphics on its LED High Performance front headlamps. This revamped compact crossover also nets a revised set of LED taillights and a rear bumper featuring an integrated diffuser, with Mercedes-Benz further offering the new Spectral Blue metallic paint which appeared first on the GLA 200 on this higher-end trim as well. 

Moving on inside meanwhile, the twin 10.25-inch double screens of the outgoing GLA 250 has since been updated to run on the latest generation of MBUX, which allows for Smartphone Integration with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. New too within this compact crossover is a flat-bottomed Nappa leather-wrapped sports steering wheel, featuring Mercedes’ latest capacitive touch controls. 

Other sporty accoutrements in this compact crossover worth highlighting on the GLA 250 includes power-adjustable sports seats with ARTICO man-made leather/MICROCUT microfibre upholstery and brushed aluminium trim decor. As for comfort features on the other hand, the Mercedes-Benz compact crossover nets a 2-zone THERMATIC automatic climate control and a 64-colour interior ambient lighting setup. 

In terms of safety, the GLA 250 4MATIC is equipped with Blind Spot Assist and Exit Warning Assist in lieu of an adaptive cruise control system that is still missing on this premium compact crossover. The vehicle also comes with Active Parking Assist, Active Brake Assist and Parking Package with reverse camera, but unfortunately still no 360º surround view. 

Locally-assembled in Pekan, the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4MATIC is currently priced at RM295,888 on-the-road without insurance. This marks a chunky RM 37,000 more than the base-spec GLA 200, not to mention a RM 17,000 increase over what its prior pre-update predecessor used to retail for when its CKD form landed locally in late 2021. 

The Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4MATIC at a glance:

*On the road without Insurance. With 10% Sales Tax.