SPIED: X157 Mercedes GLA to be unveiled tomorrow

Mercedes-Benz is set to pull the covers off the X157 GLA tomorrow, but that hasn’t stopped our spy photographers from getting their last shots of the second-generation model. And if these images are to be believed, the new compact premium SUV will be a handsome thing indeed.

With the new car, Stuttgart is leaning even harder on the current car‘s bijou aesthetic, with a more rounded design that acts as a greater point of difference from the latest addition to Mercedes’ compact car range – the boxier and more practical GLB. Compared to its larger sibling, the GLA will almost certainly be shorter and have a lower, sleeker roofline, a benefit of not having to house three rows of seats.

The design will also be simpler and more elegant compared to the outgoing model, sporting slimmer headlights that flank the large grille (which will feature the A-Class‘ “diamond pin” motif for the first time), an absence of a shoulder line and wider two-piece tail lights. The window graphic has also been stretched and now features a second rear quarter light window.

A recent teaser sketch illustrates those styling cues in a clearer manner, showing the chrome strips on the side and rear of the vehicle, a beefy skid plate-like rear bumper insert with twin integrated tailpipes and square tail light graphics that are reminiscent of the larger GLE, GLS and facelifted GLC.

The new GLA will be based on the second-generation Modular Front Architecture (MFA2) and will incorporate technologies from the latest compact cars, including a flatscreen panel outfitted with twin displays that measure up to 10.25 inches, linked to the latest Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX). Expect other interior touches, such as turbine-style air vents and dual-zone, 64-colour ambient lighting, to feature as well.

Ditto the engines, which include a revised M260 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder as well as a M282 1.3 litre turbo four-pot that was developed in collaboration with Renault, along with a brace of diesel mills and a choice of seven- and eight-speed dual-clutch transmissions. Also expect the usual AMG models, including a 306 PS GLA 35 and a 387 PS/421 PS GLA 45.