Used Mercedes-Benz GLA Class (H247) review

Exterior:

• Some owners have run into an issue where the fuel flap gets stuck shut. Usually, it’s the actuator that’s failed and it’s often covered under warranty, but it’s not exactly helpful when you’re running on fumes. There is a manual release tucked away inside the boot, but it’s fiddly and a bit of a pain, so check the owners groups for the exact process. Definitely don’t try to force it open, there are plenty of stories of people snapping the flap or bending the panel, which then means replacement and repainting, all to get a bit of petrol in.
• A few owners have been seriously annoyed by the rear-view camera system. Apparently, the camera can open when the car thinks you’re about to park, but then close again if you change your mind. When you’re driving in stop-start traffic, it can open and close repeatedly and it sounds like something’s rattling around in the boot. Some owners thought something was broken back there. When they took it to the dealership, a few were told there’s nothing actually wrong, it’s just how the system works. One owner said the dealership told them, “Our cameras are designed to alert users audibly… it’s not a fault.” That’s not a lot of comfort if your near-new Merc sounds like it’s about to rattle itself apart in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
• There have also been reports that the cameras themselves can be a bit hit or miss, which is starting to suggest wider electrical gremlins, a theme we’ll come back to.
• The sunroof’s quite clever in theory. It has three angle settings to reduce wind noise and buffeting, but that also means there’s more to go wrong, and according to some owners, it does. If the roof is even slightly misaligned, it can start playing up and in some cases damage the rails, which then need replacing.
• And just like with any sunroof, if the drainage channels get clogged, it’s only a matter of time before the electrics start suffering. One owner said her brand new GLA 250 spent more than 30% of its first six months in the service department trying to sort out sunroof dramas, if she’d known that ahead of time, she claims she would’nt have purchased the car in the first place.
• This does bring up a bit of a theme across ownership. Some dealerships seem brilliant, others… not so much. One owner said that after their sunroof was fixed, there were dirty handprints on the headliner, the A-pillar trim didn’t line up anymore, and now the car’s developed a host of new rattles.
• The tail lights are another odd one. A surprising number of owners have had them replaced multiple times because of condensation pooling up inside. Some have been told for years that a fix is “coming soon.” It’s now 2025 and they’re still waiting.
• Electrical gremlins. Many issues seem to stem from a tired battery however other issues could hint towards something more serious. Folding mirrors that don’t fold, windows that won’t go up or down until you restart the car, warnings about low coolant even though the tank’s full, auto-braking going off when there’s nothing around.
• Mercedes say software updates can help, and they might, but for some the issues return. Some say they’ve completely lost confidence in driving their GLA because of this. Fair enough, if your car slams on the brakes for no reason in traffic, it’s only a matter of time until someone smashes into the back of you.

Interior:

• Inside the GLA, the build and presentation initially feel premium, but dig a little deeper and you’ll start noticing issues, particularly with the HVAC.
• Some owners have reported a weird smell, others complain about rattles and vibrations or the system just not working properly, sometimes from new. We came across a few threads where GLA 45 S owners report their air con is fine when the car’s moving, but stops working the moment they slow down or come to a stop. Theories range from dodgy sensors to leaf and debris build-up, and disappointingly some have been charged over $200 just to clean it out, even though that might not solve the problem. You’d think a luxury brand would handle that under goodwill, but apparently not.
• Then there’s the digital clock. It gets its time from the GPS, so if it loses signal, it just sticks with whatever time it last had. Some owners have found theirs hours out, and it doesn’t fix itself until the car decides to update again. So your $100k Mercedes can’t keep time, but your $40 Casio will? That’s embarrassing.
• The infotainment system itself, when it works, is brilliant. Deep and thorough menus, great display, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto in updated models, there’s lots to love. But like so many modern systems, plenty of owners have reported connection issues. Some minor, others far more frustrating, like having to start the car twice to get the system to recognise your phone.
• This is pretty common across most brands these days, but what seems more specific to Mercedes is the sheer number of interior electronics that don’t work consistently.  Ambient lighting flickering, seat adjustment buttons not responding, and features like rain-sensing wipers just doing their own thing. Throw a bucket of water on the windscreen and see if they react, because they might not.
• Even the wiper blades themselves can be problematic. Shuddering, skipping parts of the screen, or just not clearing properly.

Mechanically:

GLA 200:

• This 1.3 litre engine is actually the result of a collaboration between Renault-Nissan and Mercedes-Benz, something that, if reputation counts for anything, doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
• The 2018 to 2020 models, in particular, are appearing to be more problematic.
• They can suffer from the usual list of Renault-related issues: oil leaks, premature deterioration of engine bay plastics, and a variety of electronic gremlins.
• Some examples are even starting to experience timing chain issues, typically due to the tensioner failing to provide adequate tension.
• Excessive oil consumption? No surprises there.
• There are also increasing reports of thermostat and water pump leaks.
• And then there’s the tiny turbocharger—it’s not uncommon for the wastegate to rattle, and for boost control problems to crop up as a result.

GLA 250 and GLA35 AMG:

• In GLA 250 form, this 2.0 L turbo engine is less extreme in its performance compared to the AMG variants. It’s not as highly strung, which can translate to a less temperamental ownership experience when it comes to reliability.
• However, step up to the more aggressive GLA 35 AMG tune and the engine is being pushed harder. If driven enthusiastically and not maintained properly, you can expect issues to arise down the track.
• Regardless of whether it’s in GLA 250 or GLA 35 AMG spec, these engines can suffer from similar issues to the full-fat AMG M139, particularly if they’re not maintained with absolute care.
• There are also occasional reports of timing chain rattle, especially on cold starts. Whether this develops into a more widespread issue remains to be seen.
• PCV system problems are well documented and can exacerbate excessive oil consumption.
• EGR-related complications have also been reported.
• Another known concern involves the exhaust valves and their seats—essentially, they can wear prematurely and in rare, extreme cases, fail entirely and cause catastrophic engine damage. That said, this is not a common problem, and in some regions, Mercedes-Benz has introduced extended warranty coverage specifically to address this.

GLA45 AMG S:

• This 2.0 litre turbo is an incredibly powerful engine, featuring a closed-deck block, twin-scroll turbocharger, and forged internals, so it ticks all the boxes for a serious performance engine, but it’s also extremely highly strung.
• That high-strung nature can lead to excessive oil consumption in some examples.
• The turbochargers are known to suffer premature wear, largely because they’re working extremely hard to deliver that level of performance.
• Carbon build-up in the inlet system has also been reported, but this can usually be addressed with a simple media blast clean.
• The cooling system is particularly complex and has a reputation for being prone to leaks. On top of that, there’s a high likelihood of premature component wear due to the extensive use of plastics throughout the engine bay.
• There have also been reports of engine mounts wearing out earlier than expected.

The big killer for all of these is neglect, unintentional or otherwise. Mercedes’ extended service intervals might look convenient on paper, but they’re a disaster for long-term engine health. You need to be doing oil changes every 10,000km or 12 months, minimum. But let’s be real, most original owners lease them or move them on quickly. So most used examples are probably under-serviced and starting to develop issues, which means by the time they’re on their second or third owners, the bills start piling up. And this is Mercedes-Benz. Those bills won’t be cheap.

Driving:

• Even before you hit the road, some owners have trouble just getting the car into gear. The GLA 250 and GLA 35 seem particularly prone to a glitch where the transmission locks itself in drive and refuses to shift into park, neutral, or reverse. Some cars won’t shift at all. A few have even had to be winched onto flatbeds because the wheels wouldn’t turn.
• And once they do move, the transmission behaviour is… mixed. Many owners report clunky downshifts when coming to a stop, and hesitation when pulling away. Dealers tend to brush it off as “normal for a dual-clutch,” and they’re not entirely wrong. Dual-clutches can be tuned to feel smoother, but that usually comes at the cost of longevity. Still, when a car wearing a Mercedes-Benz badge feels rough to drive and you’re told, “Well it’s just an entry-level model, what do you expect?”, that’s not good enough.
• Then there’s the phantom braking that we mentioned earlier. That same auto-brake fault that slams on the anchors for no reason is still haunting some GLA owners. And while software updates might mask the problem, for some, it keeps coming back. Confidence in the car disappears pretty quickly when it does something like that out of nowhere.

Overall:

There’s a growing sentiment from owners that Mercedes quality control just isn’t what it used to be. Some dealerships even allude to it, especially when they brush off complaints by saying the GLA isn’t a “real” Benz like a C-Class or E-Class. But if it wears the badge, it should live up to the standard.

Most of the engines across the range show a noticeable dip in reliability once they tick over 100,000km, and if you’re watching this a few years down the line, don’t get sucked in by how cheap these are secondhand. They’re cheap for a reason. There’s a decent chance you’re walking into a financial nightmare.