New Mercedes GLA hybrid: prices, spec and on-sale date for 250 e plug-in

Completing the electrified line-up within Mercedes’ A-Class family, the new GLA 250 e is a plug-in hybrid SUV aimed at the likes of the Volvo XC40 Recharge T5 and BMW X1 xDrive25e.

Prices and specifications for the UK market haven't been released, but Mercedes has confirmed the GLA 250 e will go on sale in May, ahead of first deliveries in early summer 2020.

Its powertrain is shared with the other A-Class family plug-in models (the A-Class hatchback and saloon, and the CLA coupe and shooting brake): a 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a 101bhp electric motor, giving a total of 215bhp. That’s enough for a 7.1-second 0-62mph time and a top speed of 137mph.

The car’s hybrid system uses a 15.6kWh battery to give a claimed pure-electric range of up to 38 miles, while a full charge of the battery from 10 to 100% using a 7.4kW home wallbox will take an hour and 45 minutes. A 24kW DC charging time from 10 to 80% is quoted at around 25 minutes.

Fuel economy is quoted at around 157 to 177mpg, but achieving that in the real world depends on starting with a fully topped-up battery. Just like its A-Class siblings, the GLA 250 e can be configured by the driver to hold onto its charge, or allowed to figure out for itself how best to deploy its power.

The car’s high-tech drivetrain can use sat-nav data to decide where best to use pure-electric power, while five levels of regenerative braking can be selected using steering-wheel paddles. 

As with other 250 e cars, the GLA uses the latest iteration of Mercedes’ MBUX infotainment system to control all of its hybrid functions: the car’s cabin can be set to pre-heat or pre-cool ahead of a journey and a number of selectable driving modes allow the car’s responses to be tailored to the road conditions at hand.