My GLA 45 is my daily driver, my wifes Highlander is the family car.... but I can't have a proper sports car in case I need to take the kids somewhere and I live in an all season climate so the lift and all wheel drive of the GLA is perfect as an all season everything car.... I have an old pickup with a long box and a trailer hitch in case i need to move stuff..... but I only need that about 10 days a year. If I'm taking the kids golfing, skiing, kite surfing, etc... we can fit gear for the 3 of us..... much more and its a good thing we have the highlander but for the 45 yr old kid who needs to blend some responsibility into their lives the GLA 45 is an excellent compromise!! It is a compromise, it's not the perfect anything, but it is a really good a lot of things!!
I just bought a 2015 GLA45 fully spec’d and I’m 43 and in Love with all it does living in Boston it is the perfect compromise to a sports car that can do all I need it to do.Especially laughing @STI and RS.
I had the the gla 45 amg for 4 years and no have moved into the macan s , I can tell you that I absolutely love the Porsche and it feels so much nicer to drive and the quality feels much better also.
I have a GLA 250. And I love it. I have taken it way too fast on some mountain switchbacks. It has adequate power and handles with precision. Is it basically a GTI with AWD and jacked up a bit? Yes, and real world pricing is on par with a well equipped GTI. I do plan on finding an autocross session somewhere and try it out. And I love the looks.
GLA 45 is clearer a hot hatchback. Mercedes only causing an SUV to market it in the US. The US aren't fond about hot hatchback hence why it's call an SUV plus it works in favor for the owner, for insurance purposes
I have a 2015 GLA45 as my daily and occasional trackday car. I did lower it even more - still rolls a bit, and prone to understeering due to the weight but, it's a pretty fun track car. The turbo is great, the transmission isn't really that bad as long as you keep your rpms high, the handling is amazing for a car considered very high in cog and weight for track. Heck, you can actually rotate the backend if you're going fast enough.
The Macan S with adjustable dampers (PASM) makes a huge difference in how it drives. What transforms the Macan even more is torque vectoring. Add those and tell me it's no the best to drive.
I tested the GLA (too small and just didn't like it enough), the f-pace (sketchy reliability, not comfortable for the wife, build quality was a concern), and a few others (BMW wagon, X3, Audi Q5, Lexus NX). Macan S was my favorite and fit our needs. Ideal size for us, excellent build quality, extremely comfortable, very fun to drive, works as a ski trip vehicle (with roof rack), carries bikes (hitch rack), tows my utility trailer with dirt bikes, etc. It's been a great daily driver for the wife and road trip car when we need to carry stuff. It's sporty, but not a sports car - I drive my MT 981 Cayman daily.
Bought a brand new US MY23 GLA 45 AMG last week. It is bigger than the Gen1 in this video. More modern and luxurious inside and outside and more powerful 387 PS with a blazing awesome 8 PSD DCT and a Torque Vectoring 4Matic+ AWD. What a machine. I also own a 2024 GOLF R DSG....and it is hard to chose....
The GLA is built on the same platform as the A-series hatchback that is sold in the rest of the world but not in the US. That's a great car too. MB was considering bringing it to the US a few years ago but then decided to use the platform for the A-series sedan coming to dealers early 2018. The CLA is also built on the A-series platform by the way. Also, the GLC is the one that's supposed to compete with the Macan as the GLA is a subcompact, so it competes with the Q3, not Q5.
I remember my friend test drove a brand new jeep compass. The interior was pretty nice, but god the exterior looks terrible! Panel gap was uneven, the paint was mis match from the factory! I haven't starts talk about reliability yet
Nice work, though some of the cuts made for TV are not great. Anyway, I would love to see a comparison of the F-Pace and Alfa Stelvio, once that's out. And also compare a 3 series to the Alfa Gulia, but not the hottest versions, since that's been done by everyone.
Really?! Why are they comparing 3 different classes of vehicles against each other? The GLA is a large hot-hatch, the Macan S is a compact SUV, and the Grand Cherokee is a mid-size SUV. Might as well added in the extended Chevy Suburban to round it all out. Also why didn't they have the SRT or Trailhawk version of the GC if your talking performance SUV's?
We're wondering if you actually watched the episode, as your descriptions of these three are pretty close to how the guys define them. As explained in the piece, the Grand Cherokee was used as reference of what SUV used to mean, and the other two discussed and classified based on that. We hope you watched the episode, and appreciate you taking the time to comment.
If this was three years ago model years 2017 then the GLA45 would be either 381 or 375 hp. North America would be 375 for that year. Not 355. It is a fun car to drive. The Macan really isolates the driver from the sensation of speed. Finding yourself doing that way over the limit speed is very easy, and sort of shocking.
great video guys! honestly, i think people buy these crazy cars like the gla45, not for its utility, fun or even based on their needs. i think people cross shop these cars base on looks. Most of the people just make sure it has 4 doors, can seat 4 people decently, have a decent trunk... then comes the most important criteria for them... how it looks. at the price point of the macan and gla45, i believe people really value the looks and the wow factor. just my 2 cents.
No, the competitor of the Macan is not the GLA, it's the GLC, and what you say about the GLA being in competition with the EVO and STI etc.. is also wrong, the A45 is the EVO and STI and Focus RS rival, but it's not available in the US.
Bullshit comment. How can you say one is a rival and the other isn't? The a45 is a little lighter and smaller so it's a tiny bit faster (4.2 to 60 compared to 4.4). However they both compare and rival the performance of the other vehicles mentioned and mostly favourably as well.
I have GLA 250 for a year now. It has enough punch for a small SUV. I would love to have another foot of trunk to fit my E-scooter and folding bike together.
I would also take gla, but I love wagons :) now let's do a shoot where you find the best lotus ever made! Elan, elise, elite, espirit, Europa and so on!
I had a GC a few years back. Loved it. Just bought a macan s last week and have no clue how you’re comparing this to a gla or gc. The macan blows both of these out of the water. But it also looks like your test model is underwhelmingly packaged. I’m a hot hatch guy and you couldn’t pay me to get a gla 45amg.
I know that. I was suggesting another crossover/SUV review in the future. They could have at least mentioned it. I mean, they typically mention other comparable cars in other reviews, even though it's not featured in the video.
Driving the Macan S daily i can assure you the balance of the speed and comfort is the best you can buy for the price. People sometimes get surprised of the speed and the exhaust note stock sounds pretty good at higher RPMs.
alex cole that may be so but it is nowhere near as fast or as fun as the gla 45 . the 45 has a stiffer set up though but is fine as a daily driver. the macan does have better ground clearance which is useful and a more upmarket interior . if you want the macan that can match the gla for speed you have to get the turbo S with performance pack and it is really really really pricey .
Try the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. 475 HP 6.4L V8. 0-60 4.1 seconds.Excellent ZF transmission. 6 pot Brembos. Launch control. TRACK MODE. Variable suspension. And half the price. Spend $3k on the lifetime unlimited mileage factory warranty. And it still town 7200 pounds. OR, for $20k more, get the 707HP Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. The quickest gasoline powered SUV in the world.
Gmail PowerUser nobody’s gonna buy that LMFAO interior just isn’t it, the touchscreens always stop and have engine problems they fall apart as soon as they’re bought the zf does he’ll no know what it’s doing they grind up and fail cant even get off drive gear when you put neutral it even killed a Star Wars actor from it but if he made good money wtf was he thinking
Ok after watching this I decided to buy a GLA 45 Cuz I think this car can lie to my Girlfriend Just need to to remove the spoiler and keep the exhaust quite lol
Hey Paul it's Glenn from the Super Speeders Podcast. I heard on your podcast last week that you play piano, I also play piano and keyboards, been playing since I was 4...Glad you liked the GLA 45, I love mine,. We have similar tastes, I also have a 2014 Grand Cherokee, BMW M2, 1M, M Coupe, Porsche 993 Turbo, S2000, NSX, etc, Todd knows the list. Great video as always.
I have to admit the GLA45 makes zero sense to me...it's definitely not an SUV, it's a hatchback with cladding, and I agree it competes with the STI/Evo/Golf R...at 150% of the price. I think an STI or Evo looks LESS boy racer than the GLA45, and more adult. I like how you did this because this really is about the "one car garage" discussion. I'm an enthusiast (duh, I watch you guys) and I have gotten to this point in my life where I absolutely adore the feel of using a purpose-built tool...if I want to do a track day, I want the real race car. If I am hauling, towing, off roading, I want the full size heavy-duty truck. If I am doing long haul driving, I want something economical yet comfortable. It's a disappointment to do the track in a floppy sedan, or overload your compact CUV with too much crap you need to move from A to B, or waste gas on a long trip by taking a huge truck by yourself. But like all of us, I don't have the money, space, or time to buy/store/deal with ten vehicles for ten uses. (I had to get pretty established in life before having a second car was really feasible, which I have now, in a project Miata that will hopefully beget an Exocet).Which brings me to my other car... I just purchased a Golf Alltrack with a manual and I love it. I arrived at this car as my ideal compromise by going MkIV GTI -> Ford Escape -> choosing between a Forester 2.0XT and the Golf Alltrack. I'm someone who mostly commutes, but sometimes has to go on job sites and empty fields for my work, sometimes has to carry dirty, bulky equipment, wants something direct and engaging to drive in general, wants to get the best mileage I can without being unable to get up and go. And my budget capped me at about $30k. Tough task! But by going from the MkIV GTI to the Ford Escape, I bracketed my tastes...on one hand was the car I wanted to drive, but lacked the utility I really needed, and on the other hand was the car that had the utility I needed, but was only decent to drive and no better. Between these two extremes were the Forester 2.0XT and the Golf Alltrack. I test drove the Forester first, and thought, whoa, this thing really moves and handles and stops way better than my Ford! I really want this! Then I got into the Alltrack and noticed it didn't do that SUV pitch-under-braking motion like the Forester did, which I recognized as being similar to my Escape. Suddenly the Forester felt like a boat, but I looked at the Alltrack's ground clearance and was concerned it wasn't enough for my needs (I've definitely used everything the Escape had in that department many times while I owned it, and that's nearly 3 inches higher than the Alltrack). I realized I had found my daily driver sweet spot...it was in between the Alltrack and the Forester turbo. I had to make a choice. Which side do I err on? I chose the Alltrack, and I'm very happy I did. Every day I drive it I am pleased with how it drives, and already I've taken it up and down a couple steep, sandy slopes and across job sites and the lesser ground clearance only forces me to be slightly more careful...not really an issue at all. tl;dr You are narrowing in on the fun/utility "daily driver sweet spot" with this video (that I recently just found was directly in between the Subaru Forester Turbo and the Golf Alltrack)
I think a lot like you do Matt.... being in Canada however with four seasons and such the lift and awd is nice.. not necassary.... but nice.... my wife has a highlander as our larger family car and I have an older 3/4 tonne diesel for hauling and towing.... I got it very cheap and use it 10-20 times a year..... It honestly gets more days on it being lent to friends to move campers in the spring and fall and to get fire wood or move bikes and sleds and such, but my GLA 45 was the perfect compromise for me..... I do really like the golf alltrack but a bit low and a bit slow..... I can afford to have some fun at my age!! ;-) so for you it makes zero sense and to me it makes total sense...
Well that's disappointing. I had my mind set on a Macan S for my next daily. I've been waiting on this video for a while, because I trust your guys review on driving dynamics. No one else has commented on the lack of steering feel in the 20 other reviews I watched. The search continues..... Keep up the great work!
Lamar Wilson for me the problem is that they compared it with the GLA. Of course the Mecan won’t feel as good as the GLA... because the GLA is the size of a Golf. It’s the most pointless comparison I’ve seen. Not surprisingly, I’ve only seen those two cars (Mecan/GLA) compared by Americans... y’all got a weird market, my friends.
@@bneyarb5037 Porsche pitches the Macan as their compact to sub compact CUV in North America so this is the comparison that Porsche chose.... I do appreciate your utilization of "y'all' though..... well played!! ;-)
I think this is the high water mark of your comparisons so far and they've all been excellent. You nailed the fundamental question about the new breed of smaller CUV's: What are they? After driving a half dozen Macans this is still the question that I am left with and will probably have to buy one to answer it. Not a car, not an SUV, not really a lot of room inside but great driving dynamics partly due to the size but mostly from the determination of Porsche and Mercedes to throw engineering talent at these to make them work better than they have any right to. I still dont know why they would do this, but the results are very intriguing. You've captured the character of both perfectly and now we can vote with our checkbooks. Again your tone, in depth analysis and characterizations of what its like to drive these 3 trucks(?) are without parallel anywhere on the web or in print. I cant believe the quality of your editing Todd, it is superb and really has a nice flow. I've watched this more than once and always left with a smile. Excellent work.
I think this comparison doesn't work well in the states as there are not really competing in the same segments compared to what's available in Europe. The GLA competes against a BMW X1, an Audi Q2 and Q3. The Macan on the other hand goes against the GLC or Q5. The crazy part is the price of the Jeep however. Starting at $30k? In Switzerland the cheapest Grand Cherokee with a 3l engine starts at almost CHF 70k!
slaWterCH yep. And In Switzerland we still don’t get the most expensive cars in Europe. But like any other American car brand, they will always be cheaper there than here. There’s a lot to pay extra. They need to make them cars Euro regulations legal, then they imported etc etc. and for the price of a grand Cherokee Europeans prefer to buy other cars that fit our expectations. And we lucky here in Switzerland coz we get many cars and some brands that are not just easily available on other euro countries.
It’s great to see that me being European, I agree with everything u said. These 2 cars are very popular here in Europe, but I say if you want a suv get a real suv. These crossovers never made sense to me. For that money I would buy an used R8, and still save lots of money, and blow the sporty factor out the roof! If i want a good suv then, if I could afford them, I would get the Jeep or a Range Rover, or similar. An A class looking weird with that overkill wing and looking like it could go off-road but can’t just doesn’t make any sense. But hey, today it seems like if car makers can find only 1 person that would buy a given concept, they just make it. There’s always someone who will like and enjoy these cars. I’m not one of them
Just an observation: The Macan in this review is an S. When I saw the console, I did not see PASM or Air Suspension and I did not see a Sport + button. It also has 19" wheels. Forget the Jeep and just compare the Benz AMG to the Macan. The better comparison would have been the Macan GTS. More HP and it has PASM with Air Suspension and 20" wheels and Sport Exhaust as standard equipment. The GTS is still going to cost $80k with a couple of options so it definitely loses points there. Also, turn off the Lane Keep Assistant during these tests. Hearing that noise is annoying. Jonny Lieberman also compared the GLA 45 AMG to a Macan and chose the GLA, , but the Macan was a Turbo. I still think the sweet spot for this comparison is the GLA45 vs Macan GTS. Before I'm skewered, I'll admit, I own a GTS and I never compared to the GLA45 AMG which I think is a bit of a "ricer" in appearance.
limulus61 I think to compare the Mecan to the GLA at all is pointless. Compare the GLA with the Golf R. They said it themselves multiple times in their own video. The Mecan competes with the X3 M and/or Q5. Are you surprised the GLA drives more like a car than an SUV when it... isn’t an SUV? I’d go GTS all day everyday. Waiting for the 2019 for dat interior facelift/Miami blue 😍
I've been waiting for this for so long. Great stuff! However, the cut between the sponsor messages were really abrupt. Hope you can look into this in the future.
Why’s the market so dry on classic 2 door rear wheel drive sports cars. I’ve seen you guys do the brz, mustang, Camaro, G37 etc. but it really is sad when someone has to consider a car for enjoyment in a Mercedes wagon. Wish there was more cars for you 2 to review.
I can tell by the Macan that you really didn’t have that great of a specc’ed out one for a proper comparison. Pretty sure that doesn’t have PASM or sport + mode, and few other things. Also should have at least put it up against a the Macan GTS instead of the S. S is practically a “base model” of the V6’s. You also didn’t even mention what the Turbo gives as an option... and that is to basically a 400 hp hot hatch monster.
"Cayenne saved Porsche" You do realize that the Porsche family owns most of Volkswagen shares and therefore pretty much owns VW, Porsche will never die..
Jeep shitty build quality - Check Porsche's driving dynamics - Check Merc price tag - Check On a more serious note anyone else hearing the pitch of their voices changing? Seems a good deal deeper than normal.
If you can get them for the same price, get the AMG. The RS is very uncomfortable thanks to its shit seats, horrid build quality and the interior is awful considering how much they charge for it.
the dodge Durango I rented had the exact same issues as your jeep! the infotainment center stoped working completely. I could not control the a.c. heat or fan speed which was not fun during the las vegas summer. I would never buy a jeep/ dodge/Chrysler/ fiat
20:36 "Good fun, not that useable" of course they aren't that useable they lack the UTILITY part of the acronym SUV!! Smh EverydayDriver, really? GC is used as a reference for what Sport UTILITY VEHICLE used to mean? I watched the video and seemed to have missed the UTILITY section, you guys pointed out all of the SPORT apsects of these CARS! They look sporty so we expect sportiness, but they can do absolutely nothing more than what a car/hatchback can do. There was a quick mention of the 2 cars being fairly okay off road I believe, but still, this is not a well rounded review as a reference to what a SUV used to mean, it still means Sport UTILITY Vehicle. If you want to canyon carve in a small truck/hatchback with sporty suspensions, then yes the Porsche and Merc are good/stupid options for sport driving in the canyons, but DO NOT compare a truck capable of doing UTILITARIAN jobs to these 1 dimensional, wrong class for sport driving, can't off-road or tow cars, that you wouldn't even want to get dirty by doing the things the GC can do. I'm sorry but this is a biased and poor review on a reference for something that still means what the acronym states, SUV Sport Utility Vehicle!!
I feel like the TV format has influenced the quality of your videos in a negative fashion. Compared to your older pieces, this video is too ADHD. It's like when you sat down to plan out this video and came up with the first brainstorm, but for some reason decided to stop there and just film that brainstorm of thoughts and half-sentences. There is no clear structure to the video which diminishes the impact of the insights that you try to bring up. You jump from car to car so frequently that it gets difficult to keep up with your thought process. Additionally, it doesn't help that you leave no breaks between each point. Any good speaker knows that to deliver their point effectively, they need to pause at times and let the listener absorb what has just been said. I know very well that both of you are able to do this, because you do it well in your podcasts and past videos. It's a shame that you had to compromise on some of your top qualities in order to fulfil the TV requirements. All in all, I feel like I could only watch this video effectively after a large bucket of coffee with loads of sugar in it, just to get on the hyperactivity level of the video. I'd rather your videos be longer but clearer and easier to understand.
Salomon ran's channel latest episode? His GLA has every warning light on the dash lit up, his McLaren passenger door stopped opening. His Rolls Royce cooled drivers seat stopped working. Give me a break.
Jeep build quality is hot garbage. As another viewer has mentioned, trim gap variances are on every Jeep I’ve looked at. I had $55K burning a hole in my pocket and I REALLY wanted a Jeep Grand Cherokee High Altitude in white. Love the looks and V6 engine but I couldn’t find one they didn’t have trim or paint issues and I looked at probably 8 of them. Very disappointed in Jeep and it looks like I will continue on with Audis and get a 2021 SQ5.
My GLA 45 is my daily driver, my wifes Highlander is the family car.... but I can't have a proper sports car in case I need to take the kids somewhere and I live in an all season climate so the lift and all wheel drive of the GLA is perfect as an all season everything car.... I have an old pickup with a long box and a trailer hitch in case i need to move stuff..... but I only need that about 10 days a year. If I'm taking the kids golfing, skiing, kite surfing, etc... we can fit gear for the 3 of us..... much more and its a good thing we have the highlander but for the 45 yr old kid who needs to blend some responsibility into their lives the GLA 45 is an excellent compromise!! It is a compromise, it's not the perfect anything, but it is a really good a lot of things!!
Is the transmission too jerky or normal, for daily driving?
I just bought a 2015 GLA45 fully spec’d and I’m 43 and in Love with all it does living in Boston it is the perfect compromise to a sports car that can do all I need it to do.Especially laughing @STI and RS.
I had the the gla 45 amg for 4 years and no have moved into the macan s , I can tell you that I absolutely love the Porsche and it feels so much nicer to drive and the quality feels much better also.
I have a GLA 250. And I love it. I have taken it way too fast on some mountain switchbacks. It has adequate power and handles with precision.
Is it basically a GTI with AWD and jacked up a bit? Yes, and real world pricing is on par with a well equipped GTI. I do plan on finding an autocross session somewhere and try it out.
And I love the looks.
GLA 45 is clearer a hot hatchback. Mercedes only causing an SUV to market it in the US. The US aren't fond about hot hatchback hence why it's call an SUV plus it works in favor for the owner, for insurance purposes
My dream choice? GLA AMG 45 with a stick.
I have a 2015 GLA45 as my daily and occasional trackday car. I did lower it even more - still rolls a bit, and prone to understeering due to the weight but, it's a pretty fun track car. The turbo is great, the transmission isn't really that bad as long as you keep your rpms high, the handling is amazing for a car considered very high in cog and weight for track. Heck, you can actually rotate the backend if you're going fast enough.
The Macan S with adjustable dampers (PASM) makes a huge difference in how it drives. What transforms the Macan even more is torque vectoring. Add those and tell me it's no the best to drive.
I tested the GLA (too small and just didn't like it enough), the f-pace (sketchy reliability, not comfortable for the wife, build quality was a concern), and a few others (BMW wagon, X3, Audi Q5, Lexus NX). Macan S was my favorite and fit our needs. Ideal size for us, excellent build quality, extremely comfortable, very fun to drive, works as a ski trip vehicle (with roof rack), carries bikes (hitch rack), tows my utility trailer with dirt bikes, etc. It's been a great daily driver for the wife and road trip car when we need to carry stuff. It's sporty, but not a sports car - I drive my MT 981 Cayman daily.
You hit the nail on the head "for the wife...."
@8:55 "Hey kids, we're going 90" this needs to be a shirt
Akil Ho
Well a few things
1) Macan turbo is more competitive against the AMG
2) GLA got more power and trans got a bit better 16+ (they tested a 15)
Is there somewhere we could listen to (or even *whisper it* download) that classic piano theme song? I love that stuff
Bought a brand new US MY23 GLA 45 AMG last week. It is bigger than the Gen1 in this video. More modern and luxurious inside and outside and more powerful 387 PS with a blazing awesome 8 PSD DCT and a Torque Vectoring 4Matic+ AWD. What a machine. I also own a 2024 GOLF R DSG....and it is hard to chose....
Traded a Honda CR-V with 93k mi for a 2017 GLA 45 AMG with
The GLA is built on the same platform as the A-series hatchback that is sold in the rest of the world but not in the US. That's a great car too. MB was considering bringing it to the US a few years ago but then decided to use the platform for the A-series sedan coming to dealers early 2018. The CLA is also built on the A-series platform by the way.
Also, the GLC is the one that's supposed to compete with the Macan as the GLA is a subcompact, so it competes with the Q3, not Q5.
I remember my friend test drove a brand new jeep compass. The interior was pretty nice, but god the exterior looks terrible! Panel gap was uneven, the paint was mis match from the factory! I haven't starts talk about reliability yet
In other words, buy a 911 and the kids a bus ticket.
Love the comparison videos guys keep it up not enough people comparing cars on youtube
Nice work, though some of the cuts made for TV are not great. Anyway, I would love to see a comparison of the F-Pace and Alfa Stelvio, once that's out. And also compare a 3 series to the Alfa Gulia, but not the hottest versions, since that's been done by everyone.
Really?! Why are they comparing 3 different classes of vehicles against each other? The GLA is a large hot-hatch, the Macan S is a compact SUV, and the Grand Cherokee is a mid-size SUV. Might as well added in the extended Chevy Suburban to round it all out. Also why didn't they have the SRT or Trailhawk version of the GC if your talking performance SUV's?
We're wondering if you actually watched the episode, as your descriptions of these three are pretty close to how the guys define them. As explained in the piece, the Grand Cherokee was used as reference of what SUV used to mean, and the other two discussed and classified based on that. We hope you watched the episode, and appreciate you taking the time to comment.
If this was three years ago model years 2017 then the GLA45 would be either 381 or 375 hp. North America would be 375 for that year. Not 355. It is a fun car to drive. The Macan really isolates the driver from the sensation of speed. Finding yourself doing that way over the limit speed is very easy, and sort of shocking.
great video guys! honestly, i think people buy these crazy cars like the gla45, not for its utility, fun or even based on their needs.
i think people cross shop these cars base on looks. Most of the people just make sure it has 4 doors, can seat 4 people decently, have a decent trunk... then comes the most important criteria for them... how it looks. at the price point of the macan and gla45, i believe people really value the looks and the wow factor. just my 2 cents.
No, the competitor of the Macan is not the GLA, it's the GLC, and what you say about the GLA being in competition with the EVO and STI etc.. is also wrong, the A45 is the EVO and STI and Focus RS rival, but it's not available in the US.
Ryan Joseph the CLA 45 is the US competitor for those vehicle.
you are sooooo right.....
Ryan Joseph ir is available now for the last three years. That is the car 🚗 I want to buy GLA AMG 45
Well, I have a GLA45 and I cross shopped a Focus RS and the other hot hatches.
Bullshit comment. How can you say one is a rival and the other isn't? The a45 is a little lighter and smaller so it's a tiny bit faster (4.2 to 60 compared to 4.4). However they both compare and rival the performance of the other vehicles mentioned and mostly favourably as well.
I have GLA 250 for a year now. It has enough punch for a small SUV. I would love to have another foot of trunk to fit my E-scooter and folding bike together.
the gla looks amazing
I would also take gla, but I love wagons :) now let's do a shoot where you find the best lotus ever made! Elan, elise, elite, espirit, Europa and so on!
I had a GC a few years back. Loved it. Just bought a macan s last week and have no clue how you’re comparing this to a gla or gc. The macan blows both of these out of the water. But it also looks like your test model is underwhelmingly packaged. I’m a hot hatch guy and you couldn’t pay me to get a gla 45amg.
GLA everyday! (45AMG only!)
After the intro, my question is, Why not review the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8?Granted, that's mid-sized, as opposed to the 2 compacts reviewed here.
Because that is the jeep Paul owns and was available at the time.
I know that. I was suggesting another crossover/SUV review in the future. They could have at least mentioned it. I mean, they typically mention other comparable cars in other reviews, even though it's not featured in the video.
Cost!
Driving the Macan S daily i can assure you the balance of the speed and comfort is the best you can buy for the price. People sometimes get surprised of the speed and the exhaust note stock sounds pretty good at higher RPMs.
alex cole You can't trust what an owner says about their own car. They'll recommend it to justify their own choice!
Every sport sedan and wagon has a better balance of speed and comfort.
alex cole that may be so but it is nowhere near as fast or as fun as the gla 45 . the 45 has a stiffer set up though but is fine as a daily driver. the macan does have better ground clearance which is useful and a more upmarket interior . if you want the macan that can match the gla for speed you have to get the turbo S with performance pack and it is really really really pricey .
Unless u have to sit in a back seat which is surprisingly smaller than a gla.
Try the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. 475 HP 6.4L V8. 0-60 4.1 seconds.Excellent ZF transmission. 6 pot Brembos. Launch control. TRACK MODE. Variable suspension. And half the price. Spend $3k on the lifetime unlimited mileage factory warranty. And it still town 7200 pounds.
OR, for $20k more, get the 707HP Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. The quickest gasoline powered SUV in the world.
Gmail PowerUser nobody’s gonna buy that LMFAO interior just isn’t it, the touchscreens always stop and have engine problems they fall apart as soon as they’re bought the zf does he’ll no know what it’s doing they grind up and fail cant even get off drive gear when you put neutral it even killed a Star Wars actor from it but if he made good money wtf was he thinking
Raced a wrx Subaru up Sepulveda pass!
We were neck 2 neck.....
Nice rush! ;)]
Thanx guys, now I have made my choice!
Ok after watching this I decided to buy a GLA 45 Cuz I think this car can lie to my Girlfriend Just need to to remove the spoiler and keep the exhaust quite lol
When Paul said "You want nuts? Let's get nuts!" I was hoping the Jeep GC Trackhawk would come out.
A new $50,000 Jeep and it's already falling apart
Anyone who knows cars wouldn’t be surprised by this comment at all. Recall after recall after recall comes with the jeep name 😂
Thanks for sharing on RUclips - awesome episode 👍
I call them "Suit and Tie STI's"
This is the same Jeep that killed actor Anton Yelchin. RIP
Lots of videos of my GLA 45 AMG on my channel. I own a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee as well
Amazing production guys!! Very impressed.
Hey Paul it's Glenn from the Super Speeders Podcast. I heard on your podcast last week that you play piano, I also play piano and keyboards, been playing since I was 4...Glad you liked the GLA 45, I love mine,. We have similar tastes, I also have a 2014 Grand Cherokee, BMW M2, 1M, M Coupe, Porsche 993 Turbo, S2000, NSX, etc, Todd knows the list. Great video as always.
....I hate the editing in this video...in consistent train of thoughts. but def getting a GLA 45
I have to admit the GLA45 makes zero sense to me...it's definitely not an SUV, it's a hatchback with cladding, and I agree it competes with the STI/Evo/Golf R...at 150% of the price. I think an STI or Evo looks LESS boy racer than the GLA45, and more adult.
I like how you did this because this really is about the "one car garage" discussion. I'm an enthusiast (duh, I watch you guys) and I have gotten to this point in my life where I absolutely adore the feel of using a purpose-built tool...if I want to do a track day, I want the real race car. If I am hauling, towing, off roading, I want the full size heavy-duty truck. If I am doing long haul driving, I want something economical yet comfortable. It's a disappointment to do the track in a floppy sedan, or overload your compact CUV with too much crap you need to move from A to B, or waste gas on a long trip by taking a huge truck by yourself. But like all of us, I don't have the money, space, or time to buy/store/deal with ten vehicles for ten uses. (I had to get pretty established in life before having a second car was really feasible, which I have now, in a project Miata that will hopefully beget an Exocet).Which brings me to my other car...
I just purchased a Golf Alltrack with a manual and I love it. I arrived at this car as my ideal compromise by going MkIV GTI -> Ford Escape -> choosing between a Forester 2.0XT and the Golf Alltrack. I'm someone who mostly commutes, but sometimes has to go on job sites and empty fields for my work, sometimes has to carry dirty, bulky equipment, wants something direct and engaging to drive in general, wants to get the best mileage I can without being unable to get up and go. And my budget capped me at about $30k. Tough task!
But by going from the MkIV GTI to the Ford Escape, I bracketed my tastes...on one hand was the car I wanted to drive, but lacked the utility I really needed, and on the other hand was the car that had the utility I needed, but was only decent to drive and no better. Between these two extremes were the Forester 2.0XT and the Golf Alltrack. I test drove the Forester first, and thought, whoa, this thing really moves and handles and stops way better than my Ford! I really want this! Then I got into the Alltrack and noticed it didn't do that SUV pitch-under-braking motion like the Forester did, which I recognized as being similar to my Escape. Suddenly the Forester felt like a boat, but I looked at the Alltrack's ground clearance and was concerned it wasn't enough for my needs (I've definitely used everything the Escape had in that department many times while I owned it, and that's nearly 3 inches higher than the Alltrack). I realized I had found my daily driver sweet spot...it was in between the Alltrack and the Forester turbo. I had to make a choice. Which side do I err on?
I chose the Alltrack, and I'm very happy I did. Every day I drive it I am pleased with how it drives, and already I've taken it up and down a couple steep, sandy slopes and across job sites and the lesser ground clearance only forces me to be slightly more careful...not really an issue at all.
tl;dr You are narrowing in on the fun/utility "daily driver sweet spot" with this video (that I recently just found was directly in between the Subaru Forester Turbo and the Golf Alltrack)
I think a lot like you do Matt.... being in Canada however with four seasons and such the lift and awd is nice.. not necassary.... but nice.... my wife has a highlander as our larger family car and I have an older 3/4 tonne diesel for hauling and towing.... I got it very cheap and use it 10-20 times a year..... It honestly gets more days on it being lent to friends to move campers in the spring and fall and to get fire wood or move bikes and sleds and such, but my GLA 45 was the perfect compromise for me..... I do really like the golf alltrack but a bit low and a bit slow..... I can afford to have some fun at my age!! ;-) so for you it makes zero sense and to me it makes total sense...
Well that's disappointing. I had my mind set on a Macan S for my next daily. I've been waiting on this video for a while, because I trust your guys review on driving dynamics. No one else has commented on the lack of steering feel in the 20 other reviews I watched. The search continues.....
Keep up the great work!
Lamar Wilson for me the problem is that they compared it with the GLA. Of course the Mecan won’t feel as good as the GLA... because the GLA is the size of a Golf. It’s the most pointless comparison I’ve seen. Not surprisingly, I’ve only seen those two cars (Mecan/GLA) compared by Americans... y’all got a weird market, my friends.
@@bneyarb5037 Porsche pitches the Macan as their compact to sub compact CUV in North America so this is the comparison that Porsche chose.... I do appreciate your utilization of "y'all' though..... well played!! ;-)
Loving the collaboration with Gears and Gasoline. I can pick up the subtle changes in camera angles and I appreciate it!
I think this is the high water mark of your comparisons so far and they've all been excellent. You nailed the fundamental question about the new breed of smaller CUV's:
What are they? After driving a half dozen Macans this is still the question that I am left with and will probably have to buy one to answer it. Not a car, not an SUV, not really a lot of room inside but great driving dynamics partly due to the size but mostly from the determination of Porsche and Mercedes to throw engineering talent at these to make them work better than they have any right to. I still dont know why they would do this, but the results are very intriguing. You've captured the character of both perfectly and now we can vote with our checkbooks. Again your tone, in depth analysis and characterizations of what its like to drive these 3 trucks(?) are without parallel anywhere on the web or in print. I cant believe the quality of your editing Todd, it is superb and really has a nice flow. I've watched this more than once and always left with a smile. Excellent work.
Another great one:). Huge fan I would say the quality is up there w/ the grand tour.
Dope drone shots
hang on kids, we're going 90 lol
Y is the camera sooo shakey this vid? did u guys get a new camera guy?
What roof rack is on the tested GLA45 AMG?
So you guys roast the GLA most
And you guys decide to make it 1st
Do you guys wear Crocs?
your jeep tires are backwards
Both Gla and GC are not most modern, not post facelift
I think this comparison doesn't work well in the states as there are not really competing in the same segments compared to what's available in Europe. The GLA competes against a BMW X1, an Audi Q2 and Q3. The Macan on the other hand goes against the GLC or Q5.
The crazy part is the price of the Jeep however. Starting at $30k? In Switzerland the cheapest Grand Cherokee with a 3l engine starts at almost CHF 70k!
slaWterCH yep. And In Switzerland we still don’t get the most expensive cars in Europe. But like any other American car brand, they will always be cheaper there than here. There’s a lot to pay extra. They need to make them cars Euro regulations legal, then they imported etc etc. and for the price of a grand Cherokee Europeans prefer to buy other cars that fit our expectations. And we lucky here in Switzerland coz we get many cars and some brands that are not just easily available on other euro countries.
It’s great to see that me being European, I agree with everything u said. These 2 cars are very popular here in Europe, but I say if you want a suv get a real suv. These crossovers never made sense to me. For that money I would buy an used R8, and still save lots of money, and blow the sporty factor out the roof! If i want a good suv then, if I could afford them, I would get the Jeep or a Range Rover, or similar. An A class looking weird with that overkill wing and looking like it could go off-road but can’t just doesn’t make any sense. But hey, today it seems like if car makers can find only 1 person that would buy a given concept, they just make it. There’s always someone who will like and enjoy these cars. I’m not one of them
The GLA is a brilliant car. Absolute blast to drive and good as a day to day car as well. Looks divide opinion but same can be said for all cars.
I have a maccan S….it’s the best out of all of them period end of story --nothing else drives like it!!
I would get the Mercedes and a trans tune maybe a different exhaust. One that doesn't dsg fart if possible
You two make fantastic movies, out of car reviews. Props.
Just an observation: The Macan in this review is an S. When I saw the console, I did not see PASM or Air Suspension and I did not see a Sport + button. It also has 19" wheels. Forget the Jeep and just compare the Benz AMG to the Macan. The better comparison would have been the Macan GTS. More HP and it has PASM with Air Suspension and 20" wheels and Sport Exhaust as standard equipment. The GTS is still going to cost $80k with a couple of options so it definitely loses points there. Also, turn off the Lane Keep Assistant during these tests. Hearing that noise is annoying. Jonny Lieberman also compared the GLA 45 AMG to a Macan and chose the GLA, , but the Macan was a Turbo. I still think the sweet spot for this comparison is the GLA45 vs Macan GTS.
Before I'm skewered, I'll admit, I own a GTS and I never compared to the GLA45 AMG which I think is a bit of a "ricer" in appearance.
limulus61 I think to compare the Mecan to the GLA at all is pointless. Compare the GLA with the Golf R. They said it themselves multiple times in their own video. The Mecan competes with the X3 M and/or Q5. Are you surprised the GLA drives more like a car than an SUV when it... isn’t an SUV? I’d go GTS all day everyday. Waiting for the 2019 for dat interior facelift/Miami blue 😍
Why didn't you use the srt8 Cherokee?
plumped up wagons are the new "suv"...but don't tell the buyers (leasees) that because then they won't drive them.
I drive a Macan GTS daily...As an all around vehicle...its awesome...Maybe a Panamera is in my future.
Are the backseats really as cramped as they say it is ?
I've been waiting for this for so long. Great stuff! However, the cut between the sponsor messages were really abrupt. Hope you can look into this in the future.
macan is for someone that only has one parking spot
Why didn't you test the Jeep SRT?
1:15 no surprise issues when it comes to jeep quality or lack there of 😂
Why’s the market so dry on classic 2 door rear wheel drive sports cars. I’ve seen you guys do the brz, mustang, Camaro, G37 etc. but it really is sad when someone has to consider a car for enjoyment in a Mercedes wagon. Wish there was more cars for you 2 to review.
winglessang31 most adults have families and don’t want to own 3 cars because dad needs a sports car.
Does the title show "jeep". Hahahahaha next to Porsche. Haha
I can tell by the Macan that you really didn’t have that great of a specc’ed out one for a proper comparison. Pretty sure that doesn’t have PASM or sport + mode, and few other things. Also should have at least put it up against a the Macan GTS instead of the S. S is practically a “base model” of the V6’s. You also didn’t even mention what the Turbo gives as an option... and that is to basically a 400 hp hot hatch monster.
They wringing everything possible from this 2.0 liter engine. Yeah, right.....now wait for 2020 GLA 45 AMG
Must have taken you forever to produce this. Top quality!
The benz really is more of a hatchback and not an suv. Its kind of a hard comparison. Macan wins in my opinion.
Eh? No, having issues and things going wrong with any vehicle from the FCA group, is not "surprising".
Not fair how about a track hawk comparison?
Cost not in the same ballpark
Can you drive the GLA on a track? Is it too tall for that?
I watched a video of the new GLA AMG 45s vs the new AMG A 45S. The times? 1:01:700 for the a45s. 1:02:00 for the GLA 45s.
He just said “materials feel more appropriate to a base $30,000 version” then finishes with “all these materials are honest and feels expensive”.
good job guys good reviews
the GC goes off road. that's why it weights 25% more than others and therefore everything else. the two street mammoths can't handle a sassy road.
"Cayenne saved Porsche"
You do realize that the Porsche family owns most of Volkswagen shares and therefore pretty much owns VW, Porsche will never die..
EZ Assegai Back when the Cayenne was actually introduced, none of those things were true.
Jeep shitty build quality - Check
Porsche's driving dynamics - Check
Merc price tag - Check
On a more serious note anyone else hearing the pitch of their voices changing? Seems a good deal deeper than normal.
you mean
merc price tag- cheque
ba dum ceeeeeee :D
How do you feel about the GLA45 vs Ford Focus RS?
If you can get them for the same price, get the AMG. The RS is very uncomfortable thanks to its shit seats, horrid build quality and the interior is awful considering how much they charge for it.
wow todd nice job with the audio !
btw there is this hissing noise 16:53
EverythingJailbreak Pro Not quite a hiss, more like that high pitched mosquito ring tone.
How can even compare American garbage with Premium European Brands?
2.0t amg
That two tone steering wheel on the Macan is terrible.
Pliz that jeep is not a truck its an SUV
the jeep gc is not big at all nor is it spacious. now a durango....thats perfect
the dodge Durango I rented had the exact same issues as your jeep! the infotainment center stoped working completely. I could not control the a.c. heat or fan speed which was not fun during the las vegas summer. I would never buy a jeep/ dodge/Chrysler/ fiat
20:36 "Good fun, not that useable" of course they aren't that useable they lack the UTILITY part of the acronym SUV!! Smh EverydayDriver, really? GC is used as a reference for what Sport UTILITY VEHICLE used to mean? I watched the video and seemed to have missed the UTILITY section, you guys pointed out all of the SPORT apsects of these CARS! They look sporty so we expect sportiness, but they can do absolutely nothing more than what a car/hatchback can do. There was a quick mention of the 2 cars being fairly okay off road I believe, but still, this is not a well rounded review as a reference to what a SUV used to mean, it still means Sport UTILITY Vehicle. If you want to canyon carve in a small truck/hatchback with sporty suspensions, then yes the Porsche and Merc are good/stupid options for sport driving in the canyons, but DO NOT compare a truck capable of doing UTILITARIAN jobs to these 1 dimensional, wrong class for sport driving, can't off-road or tow cars, that you wouldn't even want to get dirty by doing the things the GC can do. I'm sorry but this is a biased and poor review on a reference for something that still means what the acronym states, SUV Sport Utility Vehicle!!
You guys need to add the X4 M40i which outperforms GLA 45 and Macan S ;)
And the X4 is outperformed by the Stelvio.
JAnx01 just depends where you live and The Steve will get outperformed too
It doesn't out perform the gla45
Not the post face lift
@@cashmoney1127 out perform the pre facelift gla 45 that had 355 go. But not the post facelift model.
Get a GTI
You should have done more research into Jeep/Chrysler unreliability. All of your problems are expected.
Mercedes: the worst design of nav screens (unless you are talking e/s class)
WHAT ARE THOOOOOSE
I feel like the TV format has influenced the quality of your videos in a negative fashion. Compared to your older pieces, this video is too ADHD.
It's like when you sat down to plan out this video and came up with the first brainstorm, but for some reason decided to stop there and just film that brainstorm of thoughts and half-sentences. There is no clear structure to the video which diminishes the impact of the insights that you try to bring up. You jump from car to car so frequently that it gets difficult to keep up with your thought process.
Additionally, it doesn't help that you leave no breaks between each point. Any good speaker knows that to deliver their point effectively, they need to pause at times and let the listener absorb what has just been said. I know very well that both of you are able to do this, because you do it well in your podcasts and past videos. It's a shame that you had to compromise on some of your top qualities in order to fulfil the TV requirements.
All in all, I feel like I could only watch this video effectively after a large bucket of coffee with loads of sugar in it, just to get on the hyperactivity level of the video. I'd rather your videos be longer but clearer and easier to understand.
That's FCA for you, quality and reliability by the bucket-load... O.o lol
Salomon ran's channel latest episode? His GLA has every warning light on the dash lit up, his McLaren passenger door stopped opening. His Rolls Royce cooled drivers seat stopped working. Give me a break.
Ooo someone's bitter they have an FCA vehicle that's probably in the dealer being fixed.. ;)
Jeep build quality is hot garbage. As another viewer has mentioned, trim gap variances are on every Jeep I’ve looked at. I had $55K burning a hole in my pocket and I REALLY wanted a Jeep Grand Cherokee High Altitude in white. Love the looks and V6 engine but I couldn’t find one they didn’t have trim or paint issues and I looked at probably 8 of them. Very disappointed in Jeep and it looks like I will continue on with Audis and get a 2021 SQ5.
15:55. People are just hypocrites