Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class vs Nissan Patrol

What's the difference?

With Mercedes-Benz’s vast number of SUVs, there is room for an urban luxury crossover niche, and the GLA delivers in spades.

Indeed, in 250 4Matic guise, it is that rare thing – a high-riding hatch with dynamics to shame most dedicated pocket-rockets. It really is a hoot if you find the right road, regardless of weather conditions. The Benz has towering talent.

However, even without desirable options like adaptive dampers and a full suite of driver-assist safety technology, the GLA is expensive, does not quite carry off the price tag from an interior quality point of view, and struggles to maintain the degree of comfort and refinement expected from a Mercedes – with or without the $3K necessary to score adaptive dampers.

Still, especially because of the way the GLA looks, goes, stops and steers, if you can afford it, you’ll be rewarded. There’s never been a more rounded GLA.

With the next-gen Y63 still around 18 months away, should you take the plunge with the MY25 Patrol?

The changes Nissan has made are worthwhile for those who cannot wait, or want a formidable, spacious and extremely off-road capable family SUV offering the gross delights of a sublime V8. There’s nothing like it for the money, so if you want one, go for it.

There's still a place for a Patrol V8, then, and probably will continue to be for many old-school 4WDers long after the Y63 finally lands. 

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

Looking like a mini-me GLC, today's GLA trades some of its predecessor’s edgier design elements like the slammed roof and exaggerated broad-shouldered stance for a more amorphous if elegant appearance. Even with the cliché plastic cladding around the squared-off wheel arches, it’s still a looker.

The net result is arguably the most attractive of all the MFA2 A-Class offshoots. It sits well within the Mercedes hierarchy of SUVs, bringing a swoopy coupe-like silhouette compared to the ultra-upright GLB.

Along with being 30mm wider, it’s also visibly taller than before, with a handy 213mm of ground clearance compared to just 157mm last time around. And the wheelbase has been stretched to the benefit of rear-passenger room – a bugbear of the old GLA. That's progress.

Except for a new red colour replacing the (gaudy) champagne hue, spotting the MY25 Patrol from the outside is impossible – except that the Warrior swaps out silver side steps for black-painted ones.

Otherwise, it’s the same as all Y62s since the facelift late last decade, which did a fine job updating a neat design we first saw all the way back in 2010.

For the record, the Patrol’s main dimensions come in at 5175mm (length), 1995mm (width), 1940mm (height) and 3075mm (wheelbase). The corresponding LandCruiser 300 clocks in at 4980mm, 1980mm, 1955mm and 2850mm, respectively, making the ageing Nissan larger, surprisingly.

So, along with presence, good looks and great proportions, the Y62 delivers impressive packaging. Let’s check that out.

Compared to before, the 2021 GLA is some 122mm taller, so ushers in a higher hip point for loftier seating – reducing that jumped-up hatch feel. Headroom improves obviously, as does rear legroom, a corollary of a 30mm wheelbase stretch (to 2729mm).

Wide apertures also make entry into and out of the German-built GLA child's play, though the solid heft of their doors is serious business at this end of the segment, very satisfyingly Teutonic and totally on-brand. This is something you won’t enjoy in a Subaru XV.

Then you s-c-r-a-p-e the underside of the front doors on the pavement literally every time you swing it to get out, and wonder whether Mercedes engineers have ever been to Australia. This fail drove us spare. Heaven help the GLAs in towns and cities with bluestone sidewalks. Maybe all that extra AMG packaging is the culprit.

Still, most of the other basics are spot-on and can’t really be faulted; cosy yet spacious for four adults – especially up front, ample vision, an excellent driving position aided by heaps of seat and steering wheel adjustability, cosseting front sports buckets that you just sink into, torrents of ventilation from those delectable turbine vents and stacks of storage. Collectively they make the GLA a welcoming, opulent place to travel in. Only the hapless fifth occupant squished between the outboard rear-seat passengers might think otherwise. But nobody buys this Benz for carting people around. That's the GLB's job.

Several years ago, Daimler poached a senior Audi designer and since then Mercedes’ dashboards have morphed into a multi-coloured multimedia diorama of touchscreen technology that threatens to completely take over the universe. Choose the right combination of colours and lighting and it's like your very own White Night on wheels. Starting with 2018’s A-Class, the striking, spangly MBUX system that underpins all this has come to be widely admired and imitated. For aesthetics anyway, with its vivid hues, panoramic displays and simple, tiled applications, it’s been a real trip.

Anyway, back to reality. From a tactility and functionality point of view, there’s still work to be done.

Access to the multimedia (including our GLA's banging optional audio system) and car settings areas is possible via a mildly fiddly finger-pad arrangement down forward in the centre console, or smaller yet much more annoying thumb sensor tabs on the wheel spokes. These are not easy to modulate on the move. Additionally, their menus can be confusing to navigate through and sometimes counterintuitive in operation. Mercedes obviously realises this as a quick-guide pamphlet is provided on old-fashioned cardboard paper. How quaint.

Eventually all areas can be mastered over time, but the functionality is complicated and may overwhelm the not-so-tech savvy. Additionally, the ‘Hey, Mercedes!’ voice control is impressive for getting MBUX to perform basic multimedia and vehicle settings-related changes, but it too-often erratic, unreliable and ultimately frustrating for more complicated commands. Perhaps elocution lessons on behalf of the operator may help.

But not as much as the profound disappointment we endure from the cheapness of some of the materials, the wincing cellophane-like sounds when pressing on some of the surfaces such as the door cards, or that emanate after a particularly bumpy section of bad roads. Sheeny reflections and hard textures in a car optioned with extras that total up to nearly $82,500 just don’t cut it.  

At least in this latest-gen GLA, the rear seat area seems much improved over the previous models, with more space, comfy and supportive seating (remember ours featured the $607 sliding function that ought to be standard) and a reclining backrest. All amenities are present, with deep pockets, fresh air from twin vent outlets, reading lights and thoughtfully placed armrests – but, again, the latter’s extendable cupholders feel brittle and cheap.

Further back, the 435-litre cargo area is sufficiently sized and practical for smaller family use (at last), aided by a 40/20/40 backrest fold and that slide-able cushion to extend capacity further. There is no spare wheel, but a tyre inflation kit is fitted in lieu.

Overall, then, better than before, with that fundamental rock-solid heft, luxurious aura and alluring premium-car aroma. The dazzling MBUX screen-related visuals, too, are endlessly entertaining to explore when the vehicle is not moving, but the GLA’s cabin is still not quite up to Mercedes’ reputation for exacting over-engineered excellence.

Or even to the standards of some mainstream alternatives.

Nothing dated last year’s Y62 Patrol more than its dashboard, which – for RHD markets like Australia – stuck with the original version introduced back in the early 2010s.

It wasn’t just the ancient buttons and controls and embarrassing lack of modern-day tech like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and wireless chargers, either.

Nissan persisted with awful glossy fake-wood trim and other chintzy materials that would seem over the top for Liberace.

Not that many buyers cared anyway, because there’s space aplenty inside, including ample width and height. That an eight-seater (in 2+3+3 configuration) exists is testament to that.

Our only concern, apart from the ugly old steering wheel that returns for one last outing (we hope), is that the body-hugging driver’s seat does not slide back far enough for taller people, so beware of that.

Beyond the more contemporary trim, scanning the updated dash for the first time, you’ll notice only the centre stack and instrumentation cluster have changed.

Dominating everything is a 12.3-inch touchscreen, which is easy enough to operate, housing the usual multi-angle camera views, multimedia, Bluetooth telephony and vehicle settings functions. Note, though, that no digital radio is fitted.

We’re pleased Nissan resisted the urge to abandon the lovely old analogue instrument dials, and instead elected to put a slightly-larger TFT screen in-between for all sorts of operational data, including trip computer and off-road driving info, highlighting the Patrol’s dual function.

To that end, the 4WD high/low knob has been relocated to make room for the touchscreen’s remote buttons, which are a great idea as they encourage eyes on the road to discourage dangerous distraction. Are you listening, Chinese carmakers?

But fundamentally, the Y62 MY25 remains the same as before. So, perched up higher than most SUVs for lofty views all around, the seats are sumptuous, the driving position is fine, plenty of storage is provided and there are no qualms over the climate-control system – front or rear.

That sense of isolation from the outside world is palpable, as is the at-times busy and bumpy ride. We’ll get to that further down.

Meanwhile, second-row comfort is sufficient, with roof-level air vents (that also stretch out to the third row), a couple of USB ports, cupholders, lighting and other amenities.  

Access to the third row is made simple via a tug on a lever, resulting in the spring-loaded base tipping forward as the backrest folds down, to provide easy walk-through to the two or three-person bench that awaits.

Ours was the latter, yet the backrests recline more than expected, making it a tolerable place for adults to endure during relatively short trips. Kids-only then long-term, but vents are also provided.

Further back, there's even a decent amount of space behind the erected backrests for luggage and that sort of thing. The capacity as stated is 467 litres, ballooning to 1413L in five-seater mode.

Finally, a full-sized spare wheel is located beneath the boot floor, and is accessed from underneath the Patrol.

Competitive positioning has long been a Patrol forte.

Kicking off from $90,600 (all prices are before on-road costs), the MY25 Y62 costs over $1300 more than before.

But it’s also over $7000 cheaper than the least-expensive Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, and that’s a V6 diesel in quite plain-Jane GX guise, while you’ll need over $100K more for the next available full-off-road wagon petrol V8 – the Land Rover Defender P525.

And the base Ti is pretty well-equipped. New to the series is wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (at last!), a larger driver info display and a wireless charger, among other changes.

They add to the eight seats, limited-slip differential, leather upholstery, surround-view camera with off-road monitor, front/rear parking sensors, USB ports, dual-zone (instead of tri-zone) climate control, keyless entry/start, heated/powered/folding door mirrors and 18-inch alloys with a full-sized spare wheel.

There’s also a decent wedge of advanced driver-assist safety tech – more on which is explored later on.

The Ti-L (from $102,100) gains a sunroof, a 13-speaker Bose audio upgrade, a cool box, digital rear view mirror, a powered tailgate, heated and vented front seats with driver’s side memory, a powered steering column, leather/suede upholstery and more... but drops to seven seats.

Starting from $105,660, the brutish, Ti-based Warrior does it best though, ditching the luxuries above but scoring raised suspension for a 50mm ride-height lift, 40mm wider tracks, a retuned hydraulic body motion-control system, revised rear springs, upgraded rear bump stops, a stainless-steel bi-modal side exhaust, a 120kg GVM boost, modified grille, bumpers and tow bar, plastic wheel arch surrounds, all-terrain tyres, twin recovery points and Alcantara trim inside.

Warrior would be our pick. And that’s $40K under the sporty LandCruiser GR Sport, so there’s a strong value case to argue here in the Nissan 4WD’s favour.

It’s also the best-looking Y62 by far.

Mounted transversely, Mercedes’ M260 1991cc 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine features a twin-cam, 16-valve design, a twin-scroll turbocharger and variable-valve timing, to help deliver 165kW of power at 5500rpm and 350Nm of torque at a low 1800rpm. With an impressive 97.2kW per tonne, it can hit 100km/h in 6.7 seconds, on the way to a 240km/h top speed.

All four wheels are driven by an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), though most of the torque at lower speeds or during reduced throttle loads is delivered to the front wheels until extra traction is required out back. The gearbox is one of the very best of its type we’ve experienced – seamless, strong and largely lag-free.

Here’s one of the Y62’s greatest strengths – a delightful 5552cc 5.6-litre quad-cam V8 dubbed 'VK56VD' in Nissan-speak, delivering 298kW of power at 5800rpm and 560Nm of torque at 4000rpm.

It offers a power-to-weight ratio of around 103kW/tonne in the heaviest Patrol, the Warrior, and no rival anywhere apart from the Defender V8 can match it for aural pleasure. 

No manual gearbox is available, meaning a seven-speed torque-converter automatic with a manual mode is your lot. It sends torque to either the rear wheels or all four wheels via an electronic 4WD transfer case, offering 2WD, 4WD High and 4WD Low range modes.

Also aiding off-road capabilities are a limited-slip differential, an electronic rear diff lock and hill descent control.

Towing capacity is rated at 3500kg with a braked trailer and 750kg unbraked.

Weighing in at 1668kg (kerb), and with a bluff nose and high ground clearance also not helping, we didn’t expect great fuel economy, particularly given how hard and fast the GLA 250’s performance bandwidth is. It’s tempting to just blast your way from point A to point B.

However, at the pump we averaged 9.8 litres per 100km, which isn’t too bad at all considering the available muscle. The official figure is 7.5L/100km, for a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 170 grams per kilometre. With a 51-litre fuel tank, the theoretical range is around 680km.

Note that the GLA 250 requires 95 RON premium unleaded petrol as a minimum.

Like all Y62s, the MY25 version insists on drinking from the premium unleaded petrol bowser. But here’s an anomaly. Behind the filler flap is a sticker that says “SUPER 98 OCTANE IS RECOMMENDED”. Hmm.

Oof. That’s a lot of expensive fuel to satiate the 140-litre tank.

With an official average of 14.4L/100km on the combined cycle – for a carbon dioxide emissions rating of an abysmal 334 grams/km – that translates to over 970km of range. For the record, 11.0L/100km and 20.2L/100km are the highway and city figures.

Our trip computer said 17.4L/100km on our trip from outer-suburban Melbourne to beautiful Torquay in Victoria, via a few rural roads that allowed us to test the Patrol at speed. And that was before hitting the off-road tracks…

A soaring 2.0-litre turbo engine application, this is a slick, stirring and robust performer that can also do efficiency as effortlessly as launch the GLA 250 4Matic towards the horizon. Let’s not mince our words. This is a fast and fiery mover.

Three drive modes – Eco, Comfort and Sport – provide a wide spectrum of acceleration and throttle responses, and all deliver precisely what you’d expect. Eco’s fine for pottering around town smoothly and serenely; Sport morphs into a searing and seamless speed demon; and the default Comfort sits somewhere in the middle as the best of both worlds. There really is no faulting Mercedes’ M260 masterpiece.

The DCT also happens to be one of the better dual clutch autos, avoiding the lag and clunkiness pitfalls usually associated with this sort of gearbox. It’s even comparatively smooth off the line on hills. Ours came with the optional handy set of manual-mode paddle shifters, adding a welcome level of interactivity autos tend to overlook. Too bad Mercedes persists with that fiddly column lever that is forever prone to knocking the car out of drive. Even after 15 years, it's still so annoying.

What all this means for the urban driver is strong acceleration for flitting in and out of traffic gaps, as well as incredibly instantaneous point-to-point responses for commanding manoeuvrability, thanks to ultra-eager steering and assisted by outstanding brakes.

With struts up front and a multi-link rear end as standard, the GLA 250’s chassis, too, is a transformative for what is essentially a high-riding hatchback – but only if your pockets are deep enough.

Fitted with that near-$3K AMG Exclusive Package that includes adaptive dampers, our Benz displayed a definite hot-hatch attitude that really would make it the darling of Golf GTI owners who’ve outgrown their rides but not their girl/boyracer desires. Superb handling and hunkered-down roadholding really do make this the driver’s premium compact crossover. You can pretty much point and shoot this Merc as you might a Golf R, and likewise in most weather conditions thanks to all that reassuring tenacious grip.

Plus, if you’re put off by the hard ride in Sport, the Individual mode allows the driver to engage the soft damper mode while the engine and steering retain the hardcore settings. It’s a win-win situation – as long as you can stretch to that AMG Exclusive pack. We strongly recommend it, given the balance between ultimate high-speed control and comfort.

However, while this is all good news for rural and country folk seeking hot crossover fun, back around town, poor urban road conditions can reveal a flaw in the chassis’ ability to properly smother bumps and ruts. It’s the small frequency stuff that seems to transmit through, never really settling down.

The result is a jittery ride, that may somewhat undermine the GLA’s upmarket sheen. There’s also a fair degree of road noise coming through. Perhaps sticking with the 19-inch alloys instead of those lovely 20-inch rims is the solution here.

How does all the Patrol’s old-school tech feel in 2025?

Still pretty capable off the beaten track, that’s for sure. Just like the first did nearly 75 years ago, thanks to body-on-frame construction.

The Y62 also features lockable low-range gearing, hill-descent control, independent double-wishbones, long-travel coil sprung suspension and – if you go for the Warrior, which to reiterate is our favourite of the bunch – useful extra ground clearance, wider tracks and even better approach and departure angles.

The upshot of all this is very impressive 4WD abilities, with the Patrol easily scrambling between the rocky terrain, through the deep potholes, over the muddy plains and across the deep waterways of the off-road facility Nissan took us to during the launch, without getting jammed up or bogged down.

This is what the Y62 was designed to do and – the Warrior in particular – still shines bright.

So much for the off-road. On road, the Patrol is starting to feel its age, despite that glorious V8.

Let’s start with the good stuff first. The engine provides instant and punchy performance right up through the rev range, ensconced in a doona of smoothness to boot and – particularly in the Warrior – a stereophonic soundtrack to even wake up the dinosaurs that fuel it.

But the Y62 is a proper 4WD, and it does struggle a bit as an on-road dynamic machine.

The steering's very light and easy to use in tight manoeuvres, but
it's somewhat devoid of feel for the driver. Around faster corners, it is a little bit roly poly – especially the non-Warrior grades, since the latter’s suspension mods make it feel more tied-down and tauter.

Also, all Patrols come with a lumpy ride over anything but smooth roads, which must be partly down to the knobbly tyres, though the LandCruiser GXL 300 Series I drove to the launch in felt like a magic carpet in comparison.

Obviously, this shouldn't come as any surprise to anyone who has ever followed the Y62’s career over the past 15 years, and few SUVs can match the majesty of sitting up so high, particularly in the Warrior, with a sense of invincibility. We’ve been reminded why the Patrol remains so popular

That, combined with that V8 brute force and the creamy refinement that oozes out of it, is a unique pleasure. If your wallet can stand its prodigious thirst, few vehicles would feel as grand doing a lap of Australia. Especially at the Patrol’s price point.

Shockingly, no Y62 Patrol has ever been crash-tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, so we cannot give you an independent safety rating.

Still, the Nissan ticks most boxes, with 'Autonomous Emergency Braking' and a host of advanced driver-assist safety (ADAS) systems, including blind-spot warning/intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning/intervention, adaptive cruise control and tyre pressure monitors.

You’ll also find dual front airbags, as well as front-side and curtain airbags for all outboard occupants.

While no Y62 data exists for AEB operating parameters, Nissan’s 'Collision Warning' systems commence at 5.0km/h.

Owners can also access ISOFIX latches and a pair of anchor points incorporated into the middle seat.

But there’s another type of security the Patrol offers that is absolutely second to none in the world of serious 4WD wagons.

Unlike many luxury brands that persist with a sub-par three-year warranty, Mercedes-Benz offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Intervals are every year or 25,000km, with a capped price service plan starting at $550 for the first year, $750 for the second year and $1250 for the third year, totalling $2550. Alternatively, buyers can also choose a Service Plan, starting at $2050 for the first three years (saving $500 from the normal capped-price service plan), $2950 for four years and $3500 for five years.

Yep, thanks to Nissan’s leading warranty, the MY25 Patrol, as with all the brand’s models, will have the standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and roadside assistance bumped up to 10 years and 300,000km – but only if you service it at a Nissan dealer.

Plus, you only pay $499 per service for the first five years, which represents a $645 saving compared to last year. Nobody currently does this better.