Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class vs Volkswagen Tiguan

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.

It's a hard to deliver a definitive verdict yet, because we’re still some way out from the Tiguan’s local arrival.

Expect a pricier mid-size SUV, but one which leans into its best traits as a semi-premium option, with a stellar cabin and a significant tech upgrade. What sets it apart in such a crowded segment is its ability to appeal to the keen driver, although it’s a shame Australia will miss out on some of the more ambitious and modern powertrain options available overseas, at least initially.

For now though, consider us impressed.

Tune back in in the second quarter of 2025 for all the details on the Tiguan’s local launch and pricing.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, 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.

There’s a lot of familiarity with this new Tiguan. It doesn’t stray far from the sturdy, boxy, but pragmatic shape of the current car, at least at a distance.

Up closer, though, it’s clear there are some significant changes this time around. The previous car’s hard and angular character lines have been replaced by curvy finishes over the top of the wheel arches, paired with heavier contours down the doors and across the nose.

The face has dumped the previous chrome highlights, moving the grille lower and replacing the horizontal strips which used to sit behind the VW badge with a solid plastic bar (incorporating an LED light) running across the top.

The grille has been moved lower, and chrome has largely been replaced with gloss black and matt silver finishes. While the outgoing car was attractive in a relatively conservative way this new Tiguan makes more of a statement.

Round the back, expect a similar contemporary translucent plastic light-bar treatment to marry the rear two light fittings, with the VW badge taking pride of place alongside the TIGUAN typeface, as is the current trend.

Design elements carried over in the rear three-quarter include the shape of the rear side windows, the tough extruded bumper and the little roof-mounted spoiler. Trendy aerodynamically-styled wheel choices round out its modern appeal.

Perhaps the strangest thing about this design is how it somehow manages to make the Tiguan look smaller where most next-gen designs make new cars look much larger than their predecessors. There’s something subtle about it.

Inside is a radical departure from the now significantly dated outgoing vehicle. The somewhat drab greyscale dash, which was also strangely upright, has been replaced by something much more intriguing.

A huge piano black panel defines the character line of the dash, housing the air vents, dashboard, and new ambient lighting, sitting behind the enormous pride-of-place 15-inch media screen.

VW clearly heard the audience and for this car has put a major focus on tech. The new software to match looks much better, the screen is sharp and fast, and as usual the brand’s digital dash is easily one of the best on the market.

Swapping out old switchgear has also allowed for a more contemporary, pared-back centre console with the nicely-designed steering wheel carrying across. EV-like controls from the ID series take their place on the steering column.

This is not a car you can judge from several metres away. This is a car that's been well and truly launched into the 2020s.

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.

The previous Tiguan was always notable for how spacious its cabin was, and for the most part that pragmatic approach continues.

The re-designed seats proved comfortable over the significant amount of time we spend behind the wheel traversing central Germany, and while it feels a little smaller inside due to the much busier design of the dash, there’s plenty of room for even tall adults given the cabin's height and width.

As usual with Tiguan, it’s easy to find a comfortable and sporty seating position, and the touchpoints are all excellent with much less hard plastic in the doors and centre console.

Each door offers an enormous pocket and bottle holder, and the new car gets a two-tiered shelf design in the centre console, housing a wireless charger below.

A single multi-function dial can control either audio volume or drive mode with a quick press, and without additional switchgear. There is a versatile set of bottle holders and a centre console armrest box behind.

The huge screen is oriented towards the driver. In the pictures it looks like too much, but it’s somehow low enough and the software largely has clever shortcuts to minimise distraction.

The most unfortunate feature of the screen, though, is the requirement to control the climate via touch sliders or a screen-based menu.

If only the brand had committed to giving us two more dials to control the climate zones or fan speed as appear in its Skoda relations. Still, it’s a significant step-up from the outgoing car.

The back seat offers heaps of room for myself, at 182cm tall, behind my own driving position. The generous seat claddings continue (as usual for a VW), with adjustable air vents, a rear climate zone and USB-C ports offered on the back of the console for rear passengers.

Lovely soft trims continue in the doors, and there are a set of three pockets on the back of each front seat, good for phones, tablets, or whatever you can think of.

Boot space measures in at an enormous 652 litres, proving VW found a significant amount of space somewhere in this new design.

Need more? The second row is on rails, so if you’re not using it, or you’re using it for kids who don’t need the legroom, you can boost the load space even further.

Australian deliveries of the new-generation Tiguan were still a while away at the time of writing, so we don’t have precise pricing and specifications to share just yet. However, the brand’s Australian division tells us to expect a similar grade walk to the outgoing car.

This will likely mean three key variants tied to three drivetrain options. We know for now the incoming base version will retain the same 110TSI engine, but will take a significant hike in standard equipment, while the next two variants up will use upgraded engines, a mid-spec 150TSI and a top-spec 195TSI.

The bad news is Volkswagen says it will be fair to expect a price-hike on base versions, what we understand is “closer to the $50K mark”, while the outgoing car starts from $43,990, before on-road costs.

The good news is the standard equipment is “more in-line with what the VW customer expects” according to the brand, with the main problem not being price, but apparently buyers wanting things like standard leather seats and upgraded cabin tech with the more basic engine.

Next up, the 150TSI 2.0-litre all-wheel drive will replace the outgoing 132TSI, and at the top of the range, the most important R-Line grade (which VW sells the highest proportion of) will also get a significant boost, not only with the 195TSI engine (up from the current 162TSI), but also new equipment.

Across its grades, the new Tiguan will have access to new-generation matrix LED headlights, large alloy wheel choices, and a 15-inch multimedia screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

There is also a completely overhauled software suite, with a new version of the VW's renowned digital dash cluster, and you can expect impressive spec highlights from the current vehicle, like tri-zone climate control, to continue over.

And this third-generation car also scores completely re-designed seats, revised ambient lighting, a new head-up display and extended soft-touch materials throughout the cabin to solidify its semi-premium market positioning.

Stay tuned closer to the new Tiguan’s arrival in Australia in the second quarter of 2025 for full local pricing and specs. That said, the cars we drove for this review were largely representative of what we might see land on our shores.

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.

In some ways, I don’t envy our European friends, who can choose from a whopping eight different drivetrain permutations in the new Tiguan range.

However, again there’s good and bad news for the Australian market.

The bad news is we won’t see the new and more efficient 1.5-litre mild-hybrid engine option which is the base version (and one of the cars we drove) in Germany.

We also won’t see the surprisingly finely-tuned diesel versions, and we also won’t see the great new plug-in hybrid version, at least not at launch.

With this out of the way, what we can expect is a familiar line-up. The 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine (110TSI) will carry over from the outgoing vehicle, producing 110kW/250Nm, a new mid-spec engine, producing 150kW/320Nm, and a new top-spec engine (dropped out of the Golf GTI, no less) producing 195kW/400Nm.

As usual, expect all three options to be mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

It's a shame the local division isn’t ambitious enough to launch with the next-gen plug-in hybrid version, which pairs the new 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with a big 25kWh battery for an estimated 100km electric driving range.

It also brings with it robust charging specs, like an 11kW AC inverter (for a slow charge time of two hours on a compatible charger) and even the ability to charge on DC at 50kW (for a fast-charge time in half an hour).

Our experience in a German-market example proves one of the other benefits of this powertrain, which is a fuel-efficient hybrid mode even when the battery is drained.

Perhaps it’s a story of petitioning your dealer for one if you want it. No doubt the brand will be listening to on-the-ground feedback post-launch.

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.

Given the engines will be familiar don't expect any radical changes when it comes to fuel consumption.

We don’t have official WLTP-certified figures yet because the 1.4-litre 110TSI and 2.0-litre 150TSI engines aren’t even in production in the new body yet, but it's fair to assume they won't stray far from the 7.7L/100km of the current 110TSI, up to 8.5L/100km for the current 162TSI R-Line.

For those wondering, the difference between the carryover 110 and the new one in Europe, it’s about 0.9L/100km according to overseas figures (with the new 1.5-litre MHEV engine consuming 6.8L/100km).

Even better news is the power boosted 195kW engine has the same fuel consumption as the outgoing 162TSI.

Meanwhile, the 1.5-litre eHybrid (PHEV) version we’ll miss out on has claimed fuel consumption of just 0.5L/100km.

As usual, these turbocharged Volkswagen engines will require a minimum of 95RON premium unleaded fuel.

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.

The Tiguan has always been a stand-out drive in the segment (which VW says underpins the high-spec R-Line version's popularity in Australia) and the improvements for this new-generation car lean even further into its on-road prowess.

Significant revisions as part of the new Tiguan’s upgraded MQB Evo platform include improved chassis rigidity and all-new suspension, which has an immediate and obvious effect as soon as you hop behind the wheel.

We were able to sample a 1.5-litre MHEV (an engine we won’t get, but in a trim level indicative of 'our' base car) as well as a 2.0-litre 150TDI diesel all-wheel drive (as a stand-in for the not-yet-in production 195TSI model) and both stand well above the segment in terms of handling and straight-up fun (at least for a mid-size SUV).

Don’t expect the kind of doughy ride and compliant steering of rivals, instead prepare yourself for what feels like a scaled-up Golf.

The third-generation Tiguan is defined by accurate, engaging steering, punchy and reactive engines, a sandpapered-smooth response from the dual-clutch transmissions, even at low speed, and (particularly for the front-wheel drive) an SUV which feels light on its feet.

This all makes for a mid-size SUV which, if anything, encourages you to push harder on a bit of curvy tarmac. Sure it doesn’t have the nearly EV-like smoothness of its hybrid rivals, but this is supplanted by serious fun to be had, which is extremely rare for this segment.

In our experience, the new ride is springy and reactive, although it was hard to gauge how the new Tiguan might feel in Australia due the high quality of German roads which don’t have the imperfections which riddle the surface of Australian tarmac.

It does feel a bit more locked down, but the previous Tiguan had an outstanding ride considering its more sporty intent, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see this continue.

Both turbo engine options roar to life when pushed with a pleasing tone, and as usual the dual-clutch autos are lightning fast at shifting and provide a lot more feedback and engagement compared to the usual dull CVT popular on rival mid-sizers.

The one thing which takes away from the experience is the need to interact with the climate controls via touch interface, a bit annoying and potentially distracting on the go.

On the flip side, the active safety equipment (particularly lane keep assist) is thankfully not anywhere near as overbearing as it is in some of this car’s rivals, solidifying the Tiguan’s position as a robust option for a keen driver.

The new-generation Tiguan was recently awarded a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and has significantly increased its array of equipment.

Even the base Tiguan in Europe gets auto emergency braking with vulnerable user protection, lane keep assist, and blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert.

There is also now front cross-traffic alert, a more thorough driver attention monitoring system, traffic sign recognition, and a safe exit warning system, alongside the usual array of stability, traction, and brake aids.

Airbag coverage has also been expanded to include a centre airbag up front, and full side airbags to join the usual curtain set.

Tune back in when the Tiguan launches in Australia to see if its maximum European rating carries across to ANCAP.

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.

As of right now, Volkswagen offers a five year, unlimited kilometre warranty with a year of roadside assist, and it would be a shock not to see the usual three- or five-year pre-paid service packages when it launches in Australia.

On the current car, these amount to about $580 annually (for a 2.0-litre 162TSI R-Line) which is on the premium end for the mainstream SUV segment.

Expect the same service interval as the current car, too, set at 12 months or 15,000km. Check back at local launch time for full details.