NEW YORK AUTO SHOW: CAR WARS! Audi Q3 vs. Mercedes-Benz GLA

I like the look of the Audi better. Not because I like it but because the GLA doesn't do anything for me. Problem is, the Q3 interior looks like $h!t.

Possibly one of the easiest "would you rather" questions posed recently. Easily, it would be the GLA. Its design is expressive. The interior is done well. And, based on what I've read so far, the driving dynamics are better than in the CLA. And this is probably a more appropriate head-to-head than the A3/CLA since there likely isn't such a disparity in dimensions or capacities.

Given that I'm presently very satisfied current Mercedes owner, Yes I probably "would rather" go with the Mercedes ...

...however, the GLA has runflat tires.

Over the past three years, I've listened to far, far too many coworkers & friends curse (quite loudly and colorfully) at their BMWs (and Minis) for the catastrophic "strandings" that they've incurred only because of its runflats. Someone needs to have the BMW CEO come for a drive on our local NY/NJ pothole-riddled roads to see how his cars are disproportiontely represented on highway shoulders, waiting for a flatbed.

From this reliability perspective, I decided that I am simply not going to buy a new car with the runflat tire "feature", period.

Thus, the BMW 3-Touring and BMW 3-GT got crossed off my shopping list. Ditto all of the X's (and Mini's).

Turning to Mercedes, when the CLA launched earlier this year and also had runflats, I was very disappointed ... I made an educated guess that the GLA to also have the same, which has turned out to be true.

Thus, I decided not to wait for the GLA and my list was getting quite short. In Audi land, the A3 had just launched and there was no 'Sportback' (or Q3) on the news horizon that I had heard of, which made my final two choices were the Audi Allroad or the Porsche Macan.

Both were larger than what I wanted (and more $$), but neither has runflats.

The new car has been ordered and is in prodution; it should arrive in around six weeks for me to pick up.

And thus, Mercedes has lost a current customer. I figure that my self-imposed "avoid runflats tax" was roughly to pay an extra 10% more than the GLA AMG45 will list for.


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run flats work bro, I know, it saved my MINI from damage and crashing when a huge rock took a 3.5inch by 3.5inch bite out of the sidewall of my tire, so tired of complaints about these awesome tires

Wow that GLA already makes the Q3 look dated/bland, interesting seeing them back to back.

The lines on that GLA are impressive for a cute ute. That Q3 looks like a Tiguan with nice LEDs, but even those are aging...

There are no interior shots of the MB; the Q3 is more conservative and fits in with the less is more theme of Audi while the Benz screams for attention.

I prefer the more toned down look.

I'd assume that the GLA interior is going to be very similar to the CLA's interior ... and just like the A3, there's going to be that "QUICK, add a Tablet!" grafted on the dashboard as a proverbial afterthought.

IMO, it almost looks like both the MB & Audi designers were planning/hoping that Apple's iOS-in-the-car was going to be ready in 2014, but someone somewhere higher up in the corporate higherarchy didn't sign the contract early enough (or at all).


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Q3 would probably look better with a darker colour on it. I'm still liking the Merc more, but, I don't think there is a looker in this segment.

Here's one looker, although a lot of it IMO is the color:
[img]http://image.motortrend.com/f/roadtests/suvs/1311_2015_porsche_macan_first_look/63533034/2015-Porsche-Macan-right-side-view.jpg[/img]

Granted, its price is out of range of the base segment, but given that the S is only $1,500 more than the CLA AMG45, at the top end, the difference is more vehicle size than retail cost.

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The GLA shown here is the GLA45AMG while the Q3 is the regular Q3 - that's not an even comparison in looks or price.

A more even comparison in looks and price would be comparing a regular GLA(250?) to the Q3.

I've seen non-AMG pics of the GLA. The GLA still looks tons better than the Q3. And the GLA doesn't "scream for attention" LOL. It's lines are classy and tasteful, yet expressive.

LOL. Yeah, I "hate" Audi, which is why I drive one. Since you apparently like stalking my posts, if you were appropriately hooked on Phonics, you'd know that I bought my current Audi because at that time Audi was headed in a great direction with their styling and overall approach. In the past 2 years since buying my car, their "styling" and "updates" have been nothing but generic, bland "designs". And if you see this Q3 as a "masterpiece", then I'm happy for you. See, you can have an opinion without judging others' opinion. That's called being an adult.

"Over-designed" are creatures like the Lexus IS and upcoming NX. This GLA AMG is not that. But, that aside, as I CLEARLY stated, I like the non-AMG GLA better than this Q3. Again, if you were appropriately hooked on Phonics, you would have been able to read that in my post.

The GLA continues the recent overwrought look-at-me styling trend by Mercedes. Clearly not meant for anyone over 25.

Once again, people who think Audi's current design strategy (like the one seen on this Q3) will be Audi's design of the future are wrong.

Audi will debut its new highly-aggressive and differentiated exterior design later this year when it debuts the 2015 Audi Q7 and A4 models, which will set the new design strategy for Audi's forthcoming SUV and sedan products.

the Q3 looks like a cheap VW Polo on stilts

The Q3 looks abysmally old already. Based on Audi's last 35 years of almost-Acura-slow exterior evolution, I have no grand illusions for the 2015s either. I love the GLA's non-sissified looks, despite small proportions (something the Mini Paceman kinda started). But if MB is turning to run-flats, count me out. I have owned MBs and am on my 4th consecutive BMW (the last 2 with run-flats) and I am sick of their harsh ride, low tread-life and inflated costs. I hope that MB offers a std tire option at the time of purchase, otherwise... hello Macan! Then again, with kids about to hit college... hello Mk VII GTi :)

I kinda like the Mercedes-Benz better. The AUDI is not bad, but looks really bland for my taste. IMO both will sell well to the very young croud.

I definitely think the Q3 shares way too much with its cousins over at VW...remove the emblems and change the grill a little bit and it could be the new Tiguan. That being said, it does have clean, unoffensive lines. The one thing I could do without - the "popup" screen.

The GLA is a logical progression in the Benz lineup, but I wish it still had some of the GLK styling in it. It appears to have been heavily styled into an almost-tourer/wagon, and less like an entry SUV. I think Benz will likely lose some of its current GLK drivers to people who want an SUV over a wagon, but the GLA will bring a whole new wave of drivers to the brand.

If I had to pick one, I would go with the Benz...solely for the AMG availability.