CAR WARS! Which SPORTY, CRAMPED, PRICEY German SUV Is FTW? Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 AMG vs. Porsche Macan Turbo

Spoiler alert...the GLA wins, as ridiculous as that thing is, it truly is the little beast that could, AMG did a great job

I don't buy into the concept that what a reviewer likes best is "best" for everyone.

Case in point: I recently did a fair bit of research on the Audi Q5. Some reviewers say the ride is too harsh, while others say is delightfully smooth. Some reviewers say there's too much body roll while others say there's none. Some reviewers say the Drive Select is useless because they can't tell the difference while others say it's great because it makes an immediately noticeable difference. Some say the steering is numb and isolating while others say the steering is precise and feels great. Some reviewers concluded it's the best compact SUV around, while others concluded it's okay, but bland and soulless, and you'd be better off buying something else.

You can observe all the disagreement and conclude that either all people are describing their own subjective likes, dislikes, and values, and how the vehicles measure up to these thing, or you can conclude that one guy is right, everyone who doesn't share his opinion is wrong, and then argue with them.

so.... you are basically saying in essay form, what most of us say in a sentence..."we take every review with a grain of salt"....

Thanks for the very detailed account of the Q5 though!

You make a very valid point, @TheSteve.

That's why when we tend to write something up, we like to talk about how the vehicle compares to its competition rather than just speak about how it is to drive. I know I can probably weave in more comparisons to specific attributes to make it more clear. Will think about that next time I am writing something up.

Granted, we do know that our taste will be completely different from our users.

You know what they say, "you can please some people some of the time, you can't please everyone ALL the time."

One thing that can help is drive it yourself and see which reviewer aligns most with your thoughts on how cars behave, feel, look etc… For a long time it was Tiff Needell for me. I loved his reviews and when I drove something he reviewed I could feel and see exactly what he was talking about. The things he thought were cool were the things I thought were cool etc...

@TheSteve, are you a politician? (JUST KIDDING!!!!)

I wonder why they didn't compare a SQ5 ?

In price and power, the GLA45 AMG is more aligned to the Macan S, so for the GLA to perform as well as the Turbo is pretty impressive. At the same time, one would think the GLA would have sprinted away from the Porsche with its 900 lb weight advantage. I'm suspecting the advantage lies with the transmission, which continues to appear to be a weak spot for Benz.

From a pricepoint perspective, the GLA also has the Porsche beat...sure, you can pick one up in the 60s, but they are far and few between. Most of them are in the 80s, and some climb into the 6 figures.

FTW...

Fmuck The World
Fun To Wallop
Flimsy Tin Widgit
Famously Too Whacked
Free To Whip

The GLA is one of the most unattractive looking vehicles to hit the road in a long time. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, all the tacked-on bodywork on the AMG version pushes it to the ugly level.

From a reliability standpoint, that over boosted AMG engine will be a nightmare in repairs waiting to happen. That turbo is working very hard to get those numbers, and AMG engines in general already have a terrible reputation. This one is going to be particularly bad news. Yes, this GLA "wins" the street fight, but for every day livability, the Porsche will end up being the winner of less headaches. I imagine buyers of both cars intend to drive them everyday as a multi-function commuter that has both utility and sportiness. Stick with the Porsche Macan S (or better yet the diesel when it arrives next year) for the same price and you won't be sorry.