Used Mercedes GLA cars for sale or finance at 10.9% APR

Now into its second generation, the glam Mercedes GLA is a five-door SUV that is Merc’s alternative to the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Lexus UX. For a little while, you’ll find late examples of the previous GLA alongside examples of the latest car, and both come with the option of sporty trim levels and a raging hot fast one.

This latest car also has an electric variant, even if the Mercedes EQA does have slightly different styling to the GLA. Don’t confuse the GLA with the CLA, either (but if you think the names are confusing, wait ‘till we get to the trim levels).

Whichever you pick, you’ll get a car that’s just over 4.4 metres long, so it’ll fit into all the same spaces as its main rivals. The latest GLA is 10cm taller than the previous one, and has grown into a proper SUV-looking car rather than a half-height crossover that’s clearly A-Class based. Despite the size difference not being massive on paper, the latest GLA brings more space than the old car.

The 11cm increase in legroom will be the most noticeable gain, while the new GLA is also 3cm wider than the old car, making it slightly easier for three adults to sit across the rear bench. Boot space is 495 litres, slightly more than in the old car and over 100 litres more than the space available in the A-Class hatchback.

For short or medium-length journeys, the turbocharged petrol engines are a good match, providing plenty of performance and utterly reasonable fuel economy. Motorway natives will be well served by the diesels, and speed freaks are catered for by the rapid AMG models. In the new model, there’s a frugal plug-in hybrid, too.

Mercedes as a brand is synonymous with luxury and you don't trade any away when choosing the GLA, despite it being the most affordable SUV in the company's lineup.

The cabin is trimmed in plush materials, and the look and feel of the switchgear is a cut above cars from more mainstream brands.

To enhance the luxurious image, we think the cabin looks its best with the fully upgraded dual-screen setup on top of the dash. This sees both the centre infotainment screen and the driver's screen behind the wheel upgraded to 10.25-inch units, and is standard on AMG Line Premium cars.

Mercedes is a premium brand, so you should budget more for servicing and maintenance than you might for a comparable model from a more affordable carmaker. This is in line with the maintenance premium you'll find on Audi and BMW models.

If you're in the market for a compact premium SUV, you'll be very pleased with the GLA. Mercedes' most recent cabin design used across its compact cars has proved to be a real winner, with a high-tech looking dual-screen infotainment setup, and plush materials to help it feel suitably upmarket.

This generation of compact Mercedes models has also fixed their predecessors' slightly ponderous driving experience, with a much more responsive automatic gearbox and punchier turbocharged engines.

Mercedes' recent performance in reliability surveys suggests there's a little more work to be done to shore up the durability of its cars. Nevertheless, most of the engines and parts used in the GLA are also used in other Mercedes models – along with some Nissan and Renault cars – so replacements shouldn't prove too challenging to locate.

Add an extended warranty onto your GLA when you buy it to protect yourself from unexpected repair costs once the factory coverage runs out.

Despite its compact billing, the Mercedes GLA should be able to tow most medium-sized caravans. Entry-level GLA 180 petrol cars will haul a braked trailer weighing 1,600kg, while all mid-range cars can pull 1,800kg. Range-topping GLA 250 and GLA 220d versions can pull a 2,000kg braked trailer.