2021 Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 Sounds Muted But Menacing

Now its time to hear the new compact hot crossover accelerating in real life, on German roads. A heavily camouflaged pre-production prototype was caught being driven on the streets surrounding the Nurburgring track area, with one of the final industry pool sessions for 2019 to take place this November.

Sadly, the incorporation of gasoline particulate filters (GPF) on most modern German engines has taken its toll on the quality of their exhaust sounds, which is even more perceptible on turbocharged engines that are on the smaller side of displacement. That said, the new GLA 45 doesn't sound like a vacuum cleaner yet, and there is plenty of rock'n'roll coming out of those four exhaust tips when the test driver punches it out of the intersection.

Speaking of which, Mercedes-AMG has chosen a somewhat less fake way than Audi Sport to complement its cars' exhaust look. If you zoom in, even though there are four exhaust tips they are not connected to the two exhaust pipes behind them, and this solution is actually chosen on every single AMG model with four exhaust tips. Better than covering them with black plastic, we say, but to each his own opinion.

Powered by the newly developed M139 engine, which is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder just like its predecessor, the 2021 GLA 45 should be a hell of a lot quicker and a lot more fun to drive than its predecessor. Quicker because of the 421 horsepower on tap in the GLa 45 S and more fun thanks to the new all-wheel-drive system, which will allow the model to powerslide in certain driving scenarios, just like the latest A 45 S and CLA 45 S.

Despite those 20-inch wheels making the car look like a child wearing adult shoes, the overall look of the car is still well proportioned, especially for a FWD-based compact crossover with a transverse engine.