Mercedes-Benz Introduces the All-New GLA With a Fully Redesigned Interior

A new GLA is coming, and this one isn’t a mid-cycle freshening. Mercedes-Benz revealed the all-new 2028 GLA in August 2026, and it’s arriving at Canadian dealerships in the second half of 2027. For Quebec drivers who’ve watched the GLA grow into one of the brand’s most popular compact SUVs, this redesign touches almost everything: the cabin, the technology, and the powertrain lineup.

The Biggest Changes

The most obvious shift is inside. Mercedes-Benz replaced the previous GLA’s sculpted dashboard with a cleaner, minimalist layout built around an optional MBUX Superscreen. That single glass surface spans the dashboard and houses a 10.25-inch driver display, a 14-inch central touchscreen, and a 14-inch front-passenger display.

A standard fixed glass panoramic roof is new to the model, and an optional SKY CONTROL version lets occupants adjust the roof’s transparency segment by segment. The centre console now floats visually beneath the dash, with a three-dimensional trim element that houses cupholders and optional wireless smartphone charging.

Technology gets a comparable overhaul. The MBUX Virtual Assistant now runs on generative AI, drawing on ChatGPT, Microsoft, and Google to hold multi-part conversations and retain context from earlier in the chat. It appears on-screen as an animated avatar and can answer navigation questions directly, since the GLA’s route guidance is built on Google technology with access to Google Maps data.

The powertrain lineup changes just as much. The 2028 GLA offers two all-electric models: the 268-hp GLA 250+ Electric (RWD) and the 349-hp GLA 350 4MATIC Electric (AWD), which reaches 100 km/h from a stop in 5.4 seconds. Both share an 85-kWh NMC battery and 800-volt architecture, supporting DC fast charging up to 320 kW.

Alongside the electric models sits a high-tech hybrid: a newly developed 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder paired with a 30-hp electric motor built into an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, drawing from a 48-volt, 1.3-kWh battery. It can run on electric power alone in some city driving conditions and recuperate energy in all eight gears.

The body grew, too. Length increases 143 mm to 4,565 mm, and the wheelbase stretches 61 mm to 2,790 mm, adding legroom and headroom throughout the cabin.

What Stayed the Same

Despite the overhaul, the GLA keeps its identity as a compact SUV built for daily driving rather than a niche vehicle for one type of buyer. Mercedes-Benz still offers a choice between electric and combustion-based hybrid power in the same body style, so Quebec shoppers aren’t forced into one drivetrain philosophy.

The hybrid model also keeps a traditional star-pattern grille rather than adopting the illuminated grille that distinguishes the electric GLA, preserving a visual distinction between the two powertrain families that existing GLA owners will recognize.

What This Means for Buyers

The two-powertrain structure gives Quebec buyers a real fork in the road, not a token option. Someone who wants to go fully electric and rarely deals with long charging waits gets a GLA that can add roughly 270 km of range in about ten minutes at an 800-volt DC station. Someone who wants a familiar refuelling routine but still values efficiency and occasional electric-only driving gets the hybrid, without giving up the redesigned cabin or updated technology.

The added interior space isn’t just a spec on paper. A 143 mm longer body and 61 mm longer wheelbase translate into more front and rear legroom and headroom, which matters for families hauling car seats, gear, or weekend luggage. The 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats create a nearly flat load floor, useful for anyone who alternates between carrying passengers and cargo.

The driver assistance suite also simplifies daily driving. Eight cameras, five radar sensors, and 12 ultrasonic sensors come standard, feeding a control unit built for future over-the-air updates. Optional packages add features like automated parking-spot detection for unmarked spaces and a reversing function that retraces a recently driven route, useful in tight Quebec parking and busy commercial lots.

For a front-seat passenger, the optional 14-inch display turns a long highway drive into something less monotonous, with access to streaming video and audio apps independent of what the driver is doing on the centre screen.

Planning Ahead for the 2028 GLA in Quebec

The 2028 GLA brings a redesigned cabin, an expanded electric lineup with 800-volt fast charging, and a high-tech hybrid alternative into one compact SUV, giving Quebec drivers more ways to match the vehicle to how they actually drive. It’s arriving at Canadian dealerships in the second half of 2027.

Visit Mercedes-Benz de Boucherville in Boucherville to ask about the 2028 GLA and stay informed as Canadian arrival details take shape.