GLA Revealed

[Chris Pringle]

We thought the Audi Q3 (soon to be available in the U.S.) was a very good-looking compact SUV in the same category as the X1 and the GLA. We test drove one here. We had a hard time choosing between this one and the X1. The Q3 was a better all-rounder and we were quite pleased with its off-road composure. In the end, we enjoyed better the on-road (95% of our use) handling characteristics (among several other things) of the X1.

[mullini]

I've seen a couple Evoque's on the road. In photos it is quite striking. For some reason when seen on the road, it looks a little tacky. Like it's trying to hard to stand out. Also looks a bit like it got squashed a bit, and a giant needs to grab the roof and snap it back up.

Oh I just remembered when I turned against the Evoque - I became a fan of Korean TV dramas about a year ago and in one series, the villainess drove a baby blue Evoque. That probably lingers in my mind when I see an Evoque. She was a bad bad girl! I think for Koreans viewing part of the reason she was bad is because she was driving a foreign car. Everyone else was, of course, in some upscale Hyundai...

[Grovsnus]

Originally Posted by mullini

I've seen a couple Evoque's on the road. In photos it is quite striking. For some reason when seen on the road, it looks a little tacky. Like it's trying to hard to stand out.

I have one. It's not that shouting, unless you choose contrast colour combinations. Go with a single colour, and it's rather muted. The small headlights and letterbox rear window means you won't mistake it for another vehicle, but it doesn't really shout.

It's not a bad looking car, but I wouldn't say it's beautiful either. And it's not very similar to the X1, with the Evoque being much more SUV-like, both in feel and practicality. But it's unique-looking.

Other unique looking CUVs include the Nissan Juke (which I find revoltingly ugly) and the Fiat Palio Weekend Adventure Locker. which we unfortunately won't see here in the US:



Porsche Macan, when it comes out, might be a good looking CUV.

[mullini]

The Fiat in that pic looks a lot like the Subaru Crosstrek. I assume the Fiat would be larger?

Is the Macan a cousin to the Q3? The Cayenne always looks like a cousin to the Q5 to me. Since they are all VW cars I assume they are related, but I'm not an auto industry tracker so not sure of that.

I'm still gonna go with the X1 as the best looking. Surprise! Because it's understated and handsome and looks like a BMW instead of a box on wheels. Oh and also because I bought one.

[HotRodW]

Originally Posted by mullini

Is the Macan a cousin to the Q3? The Cayenne always looks like a cousin to the Q5 to me. Since they are all VW cars I assume they are related, but I'm not an auto industry tracker so not sure of that.

The Macan is Porsche's version of the Q5. The Cayenne and Q7 are both based on VW's Touareg platform. The Q3 shares its platform with the Tiguan.

[Teutonic]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Anyone calling the GLA ugly may want to take a look in their own garage, the X1 isn't exactly a staggering monument to beauty.

I find X1 to be very cute. I also find Mercedes to be ugly.
Interior wise at least, Mercedes is plain ugly.
I was criticizing the new Nav display on the new BMW's as well, or in my X1 flows nicely with the dash. But in comparison with the Mercedes, I will pick the BMW any day. I also like my vents, I will never go for the Mercedes style. Sorry, it looks very ugly (and very old) to me. The Mercedes taillights are ugly and look cheap, not far from the new Impreza, the exterior looks Mazda'ish to me, I really hate new Mercedes design.

Before we bought the X1, we were playing with the X3 idea but my wife denied the car due to the dimensions. So we narrowed to two cars: Evoque and X1.
In terms of design I liked the Evoque better but driving was not there. My wife loved the X1 form every angle so the decision was done. We bought the car on spot.