SOME might regard the Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG as a bit pointless, for it is on paper the least successful application of Affalterbach’s firecracker 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and not sufficiently visually different from the A45 AMG uber-hatch that debuted the drivetrain.

Calling this pumped-up hot hatch on stilts an SUV is a bit tenuous but a little extra interior and cargo space, a couple of centimetres more ground clearance and slightly longer wheel travel add up to make the GLA45 a bit more of a practical all-rounder than its A45 hatch and CLA45 sedan siblings.

Compared with the five-digit price premium asked for the CLA45 over the A45, the price jump to GLA45 is relatively modest, making it a tempting option on the showroom floor.

But does the jacked-up stance and extra bulk of the GLA45 dilute the AMG fun factor too much? We don’t think so.

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