We’ve got some fresh sheet metal to share with you this week, including three low-cost luxury cars and a borderline hot-hatch. Check it all out on AutoGuide Now.
2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class: Mike Schlee, Road Test Editor –
“I’ll be traveling to the east coast to try out Mercedes-Benz’ new, very compact GLA crossover. How will it stack up against the BMW X1 or the Audi Q3? More importantly, will the GLA 45 AMG be a true sporty crossover?”
“This week I’ll be driving a car a lot of people have been waiting for: the Mazda3 Grand Touring equipped with the manual transmission. Yes, that’s right, the 2.5-liter engine is finally available with a proper manual transmission.”
2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 4Matic: Luke Vandezande, Managing Editor –
“Equipped with all-wheel drive, the CLA250 4Matic certainly seems like a competitor to the Audi A3. After all, they are both available with 2.0-liter turbocharged engines, dual-clutch transmissions and German badges befitting much more expensive automobiles. But does the baby Benz feel like a luxury product and is it up to snuff against the A3? That’s what I’ll be answering next week. Stay tuned. ”
2015 Audi A3: Sami Haj-Assaad, Features Editor –
“The Audi A3 may not look like much, but behind that $33,000 price tag is a car that’s advertised to be both luxurious and affordable. We’ll match it up against its most natural rival: the Mercedes CLA 250 4Matic, in order to find out which compact luxury car can actually deliver on its promise.”