Why 2015 Mercedes GLA-Class will be world car of the year

Can the new 2015 Mercedes GLA-Class win the number one car award on the planet before it’s even launched? Mercedes-Benz has one vehicle on the official World Car of the Year (WCOTY) nominations list and it hasn’t even been launched yet. That’s an impressive feat for a vehicle that has yet to make it to production. The newly released list from World Car Awards is dominated by Japanese, German and American automakers. The all-new 2015 Mercedes GLA-Class is a new luxury compact SUV that is already getting a lot of attention around the world and will likely be a top contender for the prestigious award.

What makes the new GLA-Class so appealing and deserving of world car status? All we have to do is look at the recently launched Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class for validation that the GLA will be a global success. Mercedes is appealing to a new generation of buyers who have never purchased the brand before. Is this enough to give it the award?

When the new GLA-Class made its global debut at Frankfurt IAA 2013 in September, it arrived with an incredible outpouring of interest from the media and general public. This gives us an idea of what kind of attention it will get from the 66 voting WCOTY jurors from 21 countries. The new compact luxury SUV seems to jump off the page from the list of nominees. The list also includes a strong South Korean and French automakers presence too.

Here is a list on cars that are being nominated for World Car of the Year. Audi A3, BMW 2 Series, BMW 4 Series, BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Impala, Citroen C4 Picasso, Fiat 500L, Ford EcoSport, Ford Fusion /Mondeo, Hyundai i10, Hyundai Santa Fe, Infiniti Q50, Jeep Cherokee, Kia Soul, Kia Carens/Rondo, Lexus IS, Mazda3, Mercedes-Benz GLA, MINI, Opel Cascada, Peugeot 308, Skoda Octavia, Seat Leon, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, and Toyota Corolla.

Volkswagen is completely absent from the list and has won the award on more occasions than any other manufacturer in recent years. From that list, in this writers mind, the Mercedes GLA has to make the final list and could likely win what is now rated as the number one car award on the planet.

The GLA-Class has an incredible amount of momentum right now in the automotive world. The Subaru Forester is another vehicle on the list that could also be in contention with huge amount of global success. But the new GLA luxury compact has the new high-tech features with mbrace2, 4MATIC all-wheel-drive and a new youthful appearance that is redefining the compact luxury SUV segment. It will be hard for the jurors to overlook the new 2015 GLA-Class.

The first round of voting for the award will take place on February 4, 2014. The World Car of the Year will be announced at the New York International Auto Show in April 2014. Look for the all-new 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class to be on the short list for World Car of the Year.

Which car would you vote for if you were one of the 66 world voting jurors?