Here’s a new spy video of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLA that was captured testing in Northern Europe, about a month before the Germans preview the small crossover with a thinly disguised concept car at the Shanghai Auto Show in China this April, and six months ahead of its world premiere in production form at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

In the beginning of the video, which comes to us courtesy of L’Automobile, you can see the similarities and the differences between the GLA prototype and the new A-Class five-door hatchback, as the two cars were parked next to each other.

While the shape of the GLA isn’t a huge departure from the A-Class, it rides on a jacked-up suspension and features a more muscular body with a more sculptured profile.

As the GLA utilizes the same platform as the A-Class, it will be front-drive-based, with all-wheel drive likely offered as an option or standard, depending on the model, while all diesel and gasoline engines will be sourced from the hatchback.

The GLA should go on sale in most regions around the world, including North America, early next year.

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