Used Mercedes-Benz GLA Headlight

The GLA runs across two clear generations: the first-generation X156 ran from 2013 to 2019, and the second-generation X247 launched in 2020 and is ongoing. Headlights are specific to their generation, so a headlight from an X156 car will not fit an X247 car and vice versa. Always confirm the generation when getting a quote from a breaker, and have your registration to hand so they can verify which platform your car is built on.

Yes, the first-generation X156 GLA received a facelift in 2017, and the front-end styling was updated at that point, meaning the headlights changed in design. If your car is a pre-facelift X156 (2013–2017) or a post-facelift X156 (2017–2019), you should source a headlight from the matching facelift period. Whether a pre-facelift unit can be made to fit a post-facelift car, or the other way around, is something you must confirm directly with the breaker against your specific registration, as this is not a straightforward swap we can guarantee.

This question spans the 2017 facelift boundary for the X156 generation, making it the key thing to check. A 2016 car is pre-facelift and a 2018 car is post-facelift, and the front-end styling differs between the two. You need to confirm with the breaker whether the specific unit they have will interchange across that facelift cut-off, quoting both registrations so they can check part numbers.

Trim level — whether your GLA is SE, Sport, or AMG Line — does not affect headlight fitment in terms of the physical mounting and housing shape, as the front-end panels are shared across trim grades within the same generation and facelift period. However, you should be aware that some higher trims were offered with LED or xenon units rather than halogen, and these are not directly interchangeable even if the outer housing looks similar. Confirm with the breaker whether the unit they have matches your lighting technology (halogen, xenon, or LED) by checking against your registration.

Engine choice makes no difference whatsoever to headlight fitment on the GLA — the front-end panels are shared across all engine variants within the same generation and facelift period. Focus instead on confirming the correct generation (X156 or X247) and, for X156 cars, whether the headlight is from the correct side of the 2017 facelift. Let the breaker check against your registration to be sure.

NS (nearside) refers to the left-hand side of the car as you sit in it — the kerb side in the UK — and OS (offside) is the right-hand side, the driver's side. These are not interchangeable, so always specify which side you need when contacting a breaker. It also helps to quote your registration so the breaker can confirm the correct part number for your generation, facelift period, and lighting type.