The 2013 Frankfurt auto show is in full swing, and while the halls are hot, the new cars are hotter, and Mercedes-Benz's latest addition to the production fold is the GLA Class.

Usually, it's tough to get very excited about crossovers--they are, after all, rather utilitarian by nature, however well-sculpted or equipped.

In the case of the GLA Class, however, we finally get something of a taste of the A Class hatchback. That's a strain of Forbidden Fruit we've long hungered for here in the U.S.

Of course, the GLA CLass has taken most of the A Class formula and re-configured it into a package more palatable to American tastes: it's taller, more soft-road suitable, and it will only come in the GLA 250 flavor for our market, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.

Full details of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA Class are here; you can find the latest Frankfurt auto show news here.