Compare the2022 MINI Cooper ClubmanVS 2021 Mercedes GLA

The MINI Cooper Clubman has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The GLA doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Cooper Clubman’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the GLA.

Both the Cooper Clubman and the GLA have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available front parking sensors.

The Cooper Clubman’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GLA’s (12 vs. 5 years).

MINI pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cooper Clubman for 3 years and 36,000 miles. MINI will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the GLA.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that MINI vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI 16th in initial quality. With 28 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 30th.

The JCW Clubman’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 80 more horsepower (301 vs. 221) and 73 lbs.-ft. more torque (331 vs. 258) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Cooper Clubman S 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder 7 speed SMG FWD gets better fuel mileage than the GLA 250 FWD (25 city/35 hwy vs. 25 city/34 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the Cooper Clubman’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GLA doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Cooper Clubman stops much shorter than the GLA:

The Cooper Clubman S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GLA’s standard 55 series tires. The JCW Clubman’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the GLA’s optional 45 series tires.

The Cooper Clubman offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the GLA; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the GLA don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The Cooper Clubman S ALL4 handles at .89 G’s, while the GLA 250 4MATIC pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Cooper Clubman S ALL4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the GLA 250 4MATIC (26.5 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

The Cooper Clubman is 5.1 inches shorter than the GLA, making the Cooper Clubman easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Cooper Clubman has .8 inches more front headroom and .4 inches more front legroom than the GLA.

The Cooper Clubman has a much larger cargo volume than the GLA with its rear seat up (17.5 vs. 15.4 cubic feet).

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Cooper Clubman to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The GLA doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Cooper Clubman offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLA doesn’t offer headlight washers.