Compare the2022 Volvo XC60VS 2021 Mercedes GLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC60 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Mercedes GLA doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the XC60 and GLA have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC60 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The GLA’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo XC60 offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. Mercedes doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the GLA. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC60 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

The XC60’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the GLA.

Both the XC60 and the GLA have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Volvo XC60 weighs 410 to 690 pounds more than the Mercedes GLA. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC60 its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 76 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLA has not been tested, yet.

The XC60’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GLA’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC60 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Volvo will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the GLA.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the XC60’s reliability 27 points higher than the GLA.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Volvo vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volvo 2 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The XC60 B5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 29 more horsepower (250 vs. 221) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The XC60 B6’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder produces 95 more horsepower (316 vs. 221) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 258) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The XC60 T8’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 179 more horsepower (400 vs. 221) and 214 lbs.-ft. more torque (472 vs. 258) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 194 more horsepower (415 vs. 221) and 236 lbs.-ft. more torque (494 vs. 258) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the XC60 B5 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mercedes GLA:

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running on electricity gets better mileage than the GLA:

The XC60 T8 can drive on battery power alone for up to 19 miles. The GLA must run its internal combustion engine to move.

Regenerative brakes improve the XC60 T8’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GLA doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The XC60 has 6.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLA (18.8 vs. 12.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The XC60 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GLA doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered’s brake rotors are larger than those on the GLA:

The XC60’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the GLA are solid, not vented.

The XC60 stops shorter than the GLA:

For better traction, the XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GLA (265/35R22 vs. 235/55R18).

The XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GLA’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC60 offers optional 21-inch wheels. The GLA’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The XC60 T5/T6 has a standard space-saver spare (not available on Recharge) 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 XC60 T6/T8 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The XC60’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The GLA doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC60’s wheelbase is 5.4 inches longer than on the GLA (112.8 inches vs. 107.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the XC60 is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the GLA.

The XC60 B5 AWD Momentum handles at .87 G’s, while the GLA 250 4MATIC pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The XC60 B5 AWD Momentum executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the GLA 250 4MATIC (26.6 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

The XC60 has .5 inches more front legroom, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLA.

The XC60 has a much larger cargo volume than the GLA with its rear seat up (21.6 vs. 15.4 cubic feet).

The XC60 has a 3500 lbs. towing capacity. The GLA has no towing capacity.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the XC60 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The GLA doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC60 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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC60 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the GLA only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the XC60’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the GLA’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC60 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLA doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Both the XC60 and the GLA offer optional heated front seats. The XC60 also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the GLA.

The Volvo XC60 outsold the Mercedes GLA by over two to one during the 2021 model year.