Compare the2022 Honda CR-V HybridVS 2021 Mercedes GLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Honda CR-V Hybrid 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.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V Hybrid deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V Hybrid’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The GLA’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CR-V Hybrid. But it costs extra on the GLA.

The CR-V Hybrid’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 CR-V Hybrid and the GLA have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and available rear parking sensors.

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 available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CR-V Hybrid the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLA has not been tested, yet.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the CR-V Hybrid 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLA. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the GLA ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Honda dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CR-V Hybrid’s warranty.

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 CR-V Hybrid’s reliability 18 points higher than the GLA.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 17th in initial quality. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 25th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 15 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V Hybrid gets better mileage than the GLA:

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda CR-V Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GLA requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The CR-V Hybrid has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLA (14 vs. 12.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The CR-V Hybrid 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.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda CR-V Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Mercedes GLA (5). This means the CR-V Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the GLA every 15,000 miles.

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The GLA doesn’t offer a CVT.

The CR-V Hybrid stops shorter than the GLA:

The CR-V Hybrid’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (57% to 43%) than the GLA’s (60% to 40%). This gives the CR-V Hybrid more stable handling and braking.

The CR-V Hybrid Touring handles at .81 G’s, while the GLA 250 4MATIC pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CR-V Hybrid uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The GLA doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The CR-V Hybrid has .3 inches more front legroom, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 2.4 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLA.

The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLA with its rear seat up (33.2 vs. 15.4 cubic feet). The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLA with its rear seat folded (68.7 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CR-V Hybrid’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The GLA doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the CR-V Hybrid 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 CR-V Hybrid’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the GLA’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the CR-V Hybrid has standard extendable sun visors. The GLA doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda CR-V Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes GLA isn't recommended.

The CR-V was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 20 years. The GLA has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The GLA has never been chosen.