Compare the2022 Mercedes AMG CLAVS 2021 Subaru WRX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes AMG CLA have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Subaru WRX doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The AMG CLA’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The WRX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Mercedes AMG CLA 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 WRX doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The AMG CLA offers an optional Surround View System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The WRX only offers a rear monitor.

The AMG CLA has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the WRX’s blind spot costs extra.

Both the AMG CLA and the WRX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

Warranty

The AMG CLA comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The WRX’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the AMG CLA’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the WRX’s camshafts. If the WRX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mercedes 15th in reliability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 17th.

Engine

The AMG CLA 35’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 34 more horsepower (302 vs. 268) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 258) than the WRX’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The AMG CLA 35’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 5 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 290) than the WRX STI’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The AMG CLA 45’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 72 more horsepower (382 vs. 310) and 64 lbs.-ft. more torque (354 vs. 290) than the WRX STI’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the AMG CLA gets better mileage than the WRX:

			MPG
AMG CLA
	Auto	35 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy
		45 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/28 hwy
WRX
	Manual	2.0 turbo flat-4	20 city/27 hwy
		2.5 turbo flat-4	16 city/22 hwy
	Auto	2.0 turbo flat-4	18 city/24 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the AMG CLA’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The WRX doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes AMG CLA higher (5 out of 10) than the Subaru WRX (1). This means the AMG CLA produces up to 39 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the WRX every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Mercedes AMG CLA comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the WRX.

The AMG CLA offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The WRX doesn’t offer an SMG.

The AMG CLA’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The WRX doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the AMG CLA’s brake rotors are larger than those on the WRX:

	AMG CLA	AMG CLA 45	WRX	WRX STI
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	14.2 inches	12.4 inches	13.4 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13 inches	11.3 inches	12.8 inches

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

The AMG CLA stops shorter than the WRX:

	AMG CLA	WRX
60 to 0 MPH	109 feet	112 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the AMG CLA 45’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the WRX (255/35R19 vs. 245/40R18).

The AMG CLA 35’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the WRX’s standard 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the AMG CLA 35 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the WRX.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the AMG CLA can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The WRX doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The AMG CLA offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The WRX’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The AMG CLA’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The WRX doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the AMG CLA’s wheelbase is 3.1 inches longer than on the WRX (107.4 inches vs. 104.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the AMG CLA is 3.3 inches wider in the front and 2.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the WRX.

The AMG CLA 45 handles at .99 G’s, while the WRX pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The AMG CLA 45 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the WRX (24.1 seconds @ .8 average G’s vs. 25.7 seconds @ .72 average G’s).

Cargo Capacity

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the AMG CLA’s available trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The WRX doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Mercedes service is better than Subaru. J.D. Power ranks Mercedes 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 24% lower rating, Subaru is ranked 22nd.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the AMG CLA, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver and front passenger’s seat positions and outside mirror angle. The WRX doesn’t offer a memory system.

The AMG CLA’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The WRX doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The AMG CLA offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The WRX doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The AMG CLA’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The WRX has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The power windows standard on both the AMG CLA and the WRX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the AMG CLA is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The WRX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The AMG CLA’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The WRX’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the AMG CLA the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the WRX can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The AMG CLA’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The WRX’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The AMG CLA has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The WRX has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Premium/STI/Limited.

When the AMG CLA is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The WRX’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The AMG CLA’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The WRX offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the AMG CLA keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The WRX doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The AMG CLA offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the WRX.

The AMG CLA has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the WRX STI.

Both the AMG CLA and the WRX offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the AMG CLA has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The WRX doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes AMG CLA offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The WRX doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The AMG CLA’s optional Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The WRX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.