Compare the2023 Hyundai Elantra HybridVS 2022 Mercedes A-Class

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Elantra 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 A-Class doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Elantra Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The A-Class doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Elantra Hybrid Limited has standard Reverse Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The A-Class doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Elantra 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 A-Class.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra Hybrid’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The A-Class doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Elantra Hybrid and the A-Class have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, 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 Elantra Hybrid the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 141 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The A-Class has not been tested, yet.

The Elantra Hybrid comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The A-Class’ 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra Hybrid 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the A-Class. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the A-Class ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Elantra Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the A-Class’ (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra Hybrid for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the A-Class.

There are over 2 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Elantra 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 Elantra Hybrid’s reliability 21 points higher than the A-Class.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Hyundai higher than Mercedes.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 47 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 14 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

On the EPA test cycle the Elantra Hybrid gets better mileage than the A-Class:

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The A-Class requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

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

The Elantra Hybrid stops shorter than the A-Class:

The Elantra Hybrid has a standard 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 A-Class; 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 A-Class don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Elantra Hybrid is .6 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than the track on the A-Class.

For better maneuverability, the Elantra Hybrid’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the A-Class’ (35.4 feet vs. 36.1 feet).

The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 350 pounds less than the Mercedes A-Class.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Elantra Hybrid a Mid-size car, while the A-Class is rated a Compact.

The Elantra Hybrid has 6.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A-Class (99.4 vs. 93).

The Elantra Hybrid has .3 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 4.1 inches more rear legroom and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the A-Class.

The Elantra Hybrid Sedan has a much larger trunk than the A-Class (14.2 vs. 8.6 cubic feet).

Consumer Reports rated the Elantra Hybrid’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the A-Class’ 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 Elantra Hybrid has standard extendable sun visors. The A-Class doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes A-Class isn't recommended.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the Mercedes A-Class by over 13 to one during the 2021 model year.