Compare the2023 Mercedes GLAVS 2023 Ford Escape FHEV

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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

The GLA’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the GLA and the Escape FHEV 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, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

Warranty

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

Reliability

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

Engine

The GLA 250’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 21 more horsepower (221 vs. 200) than the Escape FHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mercedes GLA is faster than the Ford Escape FHEV:

	GLA	Escape FHEV
Zero to 60 MPH	6.8 sec	8.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.3 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.8 MPH	84.7 MPH

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GLA has larger tires than the Escape FHEV (235/55R18 vs. 225/65R17).

The GLA’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape FHEV’s standard 65 series tires. The GLA’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Escape FHEV’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLA has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Escape FHEV. The GLA’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Escape FHEV.

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

Suspension and Handling

The GLA 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 or off-road. The Escape FHEV’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The GLA’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 Escape FHEV doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLA is .8 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than on the Escape FHEV.

The GLA 250 4MATIC handles at .80 G’s, while the Escape FHEV AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The GLA 250 4MATIC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escape FHEV AWD (27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

Chassis

The GLA is 6.5 inches shorter than the Escape FHEV, making the GLA easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The GLA has 2.1 inches more front hip room and 4 inches more rear hip room than the Escape FHEV.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GLA’s rear seats recline. The Escape FHEV’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the GLA. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

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

Servicing Ease

The GLA uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Escape FHEV uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors optional at extra cost in the Escape FHEV, the GLA has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The GLA’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Escape FHEV.

The GLA’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 Escape FHEV’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

If the windows are left open on the GLA the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Escape FHEV can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLA’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 Escape FHEV’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the GLA offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer cornering lights. The GLA also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The GLA’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford charges extra for heated mirrors on the Escape FHEV.

When the GLA 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 Escape FHEV’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The GLA’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 Escape FHEV offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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

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

The GLA offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GLA first among small premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Escape FHEV isn’t in the top three.