Compare the2023 Mercedes GLAVS 2023 MINI Cooper Clubman

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes GLA 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 MINI Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 Cooper Clubman 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 Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The GLA offers an optional Surround View System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Cooper Clubman only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The GLA’s blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GLA’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 Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the GLA and the Cooper Clubman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and lane departure warning systems.

Warranty

There are almost 4 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the GLA’s warranty.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mercedes 3 places higher in reliability than MINI.

Engine

The GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 32 more horsepower (221 vs. 189) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 206) than the Cooper Clubman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the GLA 250 4MATIC gets better fuel mileage than the John Cooper Works Clubman (23 city/32 hwy vs. 23 city/31 hwy).

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the GLA’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Cooper Clubman:

	GLA	Cooper Clubman
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	12.1 inches
Rear Rotors	11.6 inches	11 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GLA has larger tires than the Cooper Clubman (235/55R18 vs. 225/45R17).

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

Suspension and Handling

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 Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLA’s wheelbase is 2.3 inches longer than on the Cooper Clubman (107.4 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLA is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Cooper Clubman.

Chassis

The design of the Mercedes GLA amounts to more than styling. The GLA has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .3 Cd. That is lower than the Cooper Clubman (.33 to .35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLA get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The GLA has 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 3.7 inches more rear legroom and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cooper Clubman.

Cargo Capacity

The GLA has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat up (19 vs. 17.5 cubic feet). The GLA has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat folded (50.5 vs. 47.9 cubic feet).

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

The GLA’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The Cooper Clubman’s two swing out doors impair rear visibility, need a lot of clearance, and can block loading in tight quarters.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the GLA has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a power cargo door, so its cargo door has to be closed manually.

Ergonomics

The GLA has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat optional at extra cost in the Cooper Clubman, 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. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The GLA’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. MINI does not offer a locking feature on the Cooper Clubman’s standard power windows.

The GLA’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Cooper Clubman’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

The GLA’s standard power window controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Cooper Clubman’s available power window controls are down in the center of the dashboard, away from the windows and mixed with controls for unrelated features.

The Cooper Clubman’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The GLA’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

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 Cooper Clubman’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

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 Cooper Clubman 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 Cooper Clubman.

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 Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The GLA’s optional Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Cooper Clubman’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the GLA owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the GLA will cost $1895 to $6205 less than the Cooper Clubman over a five-year period.