Compare the2023 Toyota Camry HybridVS 2023 Mercedes CLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Camry 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 CLA 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 Camry Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CLA doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Camry Hybrid has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The CLA doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Camry Hybrid XLE offers an optional Rear Cross Traffic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The CLA doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Camry 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 CLA.

Both the Camry Hybrid and the CLA have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Camry Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CLA has not been tested, yet.

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

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Camry Hybrid for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CLA.

There are over 3 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Camry 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 Camry Hybrid’s reliability 45 points higher than the CLA.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mercedes is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Mercedes is ranked 24th.

On the EPA test cycle the Camry Hybrid gets better mileage than the CLA:

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Camry Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CLA 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 Toyota Camry Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Mercedes CLA (5). This means the Camry Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CLA every 15,000 miles.

The Camry 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 CLA doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better traction, the Camry Hybrid SE/XLE’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the CLA (235/45R18 vs. 225/45R18).

The Camry 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 CLA; 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 CLA don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Camry Hybrid’s wheelbase is 3.8 inches longer than on the CLA (111.2 inches vs. 107.4 inches).

The Camry Hybrid’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (57.3% to 42.7%) than the CLA’s (60% to 40%). This gives the Camry Hybrid more stable handling and braking.

The front grille of the Camry Hybrid uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The CLA doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

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

The Camry Hybrid has 10.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CLA (99.9 vs. 89).

The Camry Hybrid has .3 inches more front legroom, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.9 inches more rear headroom, 4.1 inches more rear legroom and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the CLA.

The Camry Hybrid has a much larger trunk than the CLA (15.1 vs. 11.6 cubic feet).

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

Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Camry Hybrid as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes CLA isn't recommended.

The Toyota Camry outsold the Mercedes CLA by almost 34 to one during 2022.