Compare the2023 Lincoln NautilusVS 2022 Mercedes AMG GLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Nautilus 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 AMG GLA 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 Nautilus are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Lincoln Nautilus 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 AMG GLA doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Nautilus’ 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 AMG GLA.

Both the Nautilus and the AMG GLA have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Nautilus the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The AMG GLA has not been tested, yet.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Nautilus 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the AMG GLA. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the AMG GLA ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 78 percent more Lincoln dealers than there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Nautilus’ 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 Nautilus’ reliability 43 points higher than the AMG GLA.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Nautilus first among midsize premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The AMG GLA isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lincoln vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in initial quality. With 22 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 Lincoln vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in long-term dependability. With 12 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 Lincoln vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lincoln 14 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Nautilus’ optional 2.7 turbo V6 produces 26 lbs.-ft. more torque (380 vs. 354) than the AMG GLA 45’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Nautilus gets better mileage than the AMG GLA:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lincoln Nautilus uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The AMG GLA requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Nautilus has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the AMG GLA (18 vs. 13.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Nautilus has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lincoln Nautilus higher (6 out of 10) than the Mercedes AMG GLA (3 to 5). This means the Nautilus produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the AMG GLA every 15,000 miles.

For better traction, the Nautilus has larger standard tires than the AMG GLA (245/60R18 vs. 235/50R19). The Nautilus’ optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the AMG GLA (265/40R21 vs. 255/35R21).

The Nautilus offers an optional 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 AMG GLA; 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 AMG GLA don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Nautilus’ wheelbase is 4.8 inches longer than on the AMG GLA (112.2 inches vs. 107.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Nautilus is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than on the AMG GLA.

For better maneuverability, the Nautilus’ turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the AMG GLA’s (39.3 feet vs. 39.9 feet).

The Nautilus uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Nautilus has .5 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front legroom, 3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and 4.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the AMG GLA.

The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the AMG GLA with its rear seat up (37.2 vs. 19 cubic feet). The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the AMG GLA with its rear seat folded (68.8 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Nautilus’ rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Nautilus 2.7 Turbo can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Nautilus can be unhitched and driven around locally. The AMG GLA can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Optional Trailer Sway Control on the Nautilus uses the AdvanceTrac™ sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Nautilus’ exterior PIN entry system. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Nautilus has standard extendable sun visors. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Both the Nautilus and the AMG GLA offer available heated front seats. The Nautilus Reserve/Black Label also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the AMG GLA.

On extremely cold winter days, the Nautilus Reserve/Black Label’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Nautilus is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Nautilus owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Nautilus will cost $50 to $1690 less than the AMG GLA over a five-year period.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lincoln Nautilus, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Lincoln Nautilus outsold the Mercedes GLA by 47% during 2022.