Compare the2023 Toyota PriusVS 2023 Mercedes CLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Prius 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 Prius 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 Prius 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 Prius offers an optional Parking Support Brake 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 Prius’ 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 Prius and the CLA have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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 and available around view monitors.

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 Prius its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 36 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CLA has not been tested, yet.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Prius 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 Prius for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, 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 Prius’ 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 Prius’ reliability 60 points higher than the CLA.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. With 7 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Toyota higher than Mercedes.

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 Prius gets better mileage than the CLA:

Regenerative brakes improve the Prius’ 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 Prius uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CLA requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

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

The Prius 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.

The Prius LE has a standard space-saver spare (not available on XLE/Limited) 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 better maneuverability, the Prius LE’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the CLA’s (34.4 feet vs. 36.1 feet). The Prius XLE/Limited’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the CLA’s (35.4 feet vs. 36.1 feet).

The Toyota Prius may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 150 to 250 pounds less than the Mercedes CLA.

The Prius is 3.5 inches shorter than the CLA, making the Prius easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Prius 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 Prius a Mid-size car, while the CLA is rated a Compact.

The Prius has 2.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CLA (91.2 vs. 89).

The Prius has 1.4 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom and .9 inches more rear legroom than the CLA.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Prius Limited has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The CLA doesn’t offer a power trunk.

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

Both the Prius and the CLA offer available heated front seats. The Prius Limited also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the CLA.

The Toyota Prius outsold the Mercedes CLA by over four to one during 2022.