Compare the2023 Volvo XC60VS 2023 Mercedes GLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC60 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 GLA doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the XC60 and GLA have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC60 Plus/Ultimate/Polestar has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The GLA’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo XC60 offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. Mercedes doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the GLA. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC60 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC60 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC60’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The GLA’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The XC60 has standard CTA Auto Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The GLA doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The XC60’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 GLA.

Both the XC60 and the GLA 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 and around view monitors.

The Volvo XC60 weighs 514 to 1347 pounds more than the Mercedes GLA. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC60 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 112 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLA has not been tested, yet.

The XC60’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GLA’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC60 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Volvo will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the GLA.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Volvo vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volvo 10 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The XC60 B5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 26 more horsepower (247 vs. 221) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The XC60 B6’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 74 more horsepower (295 vs. 221) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 258) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The XC60 T8’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 234 more horsepower (455 vs. 221) and 265 lbs.-ft. more torque (523 vs. 258) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the XC60 B5 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mercedes GLA:

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running on electricity gets better mileage than the GLA:

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 T8 Extended Range 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the GLA 250 4MATIC (28 city/28 hwy vs. 23 city/32 hwy).

The XC60 can travel with zero emissions for 19 to 36 miles (dependent on model). The GLA can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the XC60’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GLA doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The XC60 has 5.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLA (18.8 vs. 13.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The XC60 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 GLA doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the XC60’s brake rotors are larger than those on the GLA:

The XC60’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the GLA are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the XC60’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GLA (265/35R22 vs. 235/55R18).

The XC60’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GLA’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC60 offers optional 21-inch wheels. The GLA’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The XC60 B5/B6 has a standard space-saver spare (not available on Recharge) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the 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 GLA don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The XC60’s has front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The GLA’s suspension doesn’t offer front gas-charged shocks.

The XC60 Ultimate has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The XC60’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The GLA doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC60’s wheelbase is 5.4 inches longer than on the GLA (112.8 inches vs. 107.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XC60 is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than on the GLA.

The XC60 B5 Core AWD handles at .87 G’s, while the GLA 250 4MATIC pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The XC60 B5 Core AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the GLA 250 4MATIC (26.6 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

The XC60 has .5 inches more front legroom, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLA.

The XC60 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLA with its rear seat up (24.4 vs. 19 cubic feet). The XC60 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLA with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

The XC60 has a 3500 lbs. towing capacity. The GLA has no towing capacity.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the XC60 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The GLA doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC60 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The GLA doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC60 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the GLA only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the XC60’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the GLA’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC60 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLA doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Both the XC60 and the GLA offer optional heated front seats. The XC60 Ultimate/Recharge also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the GLA.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC60 as the 2018 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The GLA has never been chosen.

The Volvo XC60 outsold the Mercedes GLA by almost three to one during 2022.