Compare the2023 Mercedes AMG CLAVS 2023 Kia Stinger

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes AMG CLA 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 Kia Stinger doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The AMG CLA’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Stinger doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Mercedes AMG CLA 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 Stinger doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the AMG CLA. But it costs extra on the Stinger.

Both the AMG CLA and the Stinger have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

The AMG CLA’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Stinger runs out after 100,000 miles.

The AMG CLA 45’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 82 more horsepower (382 vs. 300) and 43 lbs.-ft. more torque (354 vs. 311) than the Stinger GT-Line’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the AMG CLA 45 is faster than the Stinger GT2 3.3 turbo V6:

On the EPA test cycle the AMG CLA gets better mileage than the Stinger:

The AMG CLA offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Stinger doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the AMG CLA’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Stinger:

The AMG CLA’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Stinger GT-Line are solid, not vented.

The AMG CLA stops much shorter than the Stinger:

For better traction, the AMG CLA has larger standard tires than the Stinger (235/40R18 vs. 225/45R18). The AMG CLA 45’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Stinger (255/35R19 vs. 225/40R19).

The AMG CLA 35’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Stinger GT-Line’s standard 45 series tires. The AMG CLA’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Stinger GT2’s 40 series front tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the AMG CLA can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Stinger doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The AMG CLA’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 Stinger doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The AMG CLA 45 handles at .99 G’s, while the Stinger pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The AMG CLA 45 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.7 seconds quicker than the Stinger (24.1 seconds @ .8 average G’s vs. 26.8 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

The Mercedes AMG CLA may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 500 pounds less than the Kia Stinger.

The AMG CLA is 5.4 inches shorter than the Stinger, making the AMG CLA easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Stinger GT2, the AMG CLA 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 AMG CLA’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Stinger’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the AMG CLA the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Stinger can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

The AMG CLA offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Stinger.

The AMG CLA’s optional Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Stinger doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Mercedes CLA outsold the Kia Stinger by 12% during 2022.