Compare the2023 Mercedes AMG GLAVS 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes AMG GLA 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 Alfa Romeo Stelvio doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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

The AMG GLA’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Stelvio doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The AMG GLA offers an optional Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Stelvio 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.

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

The AMG GLA offers an optional Surround View System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Stelvio only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the AMG GLA and Stelvio have rear cross-traffic warning, but the AMG GLA has Active Brake Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Stelvio’s Rear Cross-Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the AMG GLA and the Stelvio 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 and available lane departure warning systems.

There are almost 3 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Alfa Romeo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the AMG GLA’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Alfa Romeo vehicles. With 22 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Alfa Romeo.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo With 50 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Alfa Romeo.

The AMG GLA 35’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 22 more horsepower (302 vs. 280) than the Stelvio’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The AMG GLA 45’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 102 more horsepower (382 vs. 280) and 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (354 vs. 306) than the Stelvio’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the AMG GLA 35 gets better fuel mileage than the Stelvio AWD (22 city/29 hwy vs. 22 city/28 hwy).

The AMG GLA 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 Stelvio doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The AMG GLA 45’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Stelvio doesn’t offer launch control.

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

The AMG GLA’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Stelvio Sprint’s standard 60 series tires. The AMG GLA’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Stelvio’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the AMG GLA has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Stelvio Sprint.

The AMG GLA’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 Stelvio doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the AMG GLA 35’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Stelvio’s (37.9 feet vs. 38.5 feet). The AMG GLA 45’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the Stelvio’s (38.1 feet vs. 38.5 feet).

The Mercedes AMG GLA may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 150 to 250 pounds less than the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

The AMG GLA is 10 inches shorter than the Stelvio, making the AMG GLA easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The AMG GLA has .6 inches more front headroom, 4.5 inches more front legroom and 6.5 inches more rear legroom than the Stelvio.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the AMG GLA’s rear seats recline. The Stelvio’s rear seats don’t recline.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the AMG GLA easier. The AMG GLA’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.2 inches, while the Stelvio’s liftover is 28.5 inches.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Stelvio, the AMG GLA 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 GLA offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Stelvio doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

If the windows are left open on the AMG GLA the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Stelvio can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer fluid is standard on the AMG GLA to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The Stelvio doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid. Its standard heated washer nozzles will defrost the washer fluid but not the windshield.

The AMG GLA’s LED headlights produce a white, bright light using less electricity than the Stelvio’s xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. HID headlights can be slow to reach full brightness or power cycle, causing issues when flashing them to signal other vehicles; LED headlights light instantly. LED lights also last about three to four times as long.

When the AMG GLA is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Stelvio’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the AMG GLA keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Stelvio doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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

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

Insurance will cost less for the AMG GLA owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the AMG GLA will cost $255 to $1275 less than the Stelvio over a five-year period.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the AMG GLA first among small premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Stelvio isn’t in the top three.

The Mercedes GLA outsold the Alfa Romeo Stelvio by 82% during 2022.