Compare the2024 Lexus RXVS 2023 Mercedes GLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lexus RX 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.

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 RX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GLA doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Lexus RX 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 GLA doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The RX offers optional Intuitive Parking Assist with Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The GLA doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The RX’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 RX 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, 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 Lexus RX weighs 661 to 1416 pounds more than the Mercedes GLA. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 RX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 50 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLA has not been tested, yet.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the RX 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the 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 GLA ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The RX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the GLA’s (6 vs. 5 years).

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 RX’s reliability 40 points higher than the GLA.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 30 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 Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 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 Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Mercedes is ranked 24th.

The RX 350h’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 25 more horsepower (246 vs. 221) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The RX 350’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 54 more horsepower (275 vs. 221) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (317 vs. 258) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The RX 450h+’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 83 more horsepower (304 vs. 221) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The RX 500h F Sport Performance’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 145 more horsepower (366 vs. 221) and 148 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 258) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the RX 500h F Sport Performance 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Mercedes GLA:

On the EPA test cycle the RX 350h running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the GLA 250 4MATIC (37 city/34 hwy vs. 23 city/32 hwy).

The RX 450h+ can travel with zero emissions for 37 miles. The GLA can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the RX 350h/500h/450+’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GLA doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The RX 450+’s standard fuel tank has a gallon more fuel capacity than the GLA (14.5 vs. 13.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The RX 350’s standard fuel tank has 4.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLA (17.8 vs. 13.5 gallons).

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

The RX offers an available 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 GLA doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

The RX’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.

The RX stops shorter than the GLA:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RX has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the GLA. The RX’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the GLA.

The RX has a standard 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 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 RX F Sport’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.

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

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the RX is 2 inches wider in the front and 3.3 inches wider in the rear than on the GLA.

For better maneuverability, the RX 500h F Sport Performance’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the GLA’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The RX has .5 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLA.

The RX has a much larger cargo volume than the GLA with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 19 cubic feet).

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the RX’s optional rear seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The GLA doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The RX offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity. The GLA has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the RX uses the Vehicle Stability 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.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 48% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

The RX’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The GLA does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the RX 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 RX’s headlight performance “Fair,” 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 RX Luxury/500h F Sport offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLA doesn’t offer headlight washers.

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

The RX has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the GLA. The RX also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the GLA.

The RX Premium/Luxury/F Sport has standard front air conditioned seats and the RX offers them optionally in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The GLA doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The RX Premium+/Luxury/F Sport’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Advanced Park will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The GLA’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus RX, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes GLA isn't recommended.

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

The Lexus RX outsold the Mercedes GLA by almost seven to one during 2022.