Compare the2024 Mercedes CLAVS 2024 BMW 2 Series

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes 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 BMW 2 Series doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The 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 2 Series doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The CLA’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 2 Series doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the CLA and 2 Series have rear cross-traffic warning, but the CLA has Active Brake Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The 2 Series’ Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the CLA and the 2 Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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 all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

There are over 9 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the CLA’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the CLA second among small premium cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The 2 Series was rated third.

On the EPA test cycle the CLA gets better mileage than the 2 Series:

Regenerative brakes improve the CLA’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The 2 Series doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The 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 2 Series doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The 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 2 Series doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CLA is 1.2 inches wider in the front and .3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 2 Series.

For better maneuverability, the CLA’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the 2 Series’ (36.1 feet vs. 36.4 feet). The CLA’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the 2 Series xDrive’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

The design of the Mercedes CLA amounts to more than styling. The CLA has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .27 Cd. That is lower than the 2 Series (.28 to .3) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the CLA get better fuel mileage.

The CLA has standard seating for 5 passengers; the 2 Series can only carry 4.

The CLA has 1 inch more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the 2 Series.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the CLA’s trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The 2 Series doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the 2 Series, the 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 CLA’s standard easy entry and exit feature glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The 2 Series doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The CLA’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. BMW does not offer a locking feature on the 2 Series’ standard power windows.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the CLA to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The 2 Series doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes CLA has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the 2 Series.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the CLA first among small premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The 2 Series was rated second.