Compare the2024 Mercedes CLAVS 2024 Jaguar XF

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 XF doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Mercedes 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 XF doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 XF doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The CLA offers an optional Surround View System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The XF 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 CLA and the XF have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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 lane departure warning systems.

There are over 2 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Jaguar dealers, which makes it much 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 XF isn’t in the top three in its category.

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 Jaguar With 38 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Jaguar.

On the EPA test cycle the CLA gets better mileage than the XF:

The CLA has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the XF. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

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 XF doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

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

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 XF doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the CLA’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the XF’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.2 feet).

The CLA is 10.8 inches shorter than the XF, making the CLA easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The CLA is 6 inches narrower than the XF, making the CLA easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

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 XF (.29 to .32) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the CLA get better fuel mileage.

The CLA has 1 inch more front headroom and .3 inches more front legroom than the XF.

The CLA has a much larger trunk than the XF Sedan (11.6 vs. 10.1 cubic feet).

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the CLA offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The XF doesn’t offer cornering lights. The CLA also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

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

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 XF isn’t in the top three.

The Mercedes CLA outsold the Jaguar XF by over 10 to one during 2022.