Compare the2024 Hyundai Elantra HybridVS 2024 Mercedes CLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid 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 CLA 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 Elantra Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CLA doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Elantra Hybrid Limited has standard Reverse Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The CLA doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Elantra Hybrid’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 CLA.

Both the Elantra Hybrid and the CLA have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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 and available rear parking sensors.

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 Elantra Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 67 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CLA has not been tested, yet.

The Elantra Hybrid comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CLA’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra Hybrid 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the CLA. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CLA ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Elantra Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the CLA’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra Hybrid for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CLA.

There are over 2 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Elantra Hybrid’s warranty.

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 Elantra Hybrid’s reliability 24 points higher than the CLA.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai above average in initial quality. With 13 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 statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 47 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 18 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

On the EPA test cycle the Elantra Hybrid gets better mileage than the CLA:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CLA requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Elantra Hybrid stops shorter than the CLA:

The Elantra Hybrid 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 CLA; 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 CLA don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For better maneuverability, the Elantra Hybrid’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the CLA’s (35.4 feet vs. 36.1 feet).

The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 pounds less than the Mercedes CLA.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Elantra Hybrid a Mid-size car, while the CLA is rated a Compact.

The Elantra Hybrid has 10.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CLA (99.4 vs. 89).

The Elantra Hybrid has 2.1 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear headroom, 4.1 inches more rear legroom and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the CLA.

The Elantra Hybrid Sedan has a much larger trunk than the CLA (14.2 vs. 11.6 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Elantra Hybrid easier. The Elantra Hybrid’s trunk lift-over height is 28.4 inches, while the CLA’s liftover is 30.1 inches.

Consumer Reports rated the Elantra Hybrid’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the CLA’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

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

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Elantra Hybrid Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The CLA doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Insurance will cost less for the Elantra Hybrid owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Elantra Hybrid will cost $4145 to $5685 less than the CLA over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid will be $20268 to $22467 less than for the Mercedes CLA.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes CLA isn't recommended.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Elantra as the 2021 North American Car of the Year. The CLA has never been chosen.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the Mercedes CLA by over 13 to one during 2022.