Compare the2024 Volvo V60VS 2023 Mercedes GLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo V60 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.

Both the V60 and GLA have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The V60 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The GLA’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The V60 has standard CTA Auto Brake 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the V60. But it costs extra on the GLA.

The V60’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 V60 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 and driver alert monitors.

The Volvo V60 weighs 1001 to 1111 pounds more than the Mercedes GLA. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the V60 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 131 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLA has not been tested, yet.

The V60’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GLA’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the V60 for 4 years and 40,000 miles. Volvo 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 GLA.

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 V60’s reliability 36 points higher than the GLA.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Volvo vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volvo 4 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The V60’s 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 234 more horsepower (455 vs. 221) and 265 lbs.-ft. more torque (523 vs. 258) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the V60 running on electricity gets better mileage than the GLA:

On the EPA test cycle the V60 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the GLA:

The V60 T8 Polestar Engineered Extended Range can travel with zero emissions for 41 miles. The GLA can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the V60’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GLA doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The V60 has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLA (15.9 vs. 13.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The V60 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GLA doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volvo V60 higher (7 out of 10) than the Mercedes GLA (5). This means the V60 produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the GLA every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the V60’s brake rotors are larger than those on the GLA:

The V60’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 V60’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GLA’s standard 55 series tires. The V60’s tires are lower profile than the GLA’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the V60 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the GLA.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the V60’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the GLA (113.1 inches vs. 107.4 inches).

The V60 is 7.1 inches shorter in height than the GLA, making the V60 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The V60 has 1.3 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more front shoulder room than the GLA.

The V60 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLA with its rear seat up (23.2 vs. 19 cubic feet). The V60 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLA with its rear seat folded (60.5 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

The V60 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The GLA has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the V60 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction 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.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the V60 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The GLA doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the V60 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.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The V60 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLA doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The V60 has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the GLA. The V60 also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the GLA.

The V60 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the GLA.