Compare the2024 Mercedes GLAVS 2024 Mazda CX-50

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes GLA 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 Mazda CX-50 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The GLA’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The CX-50 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The GLA offers an optional Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the GLA 4MATIC’s standard Downhill Speed Regulation allows you to creep down safely. The CX-50 doesn’t offer Downhill Speed Regulation.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GLA has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert with Active Brake Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus offers Rear Cross Traffic Braking.

Both the GLA and the CX-50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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.

Warranty

The GLA comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CX-50’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GLA third among small premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The CX-50 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. With 2 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Mazda.

Engine

The GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 34 more horsepower (221 vs. 187) and 72 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 186) than the CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mercedes GLA is faster than the Mazda CX-50 4 cyl.:

	GLA	CX-50
Zero to 30 MPH	2.7 sec	3.4 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.8 sec	9.3 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.7 sec	5.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.3 sec	17.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	84 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the GLA gets better mileage than the CX-50:

			MPG
GLA
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/32 hwy
CX-50
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the GLA’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Mercedes GLA, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-50.

The GLA 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 CX-50 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

The GLA stops shorter than the CX-50:

	GLA	CX-50
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	142 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GLA has larger tires than the CX-50 (235/55R18 vs. 225/65R17).

The GLA’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-50’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLA has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the CX-50.

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

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Mercedes GLA has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mazda CX-50 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The GLA has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the GLA flat and controlled during cornering. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The GLA offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The GLA’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 CX-50 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

Chassis

The Mercedes GLA may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 400 pounds less than the Mazda CX-50.

The GLA is 1 foot shorter than the CX-50, making the GLA easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the GLA uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The CX-50 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The GLA has 3.7 inches more front hip room, 5.2 inches more rear hip room and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-50.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GLA’s rear seats recline. The CX-50’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the GLA. The CX-50 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the GLA’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The GLA has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo, the GLA 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 GLA’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 CX-50 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the GLA and the CX-50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the GLA is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the GLA the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the CX-50 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLA’s standard Keyless-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Advanced Keyless Entry and Start standard on the CX-50 doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

Heated windshield washer fluid is optional on the GLA to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The CX-50 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

The GLA’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the CX-50 Preferred/Premium/Turbo.

Both the GLA and the CX-50 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the GLA has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The CX-50 doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes GLA has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the CX-50.

The GLA offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The GLA’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The CX-50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The GLA is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.