Compare the2024 Dodge HornetVS 2024 Mercedes GLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Dodge Hornet 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.

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 Hornet are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GLA doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Hornet offers optional Rear Park-Assist with Stop 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 Hornet. But it costs extra on the GLA.

The Hornet’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 Hornet and the GLA have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, available around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

Dodge’s powertrain warranty covers the Hornet 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLA. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the GLA ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 6 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Hornet’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 Hornet’s reliability 18 points higher than the GLA.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 61 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 23rd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge above average in long-term dependability. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mercedes is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Dodge 8 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 47 more horsepower (268 vs. 221) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 258) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 67 more horsepower (288 vs. 221) and 125 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 258) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Dodge Hornet is faster than the Mercedes GLA:

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

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

The Hornet R/T can travel with zero emissions for 33 miles. The GLA can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Dodge Hornet uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The GLA requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Hornet 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.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Dodge Hornet, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the GLA.

For better stopping power the Hornet R/T’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the GLA:

The Hornet stops much shorter than the GLA:

The Hornet’s optional 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 optional 45 series tires.

The Hornet offers an optional 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 GLA; 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 GLA don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The Hornet has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The GLA’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Hornet R/T handles at .84 G’s, while the GLA 250 4MATIC pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Hornet R/T executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the GLA 250 4MATIC (26.5 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

The Hornet has .7 inches more front legroom and .1 inches more rear headroom than the GLA.

The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLA with its rear seat up (27 vs. 19 cubic feet). The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLA with its rear seat folded (54.7 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

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

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

Consumer Reports rated the Hornet’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the GLA’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 Hornet has standard extendable sun visors. The GLA doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Hornet keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The GLA doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Dodge Hornet will be $2739 to $4546 less than for the Mercedes GLA.