Compare the2024 Hyundai Tucson HybridVS 2024 Mercedes GLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Tucson 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 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 Tucson Hybrid 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 Tucson Hybrid Limited has standard Reverse Collision-Avoidance Assist 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 Tucson Hybrid. But it costs extra on the GLA.

The Tucson 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 GLA.

Both the Tucson Hybrid and the GLA 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 and available around view monitors.

The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The GLA has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

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

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

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson 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 GLA.

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 Tucson 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 Tucson Hybrid’s reliability 29 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 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.

The Tucson Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 5 more horsepower (226 vs. 221) than the GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Tucson Hybrid gets better mileage than the GLA:

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

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

The Tucson Hybrid stops shorter than the GLA:

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tucson Hybrid’s wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the GLA (108.5 inches vs. 107.4 inches).

The Tucson Hybrid Limited handles at .82 G’s, while the GLA 250 4MATIC pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Tucson Hybrid Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the GLA 250 4MATIC (27.4 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

The Tucson Hybrid has 1.1 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 3.3 inches more rear legroom and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLA.

The Tucson Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLA with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 19 cubic feet). The Tucson Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLA with its rear seat folded (74.5 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Tucson Hybrid’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The GLA doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Tucson Hybrid has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The GLA has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Tucson Hybrid uses the Electronic Stability 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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Tucson Hybrid 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 Tucson Hybrid’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 Tucson Hybrid has standard extendable sun visors. The GLA doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Tucson Hybrid Limited 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.

The Tucson Hybrid Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The GLA’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid will be $4313 to $10165 less than for the Mercedes GLA.

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

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Mercedes GLA by almost 17 to one during 2023.