The CLE’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The GR86 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.
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 CLE are reminded to check the back seat. The GR86 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.
The CLE has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The GR86 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.
The CLE has a standard Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The GR86 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.
The CLE offers four-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The GR86 doesn’t offer four-wheel drive.
Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The CLE has Car-to-X Communication, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The GR86 doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.
The CLE offers an optional Surround View System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The GR86 only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.
The CLE has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the GR86 Premium/TRUENO offers a blind spot warning system.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CLE has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Active Brake Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the GR86 Premium/TRUENO offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert and the GR86’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.
Both the CLE and the GR86 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available lane departure warning systems.
The Mercedes CLE weighs 1189 to 1675 pounds more than the Toyota GR86. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.