Compare the2025 Audi A5 SportbackVS 2024 Mercedes CLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi A5 Sportback 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 CLA doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the A5 Sportback and CLA have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A5 Sportback 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 CLA’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.

The A5 Sportback has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The CLA 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the A5 Sportback. But it costs extra on the CLA.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the A5 Sportback’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The CLA doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The A5 Sportback’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 CLA.

Both the A5 Sportback and the CLA have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The A5 Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the CLA’s (12 vs. 5 years).

The Audi A5 Sportback’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the CLA’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the A5 Sportback has a standard 150-amp alternator. The CLA’s 115-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 10 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 40 more horsepower (261 vs. 221) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 258) than the CLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the A5 Sportback 40 TFSI gets better fuel mileage than the CLA 250 4MATIC (26 city/36 hwy vs. 25 city/35 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi A5 Sportback uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The CLA requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The A5 Sportback has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the CLA (15.3 vs. 13.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The A5 Sportback’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The CLA doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CLA:

The A5 Sportback’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the CLA are solid, not vented.

The A5 Sportback stops shorter than the CLA:

For better traction, the A5 Sportback has larger standard tires than the CLA (245/40R18 vs. 225/45R18). The A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the CLA (265/30R20 vs. 225/45R18).

The A5 Sportback’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CLA’s standard 45 series tires. The A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s optional tires have a lower 30 series profile than the CLA’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A5 Sportback 45 TFSI offers optional 20-inch wheels. The CLA’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The A5 Sportback has a standard 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 CLA; 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 CLA don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the A5 Sportback’s wheelbase is 3.8 inches longer than on the CLA (111.2 inches vs. 107.4 inches).

The A5 Sportback’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (54.8% to 45.2%) than the CLA’s (60% to 40%). This gives the A5 Sportback more stable handling and braking.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the A5 Sportback a Mid-size car, while the CLA is rated a Compact.

The A5 Sportback has .6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 1.2 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the CLA.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the A5 Sportback has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The CLA doesn’t offer a power trunk, so its trunk has to be closed manually.

The A5 Sportback has a 3500 lbs. towing capacity. The CLA has no towing capacity.

The engine in the A5 Sportback is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the CLA. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the A5 Sportback to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. Heated windshield washer nozzles cost extra on the CLA.

Laser headlights, standard on the A5 Sportback Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the CLA’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A5 Sportback has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The CLA doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the A5 Sportback has standard extendable sun visors. The CLA doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The A5 Sportback has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the CLA. The A5 Sportback Prestige also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the CLA.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the A5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The CLA doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The A5 Sportback 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 CLA.

The Audi A5 comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Mercedes CLA isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

The Audi A5/S5 outsold the Mercedes CLA by over two to one during 2023.