Compare the2026 Mercedes GLAVS 2026 Ford Escape FHEV

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

The GLA’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

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

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 Escape FHEV’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The GLA 250’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 29 more horsepower (221 vs. 192) than the Escape FHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mercedes GLA is faster than the Ford Escape FHEV:

	GLA	Escape FHEV
Zero to 60 MPH	6.8 sec	8.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.3 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.8 MPH	84.7 MPH

For better traction, the GLA has larger tires than the Escape FHEV (235/55R18 vs. 225/55R19).

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 Escape FHEV’s standard 60 series tires. The GLA’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Escape FHEV’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLA offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Escape FHEV’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

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 Escape FHEV doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

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 Escape FHEV doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLA is .8 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than on the Escape FHEV.

The GLA 250 4MATIC handles at .80 G’s, while the Escape FHEV pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The GLA 250 4MATIC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escape FHEV (27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The GLA is 6.5 inches shorter than the Escape FHEV, making the GLA easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GLA has 2.1 inches more front hip room and 4 inches more rear hip room than the Escape FHEV.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GLA’s rear seats recline. The Escape FHEV’s rear seats don’t recline.

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

The GLA uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Escape FHEV uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors optional at extra cost in the Escape FHEV, 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. An easy entry system costs extra on the Escape FHEV.

The GLA’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Escape FHEV’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

If the windows are left open on the GLA the driver can close all of them 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 Escape FHEV can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLA’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Escape FHEV’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 Escape FHEV doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the GLA offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer cornering lights. The GLA also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The GLA’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford charges extra for heated mirrors on the Escape FHEV.

When the GLA is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Escape FHEV’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The GLA’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Escape FHEV offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Mercedes GLA and Ford Escape FHEV offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The GLA features standard power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Escape FHEV’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The Mercedes GLA has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Homelink® is only available on the Escape FHEV Elite/Platinum.

The GLA has a 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 Escape FHEV 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 Escape FHEV doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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