Compare the2026 Mercedes GLAVS 2025 Subaru Forester

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 Forester doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The GLA offers an optional Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Forester 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 GLA 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Forester’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GLA has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Active Brake Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Forester and it’s not available on the Base and the Forester’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the GLA and the Forester 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, rearview cameras, 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 Forester’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GLA third among small premium suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Forester isn’t in the top three in its category.

The GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 41 more horsepower (221 vs. 180) and 80 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 178) than the Forester’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 39 more horsepower (221 vs. 182) and 82 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 176) than the Forester Wilderness’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 27 more horsepower (221 vs. 194) than the Forester’s optional 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mercedes GLA is faster than the Subaru Forester 4 cyl.:

	GLA	Forester
Zero to 60 MPH	6.8 sec	8.8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.3 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.8 MPH	86.3 MPH

On the EPA test cycle the GLA gets better mileage than the Forester:

			MPG
GLA
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/34 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy
Forester
	AWD	Sport/Touring 2.5 DOHC flat-4	25 city/32 hwy
		2.5 DOHC flat-4	25 city/28 hwy

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

	GLA	Forester
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	11.6 inches	11.2 inches

The GLA stops shorter than the Forester:

	GLA	Forester
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	152 feet	Consumer Reports

For better traction, the GLA has larger tires than the Forester (235/55R18 vs. 225/60R17).

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 Forester’s standard 60 series tires. The GLA’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Forester Sport/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLA has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Forester. The GLA’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Forester Sport/Touring.

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 Forester doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The GLA has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Forester doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

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 Forester doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLA’s wheelbase is 2.5 inches longer than on the Forester (107.4 inches vs. 104.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLA is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Forester.

The GLA is 9.1 inches shorter than the Forester, making the GLA easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GLA has 2.6 inches more front hip room and 3.6 inches more rear hip room than the Forester.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the GLA easier. The GLA’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.2 inches, while the Forester’s liftover is 28.9 inches.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the GLA. The Forester doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The GLA uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Forester 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 system in the Forester Touring, 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 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Forester doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the GLA and the Forester have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the GLA is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Forester prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 Forester’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close 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 Forester can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLA has standard Keyless-Start that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring offers a Keyless Access and Start.

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 Forester’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 Forester doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

The GLA’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring.

Both the Mercedes GLA and Subaru Forester 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 Forester’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. Subaru charges extra for Homelink® on the Forester.

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 Forester 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 Forester doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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