Compared: 2024 Audi Q3 vs. 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLA
The Q3 offers the better price but falls short on fuel economy.
Mercedes-Benz | Audi
As the smallest crossovers in their automakers' lineups, the Mercedes-Benz GLA and Audi Q3 are gateway vehicles to luxury. They're relatively affordable, with starting prices hovering around $40,000, and they come with reasonably long equipment lists.
Other crossovers — including larger models from Audi and Mercedes-Benz — offer better fuel economy than these two small SUVs, but neither the Q3 nor the GLA dip below 20 mpg in the EPA ratings. Here's a deeper look at how these two vehicles compare on features, fuel economy, and price.
Audi
The Benz Costs More Dough
The GLA 250 costs about $43,000, which is some $4,000 more than the $39,000 entry-level Q3. The Audi also comes standard with all-wheel drive (AWD), whereas you have to pony up an extra $2,000 to get it on the Mercedes.
The Benz's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine offers more power, though: 221 horsepower to the Audi's 184 horsepower. Upgrade from the base Q3 40 TFSI to the Q3 45 TFSI model — which packs a 228-hp engine — and the starting price goes up to $41,000 while the crossover's zero-to-60-mph time improves by 1.5 seconds.
Mercedes-Benz
The Audi Wins on Luxury
In terms of features, the Audi has several advantages over the Benz. For one, it boasts nearly 24 cubic-feet of storage space behind the rear seats, whereas the Mercedes has just 15 cu-ft. The Q3 also comes standard with adaptive cruise control, a panoramic sunroof, and leather upholstery, all of which cost extra on the GLA. Plus, the Audi's three-zone automatic climate control system is superior to its rival's two-zone setup.
Audi
That said, shoppers may prefer the GLA's dual 10.3-inch screens to the Q3's separated 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 8.8-inch infotainment display. The GLA also provides wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Q3 requires you to move up from its base model to match that cord-free feature.
Mercedes-Benz
The GLA Is More Fuel Efficient
On EPA test cycles, the front-wheel-drive GLA 250 returns 25/34/28 mpg in city/highway/combined driving, which is a bit better than the AWD version, which gets ratings of 24/32/27 mpg.
The base Q3 is less efficient, seeing 22/29/25 mpg, while the more powerful variant returns 20/28/23 mpg.
All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Christian GilbertsenChristian has been a gearhead since before he could even reach the pedals of a car. After hitting adult height, he got his start in journalism with his college newspaper. Since then he's written for specialty automotive print publications, prominent online outlets, and creative agencies. Outside of editorial work, he has consulted for Fortune 500 companies and continues to hemorrhage money on film photography.
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