Compare the2026 Subaru Solterra VS 2026 Mercedes CLA EQ

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 Solterra are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CLA EQ doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Subaru Solterra has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The CLA EQ doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Subaru Solterra achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Mercedes CLA EQ has not been tested.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Solterra. But it costs extra on the CLA EQ.

The Subaru Solterra’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Mercedes CLA EQ does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the Solterra and the CLA EQ have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Solterra 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the CLA EQ. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the CLA EQ ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 66 percent more Subaru dealers than there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Solterra’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 23 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes With 31 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Mercedes.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru second in overall reliability. Mercedes is ranked 19th.

The Solterra XT’s standard electric motors produces 70 more horsepower (338 vs. 268) than the CLA 250+ EQ’s standard electric motor.

As tested in Motor Trend the Solterra XT is faster than the CLA 250+ EQ electric motor:

	Solterra	CLA EQ
Zero to 60 MPH	4.4 sec	5.8 sec
Quarter Mile	13 sec	14.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	101.9 MPH	98.2 MPH

On the EPA test cycle the Solterra gets better mileage than the CLA EQ:

			MPGe
Solterra
	AWD	Premium Electric Motors	131 city/109 hwy
CLA EQ
	RWD	250+ Electric Motor	112 city/105 hwy
	AWD	350 Electric Motors	120 city/115 hwy

The Solterra’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 EQ are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Solterra has larger tires than the CLA EQ (235/60R18 vs. 205/55R17). The Solterra Premium’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the CLA EQ (235/60R18 vs. 225/45R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Solterra Premium has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the CLA 250+ EQ. The Solterra Limited/Touring’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the CLA EQ.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Solterra’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the CLA EQ (112.2 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Solterra is 1.4 inches wider in the rear than on the CLA EQ.

The front grille of the Solterra uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The CLA EQ doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Solterra has 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the CLA EQ.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Solterra’s rear seats recline. The CLA EQ’s rear seats don’t recline.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Subaru third in service department satisfaction. With a 22% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 14th.

The Solterra’s standard Keyless Access and Start allow you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from pocket or purse. Keyless-Start standard on the CLA EQ only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the car.

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

Both the Solterra and the CLA EQ have standard heated front seats. The Solterra Limited/Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the CLA EQ.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Solterra Touring XT keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The CLA EQ doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Solterra has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the CLA EQ.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Subaru Solterra has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console for two separate devices. Wireless charging costs extra on the CLA EQ, and only charges one device.

The Solterra Limited/Touring has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The CLA EQ doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Subaru Solterra outsold the Mercedes CLA by 39% during 2025.