Compare the2026 Mercedes CLAVS 2025 Kia K4

The CLA’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The K4 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Mercedes CLA 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 K4 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The CLA offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The K4 doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The CLA’s optional 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. The K4 doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The CLA 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 K4’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CLA has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Active Brake Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the K4 LXS/EX/GT-Line offers Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning.

The CLA has standard Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The K4 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the CLA and the K4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The CLA’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the K4 runs out after 100,000 miles.

The CLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 74 more horsepower (221 vs. 147) and 126 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 132) than the K4’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 31 more horsepower (221 vs. 190) and 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 195) than the K4 GT-Line Turbo’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mercedes CLA is faster than the Kia K4:

	CLA	K4 4 cyl.	K4 GT-Line Turbo
Zero to 60 MPH	5.7 sec	9.1 sec	7.1 sec
Quarter Mile	14.3 sec	17 sec	15.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97 MPH	85.3 MPH	91.8 MPH

Regenerative brakes improve the CLA’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The K4 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CLA has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the K4 (13.5 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes CLA higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia K4 (6). This means the CLA produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the K4 every 15,000 miles.

The CLA offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The K4 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the CLA’s brake rotors are larger than those on the K4:

	CLA	K4	K4 GT-Line Turbo
Front Rotors	13 inches	11 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12.6 inches	10 inches	11.2 inches

The CLA stops shorter than the K4:

	CLA	K4
70 to 0 MPH	166 feet	173 feet	Car and Driver

For better traction, the CLA has larger tires than the K4 (225/45R18 vs. 205/55R16).

The CLA’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the K4 LX/LXS’ standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CLA has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the K4 LX/LXS. The CLA’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the K4 GT-Line.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the CLA can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The K4 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For superior ride and handling, the Mercedes CLA has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The K4 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The CLA has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The K4’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The CLA has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CLA flat and controlled during cornering. The K4 base model’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The CLA offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The K4’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The CLA’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 K4 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CLA is 1.4 inches wider in the front and .6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the K4.

The CLA 250 4MATIC handles at .87 G’s, while the K4 GT-Line pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CLA 250 4MATIC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the K4 GT-Line (26.5 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The design of the Mercedes CLA amounts to more than styling. The CLA has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .27 Cd. That is lower than the K4 (.27 to .29) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the CLA get better fuel mileage.

The CLA’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The K4’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

The CLA uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The K4 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 K4 GT-Line, the CLA 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 CLA’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 K4, and is not available on all models.

The CLA 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 K4 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CLA’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 K4’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the K4 EX/GT-Line’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

The CLA’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 K4’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the CLA offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The K4 doesn’t offer cornering lights. The CLA also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The CLA’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 K4 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Mercedes CLA and Kia K4 offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The CLA 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 K4’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The CLA 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 is only available on the K4 EX/GT-Line.

Both the CLA and the K4 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CLA has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The K4 doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The CLA’s optional Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The K4 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.