Compare the2026 Mercedes GLAVS 2026 Toyota Crown Signia

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 Crown Signia doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GLA has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert with Active Brake Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Parking Support Brake costs extra on the Crown Signia Limited, and isn't offered on other Crown Signia models.

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

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mercedes GLA is faster than the Toyota Crown Signia:

Both the GLA and Crown Signia have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The GLA has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The GLA stops shorter than the Crown Signia:

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

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 Crown Signia 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 Crown Signia doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the GLA’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Crown Signia’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.5 feet).

The Mercedes GLA may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 600 pounds less than the Toyota Crown Signia.

The GLA is 1 foot, 8.5 inches shorter than the Crown Signia, making the GLA easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

The GLA has 2.6 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more rear legroom and 9.6 inches more rear hip room than the Crown Signia.

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

The GLA uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Crown Signia 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 in the Crown Signia, 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 Crown Signia doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 Crown Signia’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 Crown Signia 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 Crown Signia 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 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 Crown Signia has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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 Crown Signia 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 Crown Signia doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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

The Mercedes GLA outsold the Toyota Crown Signia by over two to one during 2024.