Audi A3

Mercedes-Benz CLA

How Does the 2015 Audi A3 Compare to the 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class?

The compact luxury sedan segment is rapidly becoming one of hottest throughout the entire automotive landscape. Several luxury brands, in an effort to make their lineup more accessible, have rolled out rides that'll likely appeal new and/or young consumers. The aim is to provide top-shelf opulence at a more attractive price point.

As such, it came as little surprise to us at Audi Northwest Indiana when our beloved German brand and its competitor, Mercedes-Benz, both entered the fray. After the dust settled, the Audi A3 and the Mercedes CLA emerged.

Both are outstanding offerings in their own right. But, which one is better?

That is precisely the question we intend to answer today, as we put these two titans of the compact class in a head-to-head showdown. Read on to learn how our pint-sized powerhouse, the A3, stacks up to the CLA:

VALUE:

• A3 offers better MSRP than CLA-Class: $29,900 vs. $31,500
• Both vehicles include a 4-year/50,000-mile warranty; however, Audi pays for first scheduled maintenance, while Mercedes does not.

INTERIOR SPACE:

• A3 has greater rear head- and legroom than CLA-Class

AMENITIES:

• A3 comes standard with leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, a panoramic sunroof, xenon headlamps, LED running lights, all of which is optional on the CLA-Class.
• A3's available 'Audi Connect' services offer a 4G LTE mobile WiFi hot spot, as well as several Internet-based smartphone functionalities; not offered on the CLA-Class.

SAFETY:

• A3 already recognized by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as a "Top Safety Pick+" when equipped with Audi Pre-Sense system.
• A3 offers lane-departure warning system, while CLA-Class does not.

As you can plainly see, the A3 takes the cake in multiple categories. Nonetheless, there is simply no substitute for an in-person experience. Accordingly, we encourage you to pay us a visit at our Merrillville, IN location - or, give our sales sector a call at (888)-454-9767 - to take the A3, or any other Audi model, out for a test drive.