Compare the2025 Audi new SQ5 SportbackVS 2025 Mercedes AMG GLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi new SQ5 Sportback are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Mercedes AMG GLA doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the new SQ5 Sportback and AMG GLA have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The new SQ5 Sportback has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The AMG GLA’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

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 new SQ5 Sportback are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The new SQ5 Sportback has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The new SQ5 Sportback has standard Maneuver Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The new SQ5 Sportback has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

The Audi new SQ5 Sportback offers an optional Top View Camera System and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the Mercedes AMG GLA doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

Both the new SQ5 Sportback and the AMG GLA have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, 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.

The Audi new SQ5 Sportback weighs 661 pounds more than the Mercedes AMG GLA. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The new SQ5 Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the AMG GLA’s (12 vs. 5 years).

The new SQ5 Sportback’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 60 more horsepower (362 vs. 302) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 295) than the AMG GLA’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi new SQ5 Sportback uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The AMG GLA requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The new SQ5 Sportback has 3.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the AMG GLA (17.2 vs. 13.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The new SQ5 Sportback’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the new SQ5 Sportback’s brake rotors are larger than those on the AMG GLA:

For better traction, the new SQ5 Sportback has larger tires than the AMG GLA (255/45R20 vs. 235/50R19).

The new SQ5 Sportback’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 AMG GLA’s standard 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the new SQ5 Sportback has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the AMG GLA.

The front and rear suspension of the new SQ5 Sportback uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the AMG GLA, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The new SQ5 Sportback has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The new SQ5 Sportback’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the new SQ5 Sportback’s wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer than on the AMG GLA (110.9 inches vs. 107.4 inches).

For better maneuverability, the new SQ5 Sportback’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the AMG GLA’s (38.7 feet vs. 40.4 feet).

The new SQ5 Sportback has 1.8 inches more front shoulder room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the AMG GLA.

The new SQ5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the AMG GLA with its rear seat up (25.4 vs. 19 cubic feet). The new SQ5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the AMG GLA with its rear seat folded (53.3 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

The new SQ5 Sportback has a 4400 lbs. towing capacity. The AMG GLA has no towing capacity.

The engine in the new SQ5 Sportback is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the AMG GLA. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The new SQ5 Sportback has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the new SQ5 Sportback has standard extendable sun visors. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the new SQ5 Sportback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The AMG GLA doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Both the new SQ5 Sportback and the AMG GLA have standard heated front seats. The new SQ5 Sportback Prestige also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the AMG GLA.

The new SQ5 Sportback Prestige has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the AMG GLA.

The Audi Q5/SQ5 outsold the Mercedes GLA by almost three to one during 2024.