For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Ford Fusion 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 A-Class doesn't offer height-adjustable seat belts.

To help make backing safer, the Fusion's cross-path warning system uses wide-angle radar in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The A-Class doesn't offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Fusion and the A-Class have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee 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 rear parking sensors.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Fusion the rating of “Top Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 200 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The A-Class has not been tested, yet.

Ford's powertrain warranty covers the Fusion 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the A-Class. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the A-Class ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 8 times as many Ford dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Fusion's warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it's being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Fusion's reliability 11 points higher than the A-Class.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Fusion first among midsize cars in their 2019 Initial Quality Study. The A-Class isn't in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2019 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 12th, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports' December 2019 Auto Issue reports that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 5 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Fusion Titanium's standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 57 more horsepower (245 vs. 188) and 54 lbs.-ft. more torque (275 vs. 221) than the A-Class' 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Fusion uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended on Fusion Titanium for maximum performance). The A-Class requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Fusion FWD's standard fuel tank has 3 gallons more fuel capacity than the A-Class (16.5 vs. 13.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Fusion AWD's standard fuel tank has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the A-Class (18 vs. 13.5 gallons).

The Fusion has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it's removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The A-Class doesn't offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Fusion stops shorter than the A-Class:

For better traction, the Fusion has larger standard tires than the A-Class (215/60R16 vs. 205/55R17). The Fusion SE's tires are larger than the largest tires available on the A-Class (235/50R17 vs. 225/40R19).

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Fusion's wheelbase is 4.8 inches longer than on the A-Class (112.2 inches vs. 107.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Fusion is 1 inch wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than on the A-Class.

The front grille of the Fusion uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The A-Class doesn't offer active grille shutters.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Fusion a Mid-size car, while the A-Class is rated a Compact.

The Fusion has 9.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A-Class (102.8 vs. 93).

The Fusion has 2.5 inches more front legroom, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 4.4 inches more rear legroom and 2.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the A-Class.

The Fusion has a much larger trunk than the A-Class (16 vs. 8.6 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Fusion easier. The Fusion's trunk lift-over height is 24.4 inches, while the A-Class' liftover is 26.1 inches.

The Fusion has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The A-Class has no towing capacity.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don't have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Fusion SE/SEL/Titanium's exterior PIN entry system. The A-Class doesn't offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call can't unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn't have cell phone reception or the driver can't contact the service.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don't have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Fusion SE/SEL/Titanium's exterior PIN entry system. The A-Class doesn't offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call can't unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn't have cell phone reception or the driver can't contact the service.

Consumer Reports rated the Fusion's headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the A-Class' headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

To shield the driver and front passenger's vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Fusion has standard extendable sun visors. The A-Class doesn't offer extendable visors.

The Fusion (except S) offers an optional 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 A-Class doesn't offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Ford Fusion, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes A-Class isn't recommended.

The Ford Fusion outsold the Mercedes A-Class by over 9 to one during 2019.