For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes CLA have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Genesis G70 doesn't offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 G70 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 G70 doesn't offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the CLA and the G70 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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.

There are over 76 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Genesis dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CLA'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 CLA's reliability 17 points higher than the G70.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mercedes CLA is faster than the G70 2.5T 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the CLA gets better mileage than the G70:

Regenerative brakes improve the CLA's fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The G70 doesn't offer a regenerative braking system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes CLA higher (7 out of 10) than the Genesis G70 (4 to 5). This means the CLA produces up to 13.2 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the G70 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 G70 doesn't offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

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 G70 doesn't offer run-flat tires.

The CLA has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The G70's suspension doesn't offer rear gas-charged shocks.

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 G70'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 G70 doesn't offer drift compensation steering.

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 G70 (.29) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the CLA get better fuel mileage.

The CLA has a much larger trunk than the G70 (11.6 vs. 10.5 cubic feet).

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the G70 Prestige, 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 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 G70's standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the CLA to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The G70 doesn't offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Mercedes CLA has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it's easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the G70 Prestige.

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 G70 doesn't offer an automated parking system.