2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA vs 2021 Ford Mustang

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA was often described as "coupe-like" due to its four-door design and rakish rear window, though it wasn't considered a true coupe. Its sharp design was more eye-catching than the affordable A-Class sedan it shared its underpinnings with. Inside, the CLA shone with a modern, functional, and elegant cabin. The standard 7-inch digital instrument panel and 7-inch center touchscreen were combined in one continuous bezel, dominating two-thirds of the dash. The CLA 250 trim came with dual-zone automatic climate control, remote start, synthetic leather upholstery, five USB ports, power-adjustable sport seats, and HD radio. The available Premium Package upgraded the screens to 10.25 inches and added satellite radio. The AMG CLA 35 and AMG CLA 45 featured all the equipment of the CLA 250, plus the Premium Package.

The 2021 Ford Mustang had unmistakable curb appeal with its flowing lines and scowling front-end, signaling a car built to be driven. The design was an evolution of the retro-styled cars of the 2000s, with a modern twist. Inside, the Mustang blended classic-style switches with modern digital screens, offering solid fit-and-finish and a mix of soft-touch surfaces and brightwork. The Mustang's trims included EcoBoost, EcoBoost Premium, GT, GT Premium, and the new Mach 1. The base EcoBoost came with 17-inch alloy wheels, manual seats, pushbutton start, power door locks, power windows, a leather-wrapped shift knob, 4G LTE WiFi, a six-speaker stereo, and the basic version of Ford’s Sync infotainment system. The EcoBoost Premium added 18-inch alloy wheels, a black decklid spoiler, LED fog lights, ambient cabin lighting, dual-zone climate control, power-adjustable front seats, heated and cooled front seats, two USB ports, and the Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The GT trim added a 5.0-liter V8 engine, dual exhaust tips, unique badging, and a unique grille. The GT Premium added leather-trimmed front seats, vinyl back seats, and two smart-charging USB ports. The Mach 1 featured performance gear from the now-discontinued Shelby GT350 and GT350R, a fully-digital instrument panel, power-adjustable front seats, a split-fold rear bench, and illuminated door scuff plates.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine across all versions. The CLA 250’s engine produced 221 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, routed through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to front-wheel drive (FWD) or available 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD). The AMG CLA 35 made 302 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, with power routed through the same seven-speed transmission to standard AWD. The AMG CLA 45 had a turbo-four engine that put out an impressive 382 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque, routed through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with standard AWD. This setup yielded a zero-to-sixty time of just four seconds. The CLA had taut, playful handling with well-weighted steering and quick turn-in, though the ride could feel stiff at times, especially compared to other Mercedes models. The available adaptive damping suspension helped somewhat, but the overall ride quality still trended towards firm.

The 2021 Ford Mustang's EcoBoost trim came with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine, making 310 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. The EcoBoost High-Performance Package increased output to 330 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. The GT’s 5.0-liter V8 engine produced 460 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque, providing a swell of power for straight-line fun and sharp cornering. Both engines were paired with a six-speed manual transmission or an available 10-speed automatic transmission, and were rear-wheel drive (RWD). The new Mustang Mach 1 featured the GT’s 5.0-liter V8 with an additional 20 hp, totaling 480 hp, while torque remained at 420 lb-ft. The Mach 1’s exhaust system produced an incredible roar under hard acceleration and a menacing burble at idle. The upgraded V8 made solid power and liked to be up in the rev-range, with the 10-speed automatic transmission keeping it at those desired revs. The Mach 1 featured a drive-mode selector with Normal, My Mode, Sport Plus, Track, Drag Strip, and Snow/Wet modes. The Mach 1’s Brembo performance brakes provided strong stopping power with terrific pedal feel. The Mach 1 also had chassis components from the GT350 and MagneRide control, balancing planted cornering and comfort over bumps. It featured a beefed-up sway bar and a Torsen limited-slip differential.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA, being a subcompact sedan, had pros and cons. It was very maneuverable in tight spaces and had surprisingly spacious front seats. However, it had tight rear seats and a small trunk, providing only 11.6 cubic feet of cargo space, which was small even for the subcompact car segment. The coupe-like profile resulted in limited rear headroom and legroom, with usable rear-seat space only achievable by sliding the front seat forward significantly. The CLA made solid use of its front-seat space, with ergonomic controls layout, decent-sized cupholders, and large in-door cubbies for water bottles.

The 2021 Ford Mustang offered decent cargo space for its class. The fastback coupe provided 13.5 cubic feet of trunk space, while the convertible had 11.4 cubic feet. This was better than the Camaro coupe's 9.1 cubic feet and the Camaro convertible's 7.3 cubic feet, though not as spacious as the Dodge Challenger’s 16.2 cubic feet. The Mustang’s rear seats were hardly useful for full-size adults, with rear legroom disappearing when the front seats were adjusted for typical adult use. The rear seats were best suited for small children or extra cargo space. The Mustang offered a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and a four-way power front passenger’s seat, though the seat-back adjustment was manual. Despite this quirk, the seats were well-bolstered and provided solid support for long drives or hard cornering.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA came with the standard MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) infotainment system, controllable via the center touchscreen, a dial in the center console, or voice recognition. The touchscreen and instrument cluster could also be controlled via small touch-sensitive toggles on the steering wheel. MBUX had a sensible layout and included standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Wireless device charging was optional, but wireless CarPlay and Android Auto were not available. The CLA exclusively used USB-C outlets, which might have been a setback for American drivers who hadn't yet transitioned to USB-C, requiring them to purchase an adaptor cable.

The 2021 Ford Mustang's base model came with a 4.2-inch color display and voice controls. The Premium trim or optional upgrades included the intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen, supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Sync had a great layout, with most features easy to find, crisp graphics, and large buttons and icons. However, when CarPlay or Android Auto were in use, they completely took over the screen, with no home button below the screen to easily return to the Sync system. This was a notable omission compared to Chevrolet vehicles, which typically had a hard home button above the touchscreen. Sync 4 in newer Ford vehicles allowed for other items to share the screen space with Apple and Android apps, a feature hoped to be seen in the next-generation Mustang.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA came with a solid list of standard driver assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and a driver attention monitor. It also had crosswind assist, which compensated for hard gusts during highway driving. Additional safety features required selecting one or more packages. The Driver Assistance package ($1,700) added adaptive cruise control, rear collision braking, lane departure warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. This package also included Mercedes Pre-Safe Sound, which emitted a noise-canceling tone to protect ears in the event of a crash. Adaptive headlights could be added for $900, and parallel park assist and surround-view parking monitor for $1,100.

The 2021 Ford Mustang included a number of driver assistance features as part of the standard CoPilot360 suite. These included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. It also came with rain-sensing wipers and automatic high beams. However, features such as adaptive cruise control and parking sensors required additional payment. The Mustang had good visibility for an American sports car, with better sight lines compared to the Dodge Challenger and the Camaro.