Maserati Granturismo vs Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class burns about $600 of fuel annually against $850 for the Maserati Granturismo. That $250 yearly gap compounds to roughly $1,250 over five years and $2,000 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class leads in both cycles — 127 mpg city and 124 mpg highway against 90 and 85 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Maserati Granturismo is recorded with 2 distinct engine configurations (SIDI & PFI, 4.7), the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class with 3 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI, SIDI; FFV). Across 18 recorded Maserati Granturismo configurations and 55 for the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Maserati Granturismo is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Subcompact Cars and Compact Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class emits 273 g/mile of CO2 versus 412 g/mile for the Maserati Granturismo. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.