GWM ORA 5 vs Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
A detailed look at how two of Australia's most popular cars compare on price, running costs, safety, and everyday livability.
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class scores higher, 75 vs 72
Prices are RRP before on-road costs unless stated otherwise. Always confirm with the manufacturer or dealer before purchasing.
Data checked: specs 14 Nov 2026, price 28 Oct 2026
GWM ORA 5
18 of 27 standard · no option data · 9 no dataFrom
$30,900
est. RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- SUV
- Fuel type
- Electric
- Engine
- Electric
- Power
- 150kW
- Energy use
- 16.1 kWh/100km
- Safety
- No data
- Boot (seats up)
- 362L
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
19 of 27 standard · no option data · 8 no dataFrom
$66,500
RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- Sedan
- Fuel type
- Petrol
- Engine
- Petrol
- Power
- 100kW
- Economy
- 5.4 L/100km
- Safety
- ANCAP ★5 · 2025
- Boot (seats up)
- 405L
Top CarSorted Score, 75 vs 72, but the GWM ORA 5 is $35,600 cheaper
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class: we're still completing kerb weight, ground clearance, turning circle and braked towing.
A blank cell below means we don't have that figure, not that the car scores badly on it. We leave them empty rather than estimate, so any row where one car is blank isn't a like-for-like comparison yet.
$30,900est. RRP
- no option data for this car
$66,500RRP
- with the GWM ORA 5's standard kit: $66,500 (nothing to add)
Printed option prices only. A pack is counted once and makes the figure a floor when it carries no printed price. Nothing is inferred from the other car.
Price and cost per week
GWM ORA 5 Lux
$30,900
Estimated RRP (the brand lists drive-away prices only), before on-road costs. Checked 28 Oct 2026
$33,990 drive-away in VIC, as published by GWM Australia
About $134 a week in repayments ($33,990 drive-away; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a.). An estimate, not a loan offer.
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class CLA 180
$66,500
RRP, before on-road costs. Checked 4 July 2026
No published drive-away price on our record.
About $284 a week in repayments ($66,500 RRP, before on-road costs; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a.). An estimate, not a loan offer.
The GWM ORA 5 currently qualifies for the electric-vehicle FBT exemption, which applies to novated leases. The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class does not: only battery-electric vehicles qualify.
On-road costs (stamp duty, registration, CTP and dealer delivery) depend on your state and the dealer; ask for a written drive-away price before you sign.
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Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Finance
From ≈$134/wk(≈$581/mo)
Estimate on the GWM ORA 5 at $33,990 drive-away; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Electric, with an RRP under the $91,661 fuel-efficient LCT threshold (2026-27): under the ATO's electric cars exemption a novated lease of an eligible electric car attracts no FBT if luxury car tax was never payable on it. The benefit is still reportable.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the GWM ORA 5Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link. Opens apply.driva.com.au in a new tab.
Safety Rundown
We hold no ANCAP data for the GWM ORA 5. With no pair of ratings to compare, the active-safety features in the spec table above are the fairer comparison.
Driver assistance, as the manufacturer lists it
Driver assistance, system by system. We can confirm 7 of 10 key systems on the GWM ORA 5 and 7 on the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class.
Swipe across. Tap a feature to see what it does and each car's source.
StandardOptional: printed price, +pack or NCO (no-cost)No, not offeredNo dataCounts beside each car use the same colours; ? is no option data.
From each manufacturer's Australian equipment list. No data means that car's document does not say. The drawings are our own illustrations of how each kind of system works.
Recalls on our record
GWM ORA 5
None open on our record
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
- REC-006695 · published 12 Aug 2026Nine model lines: door lock defect (campaign RC5219)Year range on the notice: 2018 - 2026
- REC-005949 · published 15 Apr 2024The electrical power steering control unit back-up software may not operate as intended.Year range on the notice: 2018 - 2024
- REC-005401 · published 6 Apr 2022Due to a software issue, the automatic network search of the emergency call system (eCall) communication module may be deactivated.Year range on the notice: 2018 - 2020
- 7 more on the model page.
A recall covers the builds its notice lists, not every car of a model. Check your VIN at vehiclerecalls.gov.au.
Charging times
How long each takes to charge, from a household power point to a DC fast charger, estimated from battery size and the car's own maximum charge rates.
How long to charge
58.3kWh usablePublic DC
50kW charger · 0–80%
Ultra-rapid DC
up to 120kW · 0–80%
Estimates from usable battery size and the car's max charge rates (7.4kW AC, 120kW DC). Real times vary with temperature, starting charge, charger output and the charging curve.
Feature Showdown
Both come with modern infotainment systems. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.
The GWM ORA 5 stands out with V2L — features our data doesn't list for the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class. The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class counters with panoramic roof and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.
Equipment few rivals have, on either carShowHide
Drivetrain
The GWM ORA 5 uses a Electric producing 150kW and 260Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8 seconds.
The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class responds with a Petrol making 100kW and 200Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8.8 seconds.
The GWM ORA 5 has the clear power advantage at 150kW vs 100kW. In the 0-100 sprint (manufacturer-claimed), the GWM ORA 5 is 0.8s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.
Space & Comfort
The GWM ORA 5 measures 4,471mm long on a 2,720mm wheelbase, 252mm shorter than the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class at 4,723mm (2,790mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class generally means more rear legroom.
Boot space is 362L in the GWM ORA 5 and 405L in the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, giving the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class a 43L advantage.
The GWM ORA 5 turns in a 10.9 m circle, kerb to kerb; the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class's turning circle is not on our record.
Cost to own
At 15,000 km a year, electricity for the GWM ORA 5 costs about $773 a year (16.1 kWh/100km) and fuel for the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class about $1,539 a year (5.4 L/100km), at $1.90 a litre and 32c a kWh.
Warranty: 7 years / unlimited km (GWM ORA 5) and 5 years / unlimited km (Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class).
Where each one leads
The GWM ORA 5: more power (150kW against 100kW) and the longer warranty (7 years against 5).
The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class: the bigger boot with the seats up (405L against 362L).
The Verdict
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class scores higher, 75 vs 72
The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class scores 75 to the GWM ORA 5's 72 on the CarSorted Score, and leads 1 of the 5 spec rows that separate them. The biggest gaps: safety (Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class ahead by 25 points), value (GWM ORA 5 ahead by 15 points). Boot space with the seats up: 362L in the GWM ORA 5, 405L in the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class. Warranty: 7 years on the GWM ORA 5, 5 on the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class.
Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Finance
From ≈$134/wk(≈$581/mo)
Estimate on the GWM ORA 5 at $33,990 drive-away; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Electric, with an RRP under the $91,661 fuel-efficient LCT threshold (2026-27): under the ATO's electric cars exemption a novated lease of an eligible electric car attracts no FBT if luxury car tax was never payable on it. The benefit is still reportable.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the GWM ORA 5Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link. Opens apply.driva.com.au in a new tab.
Common questions
Which is cheapest, GWM ORA 5 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class?
The GWM ORA 5 is the cheapest at $30,900 before on-road costs. That undercuts the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class by $35,600.
What are the ANCAP safety ratings?
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class holds a 5-star ANCAP rating (tested 2025). We hold no ANCAP data for GWM ORA 5, so there is nothing to compare on crash performance. Compare the active-safety features above instead.
Which has the most boot space?
The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class has the largest boot at 405L with the seats up.
Which has the best warranty?
The GWM ORA 5 has the longest warranty at 7 years / unlimited km.
Which is the most powerful?
The GWM ORA 5 makes the most power at 150kW. The GWM ORA 5 is quickest to 100km/h in 8s.
Track the GWM ORA 5 & Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
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How to read this page. Prices, specifications, ANCAP ratings, warranty, the CarSorted Score and the verdict come from our records for the grades shown, sourced from the manufacturers' Australian documents, and change when those records change; the date each was last checked is printed under the headline. Prices are recommended retail prices before on-road costs unless marked drive-away. A plug-in hybrid's fuel figure is labelled with its basis: with a full battery (the certified combined figure) or as a hybrid (battery depleted). Charging and running costs are estimates on the stated assumptions. Always confirm price and specification with the manufacturer or dealer before you buy. CarSorted does not accept payment for recommendations.
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