Kia Seltos 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 68
Prices are RRP before on-road costs unless stated otherwise. Always confirm with the manufacturer or dealer before purchasing.
Data checked: specs 30 Oct 2026, price 8 Sep 2026
Kia Seltos
12 of 27 standard · no option data · 7 not offered · 8 no dataFrom
$31,250
RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- SUV
- Fuel type
- Petrol
- Engine
- Petrol
- Power
- 110kW
- Economy
- 6.9 L/100km
- Safety
- Not rated by ANCAP
- Boot (seats up)
- 468L
Run-out stock: confirm with a dealer
Car loan ratesDriva 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 68, but the Kia Seltos is $35,250 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.
$31,250RRP
- cannot be matched: Adaptive Cruise Control, Rain-Sensing Wipers, Digital Radio (DAB+) and 1 more not offered
$66,500RRP
- with the Kia Seltos'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
Kia Seltos S
$31,250
RRP, before on-road costs. Checked 8 Sept 2026
No published drive-away price on our record.
About $121 a week in repayments ($31,250 RRP, before on-road costs, run-out stock; 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 Kia Seltos starts $35,250 lower on RRP.
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.
Run-out stock (Kia Seltos). Remaining new stock of an outgoing model. Confirm availability with the dealer.
Finance
From ≈$121/wk(≈$526/mo)
Estimate on the Kia Seltos at $31,250 RRP, before on-road costs, run-out stock; 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
Paid from pre-tax salary with the running costs inside the lease. What it comes to depends on your salary and the term.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the Mercedes-Benz CLA-ClassDriva 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
ANCAP's published record does not give the Kia Seltos a rating. 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 5 of 10 key systems on the Kia Seltos 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
Kia Seltos
- REC-006395 · published 30 Jul 2025The piston rings fitted to the engines of certain vehicles may not meet manufacturing specifications, and could cause engine failure and vehicle stalling.Year range on the notice: 2020 - 2022
- REC-005962 · published 20 May 2024Due to a manufacturing defect, the side curtain airbag may inflate without warning.Year range on the notice: 2023
- REC-005699 · published 15 Jun 2023Due to a software issue, the instrument cluster may fail to illuminate the visual seat belt warning as required by the Australian Design Rules (ADR) 04/06.Year range on the notice: 2022 - 2023
- 2 more on the model page.
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.
Feature Showdown
Both come with modern infotainment systems. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.
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 Kia Seltos uses a Petrol producing 110kW and 180Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 9.2 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 Kia Seltos has the clear power advantage at 110kW vs 100kW. In the 0-100 sprint (manufacturer-claimed), the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is 0.4s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.
Space & Comfort
The Kia Seltos measures 4,385mm long on a 2,630mm wheelbase, 338mm 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 468L in the Kia Seltos and 405L in the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, giving the Kia Seltos a 63L advantage.
The Kia Seltos turns in a 10.6 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, fuel for the Kia Seltos costs about $1,967 a year (6.9 L/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. That is $428 a year less for the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class.
Warranty: 7 years / Unlimited (Kia Seltos) and 5 years / Unlimited (Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class).
Where each one leads
The Kia Seltos: the lower starting price ($31,250 against $66,500), more power (110kW against 100kW), the bigger boot with the seats up (468L against 405L) and the longer warranty (7 years against 5).
The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class: lower fuel or energy costs on our assumptions ($1,539 a year against $1,967).
The Verdict
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class scores higher, 75 vs 68
The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class scores 75 to the Kia Seltos's 68 on the CarSorted Score, and leads 2 of the 6 spec rows that separate them. The biggest gaps: technology (Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class ahead by 32 points), safety (Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class ahead by 31 points), fuel economy (Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class ahead by 13 points). At 15,000 km a year, fuel for the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class costs about $428 less (5.4 L/100km against 6.9 L/100km, at $1.90 a litre). Boot space with the seats up: 468L in the Kia Seltos, 405L in the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class. Warranty: 7 years on the Kia Seltos, 5 on the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class.
Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Run-out stock (Kia Seltos). Remaining new stock of an outgoing model. Confirm availability with the dealer.
Finance
From ≈$121/wk(≈$526/mo)
Estimate on the Kia Seltos at $31,250 RRP, before on-road costs, run-out stock; 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
Paid from pre-tax salary with the running costs inside the lease. What it comes to depends on your salary and the term.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the Mercedes-Benz CLA-ClassDriva 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, Kia Seltos and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class?
The Kia Seltos is the cheapest at $31,250 before on-road costs. That undercuts the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class by $35,250.
Which is the most fuel-efficient?
The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class uses the least fuel at 5.4L/100km on the combined cycle.
What are the ANCAP safety ratings?
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class holds a 5-star ANCAP rating (tested 2025). ANCAP's published record does not give a rating to Kia Seltos, so there is nothing to compare on crash performance. Compare the active-safety features above instead.
Which has the most boot space?
The Kia Seltos has the largest boot at 468L with the seats up (1,428L with the seats folded).
Which can tow the most?
The Kia Seltos has the highest braked towing capacity at 1,100kg.
Which has the best warranty?
The Kia Seltos has the longest warranty at 7 years / unlimited km.
Which is the most powerful?
The Kia Seltos makes the most power at 110kW. The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is quickest to 100km/h in 8.8s.
Track the Kia Seltos & 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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