Kia Stonic 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 29 Oct 2026, price 28 Oct 2026
Kia Stonic
11 of 27 standard · no option data · 4 not offered · 12 no dataFrom
$26,990
RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- SUV
- Fuel type
- Petrol
- Engine
- Petrol
- Power
- 88kW
- Economy
- 5 L/100km
- Safety
- Not rated by ANCAP
- Boot (seats up)
- 352L
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 Kia Stonic is $39,510 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.
$26,990RRP
- cannot be matched: Satellite Navigation not offered
$66,500RRP
- with the Kia Stonic'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 Stonic S
$26,990
RRP, before on-road costs. Checked 28 Oct 2026
No published drive-away price on our record.
About $102 a week in repayments ($26,990 RRP, before on-road costs; 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 Stonic starts $39,510 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.
Finance
From ≈$102/wk(≈$441/mo)
Estimate on the Kia Stonic at $26,990 RRP, before on-road costs; 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 Kia StonicDriva 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 Stonic 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 4 of 10 key systems on the Kia Stonic 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 Stonic
- REC-006665 · published 16 Jul 2026Due to a software issue, the daytime running lamps switch off when the vehicle enters fuel-saving (sailing) mode.Year range on the notice: 2025 - 2026
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 Stonic uses a Petrol producing 88kW and 172Nm of torque, sent through a 7-speed dct to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 11.2 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 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class has the clear power advantage at 100kW vs 88kW. In the 0-100 sprint (manufacturer-claimed), the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is 2.4s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.
Space & Comfort
The Kia Stonic measures 4,165mm long on a 2,580mm wheelbase, 558mm 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 352L in the Kia Stonic and 405L in the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, giving the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class a 53L advantage.
The Kia Stonic turns in a 10.4 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 Stonic costs about $1,425 a year (5 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 $114 a year less for the Kia Stonic.
Warranty: 7 years / unlimited km (Kia Stonic) and 5 years / unlimited km (Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class).
Where each one leads
The Kia Stonic: the lower starting price ($26,990 against $66,500), the longer warranty (7 years against 5) and lower fuel or energy costs on our assumptions ($1,425 a year against $1,539).
The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class: more power (100kW against 88kW) and the bigger boot with the seats up (405L against 352L).
The Verdict
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class scores higher, 75 vs 72
The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class scores 75 to the Kia Stonic's 72 on the CarSorted Score, and leads 3 of the 6 spec rows that separate them. The biggest gaps: safety (Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class ahead by 27 points), technology (Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class ahead by 18 points), value (Kia Stonic ahead by 15 points). At 15,000 km a year, fuel for the Kia Stonic costs about $114 less (5 L/100km against 5.4 L/100km, at $1.90 a litre). Boot space with the seats up: 352L in the Kia Stonic, 405L in the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class. Warranty: 7 years on the Kia Stonic, 5 on the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class.
Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Finance
From ≈$102/wk(≈$441/mo)
Estimate on the Kia Stonic at $26,990 RRP, before on-road costs; 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 Kia StonicDriva 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 Stonic and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class?
The Kia Stonic is the cheapest at $26,990 before on-road costs. That undercuts the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class by $39,510.
Which is the most fuel-efficient?
The Kia Stonic uses the least fuel at 5L/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 Stonic, 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 Kia Stonic has the longest warranty at 7 years / unlimited km.
Which is the most powerful?
The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class makes the most power at 100kW. The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is quickest to 100km/h in 8.8s.
Track the Kia Stonic & 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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