Verdict
The Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric costs RM53,088 more, but brings a 268-hp, 335-Nm rear motor, 85-kWh battery and claimed 748-km range. Its 6.7-second 0-100 km/h time is 2.2 seconds ahead of the Camry, while annual road tax is RM607 lower. The Toyota Camry answers with a longer 4,920-mm body, 524-litre boot and five-year warranty. For Malaysian buyers able to charge an EV and use compatible DC chargers, the CLA is the more technically advanced choice; the Camry is the less expensive petrol sedan with more luggage room.
CLA Electric
Pick the Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric if you can charge at home or work and want 268 hp, 748 km of claimed range and much lower RM260 annual road tax.
Camry
Pick the Toyota Camry if you want to spend RM53,088 less, carry 524 litres of luggage and retain a 60-litre petrol tank.
Key differences
- Price: Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric RM274,888; Toyota Camry RM221,800.
- Performance: CLA Electric 268 hp, 335 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 6.7 seconds; Camry 201 hp, 246 Nm and 8.9 seconds.
- Energy and road tax: CLA Electric has an 85-kWh battery, 748-km claimed range and RM260 yearly road tax; Camry has a 60-litre petrol tank and RM867 yearly road…
- Size and boot: CLA Electric is 4,723 mm long with a 405-litre boot; Camry is 4,920 mm long with a 524-litre boot.
- Warranty: CLA Electric gets four years plus an eight-year/160,000-km battery warranty; Camry gets five years.
- Safety and parking: CLA Electric has eight airbags, six front and six rear parking sensors plus Park Assist; Camry has seven airbags, four front and four rear…
CLA Electric
- 268 hp and 335 Nm, with a 6.7-second 0-100 km/h time.
- 85-kWh battery with 748 km claimed range; 320-kW DC and 11-kW AC charging.
- Eight airbags, 360-degree camera, Park Assist and a hands-free powered boot.
- RM53,088 more expensive than the Camry.
- 405-litre boot is 119 litres smaller than the Camry's.
- Four-year vehicle warranty is one year shorter, and its DC charging does not support 400V chargers.
Camry
- RM53,088 lower purchase price and a five-year unlimited-mileage warranty.
- 524-litre boot and 4,920-mm length exceed the CLA Electric's 405 litres and 4,723 mm.
- Head-up display, power-adjustable steering and manual rear sun shades.
- RM867 annual road tax is RM607 higher than the CLA Electric's.
- 201 hp, 246 Nm and 8.9-second 0-100 km/h trail the CLA Electric's 268 hp, 335 Nm and 6.7 seconds.
- No powered boot, auto parking or rear-seat folding function is listed.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM274,888 | RM221,800✓ |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | C-Segment | D-Segment |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM260✓ | RM867 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | MMA platform, 800V architecture; no 400V DC charger compatibility | 16-valve DOHC, naturally-aspirated with dual variable valve timing |
| Capacity | — | 2,487 cc |
| Horsepower | — | 201 hp at 6,600 rpm |
| Torque | — | 246 Nm at 4,200 rpm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | — | Inline 4 |
| Fuel | Electric | Petrol |
| Bore × Stroke | — | 87.5 mm × 103.4 mm |
| Compression Ratio | — | 14 |
| Number of Motors | 1 | — |
| Motor Horsepower | 268 hp | — |
| Motor Torque | 335 Nm | — |
| Battery Capacity | 85 kWh | — |
| EV Range | 748 km | — |
| Charging Rate (AC) | 11 kW | — |
| Charging Rate (DC) | 320 kW | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Two-speed Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | Two-speed Automatic | Direct Shift 8-speed Automatic |
| Gears | 2 | 8 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Aisin |
| Driveline | Rear Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 6.7 seconds✓ | 8.9 seconds |
| Top Speed | 210 km/h | 210 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,723 mm | 4,920 mm |
| Width | 1,855 mm | 1,840 mm |
| Height | 1,468 mm | 1,445 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,790 mm | 2,825 mm |
| Weight | 1,980 kg | 1,565 kg |
| Fuel Tank | — | 60 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 405 litres | 524 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 225/40R19 | 235/45R18 |
| Rear Tyre | 255/35R19 | Space Saver |
| Spare Tyre | — | Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | — | Bridgestone Turanza T005A |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | Thailand (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Struts | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Double Wishbone |
| Front Wheels | 19" AMG Five-twin-spoke Alloys | 18" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 19" AMG Five-twin-spoke Alloys | 18" Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 8 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Curtains, Driver Knee and Centre) | 7 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Driver's Knee, Front and Rear Curtain) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | — | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | — | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on Two Outer Rear Seats | Available for two outer rear passenger seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes, with Evasive Steering Assist | Yes, Pre-collision Braking |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | Traffic Sign Recognition, Curve Speed Reduction, Emergency Stop Assist, Parking AEB, Evasive Steering Assist. MB.Drive Assist (Level 2, adds lane centring and auto lane change) is a subscription: RM169/month (first month free), RM1,690/12 months or RM4,059/36 months incl. service tax | — |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Multibeam LED with Adaptive High Beam and Illuminated Star DRL | Bi-LED Projector with Auto High Beam |
| Taillamps | LED with Starry Motif | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | — | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Sports Seats, Artico Faux Leather with Dinamica Microfibre | 8-way Power Adjustable Driver's Seat with Memory Function, Power Adjustable 4-way Ottoman Passenger Seat |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | Fixed Rear Seats |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Rear AC Vents | Rear Vents |
| Sunroof | Panoramic, with Heat-rejection Coating (no sunshade) | — |
| Power Sockets | 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Rear | 1 Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 3 USB Front, 2 USB Rear |
| Interior Lighting | 64-colour Ambient Lighting | Map Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | — | Manual Rear Sun Shades |
| Audio | MBUX Superscreen: 10.25" Cluster + Twin 14" Touchscreens, MB.OS, 8 Speakers, Qi Wireless Charging | 12.3" Touchscreen with Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 9-speaker JBL Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Start (Depress Brake Pedal) | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Distronic Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | — | ✓ |
| Paddle Shift | — | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | — | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Hands-free Powered Boot Lid | Remote Control Activation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with 360-degree Camera | Yes, With 360 Degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes, with Park Assist | — |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | — |
| Head-up Display | — | ✓ |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 4 years | 5 years✓ |
| Warranty Notes | Battery warranty 8 years/160,000 km | — |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used CLA Electric & Camry for sale
CLA Electric vs Camry FAQ
Is the Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric or Toyota Camry better?
The CLA Electric is better for buyers with dependable charging, delivering 268 hp, a claimed 748-km range and 6.7-second acceleration. The Camry suits buyers prioritising a lower entry price, petrol refuelling and its 524-litre boot.
What is the price difference?
The Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric costs RM274,888 and the Toyota Camry costs RM221,800, so the CLA Electric is RM53,088 more expensive.
Which has the larger boot?
The Toyota Camry has the larger 524-litre boot, 119 litres more than the Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric's 405 litres. The CLA Electric counters with 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats, while the Camry's rear seats are fixed.
