Mercedes-Benz CLE vs Toyota Alphard
Verdict
The Mercedes-Benz CLE is the driver’s pick on paper: RM518,888, all-wheel drive, 9G-Tronic, 255 hp/400 Nm plus a 23 hp motor, 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds and a 250 km/h top speed. The Toyota Alphard asks RM548,000, but its money goes into people-moving: seven seats, five doors, ottoman captain’s chairs, powered sliding doors, 510 litres of boot space and a 3,000 mm wheelbase. For Malaysia, this is less coupe versus MPV than self-drive pace versus chauffeured comfort.
CLE
Pick the Mercedes-Benz CLE if you want a quicker, lower two-door with AWD, lower road tax and a RM29,112 lower price.
Alphard
Pick the Toyota Alphard if you need seven seats, sliding doors, rear-cabin comfort and more luggage space.
Key differences
- Price: Mercedes-Benz CLE RM518,888; Toyota Alphard RM548,000
- Power and torque: Mercedes-Benz CLE 255 hp/400 Nm plus 23 hp motor; Toyota Alphard 274 hp/430 Nm
- Driveline and gearbox: Mercedes-Benz CLE AWD with 9-speed auto; Toyota Alphard FWD with 8-speed auto
- Size: Mercedes-Benz CLE 4,850/1,860/1,428 mm; Toyota Alphard 5,010/1,850/1,950 mm
- Seats and doors: Mercedes-Benz CLE 4 seats/2 doors; Toyota Alphard 7 seats/5 doors
- Boot and tank: Mercedes-Benz CLE 460 litres/66 litres; Toyota Alphard 510 litres/75 litres
CLE
- RM29,112 cheaper to buy and RM380 road tax versus RM754
- 6.2-second 0-100 km/h time, AWD and 250 km/h top speed
- Auto parking and 6 front plus 6 rear parking sensors
- Only four seats and two doors versus seven seats and five doors
- Smaller boot at 460 litres versus 510 litres
- Smaller 66-litre fuel tank versus 75 litres
Alphard
- Seven seats with ottoman captain’s chairs in the middle row
- Powered sliding doors with soft close, powered rear sun shades and rear dual-zone climate control
- Larger 510-litre boot and 75-litre fuel tank
- Costs RM29,112 more
- Higher yearly road tax at RM754 versus RM380
- No auto parking, and only 4 front plus 4 rear parking sensors
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 518,888✓ | RM 548,000 |
| Body type | Coupe | MPV |
| Segment | Compact Executive | Executive |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC, Turbocharged with Direct Fuel Injection and Variable Valve Timing | 16-valve DOHC, Turbocharger and Intercooler with Dual VVT-i |
| Capacity | 1,999 cc | 2,393 cc |
| Horsepower | 255 hp | 274 hp✓ |
| Torque | 400 Nm | 430 Nm✓ |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline | Inline |
| Timing Type | Chain | Chain |
| Fuel | Petrol Hybrid/REV | Petrol |
| Bore | 83 mm | 87.5 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 10.5 | — |
| Number of Motors | 1 | — |
| Motor Horsepower | 23 hp | — |
| Motor Torque | 205 Nm | — |
| Battery Type | Lithium-ion | — |
| Battery Capacity | 1 kWh | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 9G-Tronic | Direct Shift 8-speed Automatic with Sequential Shiftmatic |
| Gears | 9 | 8 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG) | Toyota |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 6.2 seconds | — |
| Rated Economy | — | 9 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h✓ | 180 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,850 mm | 5,010 mm |
| Width | 1,860 mm | 1,850 mm |
| Height | 1,428 mm | 1,950 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,865 mm | 3,000 mm |
| Weight | — | 2,235 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 66 litres | 75 litres |
| Doors | 2 | 5 |
| Seats | 4 | 7 |
| Boot Space | 460 litres | 510 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 245/40R19 | 225/55R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 275/35R19 | 225/55R19 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | Space Saver |
| Factory Tyres | Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 Run-flat | Michelin Primacy SUV+ |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | Japan (CBU) |
| Chassis | Unibody | Unibody |
| Front Suspension | Multi-link | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Double Wishbone |
| Front Wheels | 19" AMG Multi-spoke Alloys | 19" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 19" AMG Multi-spoke Alloys | 19" Alloy |
| Front Brakes | Ventilated Disc | Ventilated Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Solid Disc | Ventilated Disc |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Front Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Centre Airbag | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | — |
| Child Safety Lock | — | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 4 Three-point with Illumination and Front Belt Feeder | 6 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for Rear Seats | Available on Two Middle Row Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, TSS Pre-collision Braking (4-120 km/h) with Pedestrian Detection |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Digital Light Matrix LEDs | LED Projector with Auto High Beam |
| Taillamps | Full LED | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats with Memory Settings, Heating & Ventilation | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Driver's Side Memory, Passenger Side Shoulder Switch |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split-folding | Ottoman Captain's Chairs Middle Row, 50:50 Split-folding, 60:40 Split-folding Last Row |
| Front Air-con | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Rear AC Vents | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | Panoramic Glass Roof | Fixed Panoramic Glass Roof, Rear |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 2 Front USB, 2 Rear USB, 1 Wireless Charger | 2 Front, 1 Console Box, 2 First Row, 2 Second Row |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 2 Last Row |
| Sun Shade | Sunroof Shade | Powered Rear Sun Shades, Powered Panoramic Roof Shades |
| Audio | 11.9" Touchscreen Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with Voice Control, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 17-Speaker Burmester Sound System | 14" Display Audio with Touch Screen, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Connectivity, 15-speaker JBL Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Two Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch | Four Windows, Driver's Side Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Steering Assist and Curve Speed Reduction |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Contactless Opening | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree Camera | Yes, With 360 Degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes | — |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | ✓ |
| Power Door | — | Power sliding with soft close function |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 4 years | 5 years✓ |
| Warranty Extended | 6 years | — |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM 380✓ | RM 754 |
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.
CLE vs Alphard FAQ
Is the Mercedes-Benz CLE or Toyota Alphard better?
The Mercedes-Benz CLE is better for self-driving pace and a lower purchase price. The Toyota Alphard is better if rear-seat comfort, seven seats and easy cabin access matter more.
What is the price difference?
The Toyota Alphard costs RM548,000, while the Mercedes-Benz CLE costs RM518,888. That makes the Alphard RM29,112 more expensive.
Which is more practical for family use?
The Toyota Alphard is far more practical: seven seats, five doors, powered sliding doors and 510 litres of boot space. The Mercedes-Benz CLE has four seats, two doors and 460 litres.