BMW 4 Series vs Audi A5 vs Mercedes C-Class Coupe: here's our winner.

BMW 4 Series vs Audi A5 vs Mercedes C-Class Coupe: here's our winner.

The OMODA brand is the luxury wing of Chinese automaker Chery and has one model for sale locally, namely the C5, with many more to come. Today, we are comparing the flagship C5 variant with two rivals in the form of the Toyota Corolla Cross and the Hyundai Kona, but which one would we choose? Our trio today feature different powertrains but are nearly identical in terms of price.

OMODA C5 1.5T 230T Elegance S

Powertrain and performance

Powering the C5 is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 115Kw and 230Nm, sent through the front wheels via a CVT. Fuel consumption is claimed at 6.9 L/100km, and the 0-100km/h is not quoted.

Standard equipment

Being the flagship Elegance model, the C5 is incredibly well-specified. It comes with LED headlights/ fog lamps, a six-way electrically adjustable seat for the driver, ambient interior lighting, a panoramic roof, a wireless smartphone charger, leather seats, a colour screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, a digitised instrument cluster, climate control, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot assist, 18.0-inch alloy wheels, 6 Airbags, ISOFIX, keyless entry and start, front and rear PDC, and a reverse camera.

Safety

The C5 received a 5-star safety rating from Euro NCAP in 2022.

Practicality

The C5 boasts a 378-litre boot, seating for five occupants and 169mm of ground clearance.

Price and value proposition

At R509 900, the OMODA offers excellent value versus critical rivals.

The competition

Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 GR-Sport

Powertrain and performance

Powering the Corolla Cross in this guise is a 1.8-litre petrol engine that produces 103kW and 172Nm that is sent through the front wheels via a CVT. Fuel consumption is claimed at 6.8 L/100km, and the 0-100km/h time is not quoted.

Standard equipment

The GR-S comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights/ fog lights, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, a colour touchscreen infotainment system, ambient interior lighting, climate control, keyless entry/start, leather seats, electrically adjustable driver’s seat as well as front and rear PDC with a reverse camera.

Safety

The Corolla Cross was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2022, where it achieved a 5-Star rating.

Practicality

The Cross features seating for five, a 440-litre boot and 161mm of ground clearance, making it a very practical vehicle.

Price and value proposition

At R500 200, the Corolla Cross is marginally the cheapest car in this comparison.

Hyundai Kona 2.0 Executive

Powertrain and performance

Powering the Kona is a 2.0-litre petrol engine that produces 110kW and 180Nm sent through the front wheels via a CVT. Fuel consumption is claimed at 6.5 L/100km, and a 0-100km/h of 9.7 seconds is provided.

Standard equipment

In Executive specification, the Kona’s features are similar to the Corolla Cross; however, its wheels measure only 17 inches, it does without the semi-autonomous driving aids, and it gets six airbags.

Safety

The Kona was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2017, achieving a 5-Star rating.

Practicality

The Kona boasts five seats and 544-litres of boot space, making it the largest vehicle in this comparison.

Price and value proposition

At R509 900, the Kona provides the least value for money in this comparison.

Facts and figures:

* Manufacturer’s claimed figures.

Pricing was all-inclusive at the time of writing but may change without prior notice.

Verdict

Looking at the figures, as an overall package, we find the Corolla Cross to be the most compelling package here, although the OMODA is certainly impressive, too!

Keyword: BMW 4 Series vs Audi A5 vs Mercedes C-Class Coupe: here's our winner.