Is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class reliable?
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class has a first-time MOT pass rate of 78.1%, from 964,964 tests on cars dating from 2001 to 2022. All cars together manage 71.7%. Once age is allowed for, the A-Class is about average: within 1.2 points of a typical car tested at the same age. The cleanest measure of build quality is the first test at three years old, where the A-Class scores 89.7% against 87.9% for all cars. When a A-Class does fail, tyre tread below the legal minimum is the item recorded most often.
Why Mercedes-Benz A-Classs fail the MOT
Of every hundred A-Classs that fail, about 12 are marked down for tyre tread below the legal minimum and 8 for a broken coil spring. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
A tyre fail usually means a tyre that was already an advisory last year. Worth looking at the previous certificate before booking.
What testers flag before it fails
These are the advisories most often recorded on a Mercedes-Benz A-Class: items that passed on the day but were wearing. Tyre tread below the legal minimum is noted on 16.4% of all tests. If one of these is on a car's last certificate, it is the next repair. The advisory conversion table shows which of these are worth acting on first.
A-Class pass rate by fuel
The petrol A-Class has the better record at 80.1%; the diesel manages 76.3%. 3.8 points is modest but consistent.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 76.3% | 509,355 |
| Petrol | 80.1% | 453,714 |
Every A-Class year, 2001 to 2022
Between 2001 (56.7%) and 2022 (91.2%) the pass rate moves mostly with age. Among years with a decent sample, 2021 is the strongest at 90.3% and 2006 the weakest at 58%.
How mileage changes the A-Class's odds
Take the 2019 A-Class, the year with the most tests: cars with under 40,000 miles on the clock pass 88.5% of the time, and that falls to 80.1% over 100,000. A 8-point drop across the mileage range is a bigger effect than the difference between most makes.
| Mileage at test (2019 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.5% | 84,233 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.7% | 45,451 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.7% | 15,764 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 80.3% | 4,325 |
| Over 100,000 | 80.1% | 1,451 |
Mercedes-Benz stablemates and rivals
The average Mercedes-Benz passes 76.8% of tests, so the A-Class is one of the stronger cars in the range. Within the family, see the C-Class (74.3%), E-Class common problems (77.2%), GLC common problems (86.5%) and the CLA (80%), or every Mercedes-Benz model compared. For a cross-make comparison, the Renault Clio and Nissan Juke have similar test volumes and their own pages. The ranking of every make puts them side by side, and the national MOT statistics give the baseline.
Year by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2022 91.2% pass 4,228 tests91.1% at first MOT
On a 2022 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 23.9% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 12.4%.
2022 cars pass 91.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 100% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.8% | 3,741 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.1% | 368 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.7% | 91 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 86.4% | 22 |
| Over 100,000 | 100% | 6 |
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2021 90.3% pass 35,752 tests90.4% at first MOT
On a 2021 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 20.2% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 14.2%.
2021 cars pass 91.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 81.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.3% | 28,029 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.8% | 6,200 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.4% | 1,158 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85.3% | 279 |
| Over 100,000 | 81.4% | 86 |
By fuel: petrol 90.5% (23,394 tests), diesel 89.9% (12,356 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2020 88.5% pass 86,336 tests89.1% at first MOT
On a 2020 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 16.7% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 14.6%.
2020 cars pass 90.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.1% | 62,870 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 84.6% | 17,666 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 83.5% | 4,492 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.1% | 978 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.3% | 326 |
By fuel: petrol 88.9% (68,029 tests), diesel 87% (18,296 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2019 86.1% pass 151,235 tests
On a 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 16.4% of failed tests, with an airbag warning light warning light next at 15.6%.
2019 cars pass 88.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 80.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.5% | 84,233 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.7% | 45,451 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.7% | 15,764 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 80.3% | 4,325 |
| Over 100,000 | 80.1% | 1,451 |
By fuel: petrol 86.9% (92,433 tests), diesel 84.7% (58,790 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2018 83.9% pass 121,737 tests
On a 2018 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 16.2% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 11.5%.
2018 cars pass 87.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 75.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.5% | 47,105 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83% | 45,064 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 79.8% | 20,832 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 78.5% | 6,462 |
| Over 100,000 | 75.3% | 2,266 |
By fuel: petrol 85.2% (61,015 tests), diesel 82.4% (60,722 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2017 80.2% pass 120,411 tests
On a 2017 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 12.8% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 11%.
2017 cars pass 86.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 70.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.7% | 27,333 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 81.7% | 43,626 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 77.1% | 30,440 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 73.5% | 12,713 |
| Over 100,000 | 70.3% | 6,284 |
By fuel: diesel 78.9% (82,861 tests), petrol 83.2% (37,550 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2016 77.7% pass 112,680 tests
On a 2016 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a broken coil spring appears on 14.6% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 12.2%.
2016 cars pass 86.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 69% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.8% | 14,635 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 80.7% | 33,444 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 76.4% | 34,093 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 72.9% | 18,962 |
| Over 100,000 | 69% | 11,518 |
By fuel: diesel 76.4% (85,244 tests), petrol 81.4% (27,436 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2015 74.1% pass 79,336 tests
On a 2015 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a broken coil spring appears on 14.2% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 11.3%.
2015 cars pass 85.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 67.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 85.4% | 6,659 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 79.1% | 17,292 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 74% | 23,344 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 70.7% | 17,214 |
| Over 100,000 | 67.5% | 14,814 |
By fuel: diesel 72.9% (65,345 tests), petrol 79.7% (13,991 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2014 71% pass 68,394 tests
On a 2014 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a broken coil spring appears on 14.6% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 13.6%.
2014 cars pass 83.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 65.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 83.2% | 3,433 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 77.5% | 10,007 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 72.8% | 17,717 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 69.1% | 17,757 |
| Over 100,000 | 65.6% | 19,457 |
By fuel: diesel 69.9% (55,363 tests), petrol 75.7% (13,031 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2013 69.8% pass 43,320 tests
On a 2013 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a broken coil spring appears on 18.3% of failed tests, with a split ball joint dust cover next at 13.9%.
2013 cars pass 86.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 64.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.8% | 2,248 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 77% | 5,188 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 72.3% | 9,410 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 67.8% | 10,660 |
| Over 100,000 | 64.9% | 15,802 |
By fuel: diesel 68% (31,016 tests), petrol 74.3% (12,304 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2012 67.8% pass 15,343 tests
On a 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a broken coil spring appears on 14.6% of failed tests, with side repeaters not working next at 13.1%.
2012 cars pass 79.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 57.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 79.3% | 2,225 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 71.2% | 3,986 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 68.1% | 3,925 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 62.3% | 2,633 |
| Over 100,000 | 57.5% | 2,570 |
By fuel: petrol 68.6% (8,509 tests), diesel 66.7% (6,834 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2011 66.9% pass 15,999 tests
On a 2011 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, side repeaters not working appears on 14.3% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 10.3%.
2011 cars pass 78.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 56.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 78.4% | 2,085 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 71.9% | 4,063 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 67.5% | 4,246 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 60.5% | 2,930 |
| Over 100,000 | 56.3% | 2,672 |
By fuel: petrol 67.5% (10,384 tests), diesel 65.8% (5,615 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2010 63.7% pass 18,193 tests
On a 2010 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, side repeaters not working appears on 12.9% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 9.9%.
2010 cars pass 77.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 54.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.7% | 2,090 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 70.4% | 3,681 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 63.9% | 4,600 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 59% | 3,780 |
| Over 100,000 | 54.3% | 4,034 |
By fuel: petrol 64.5% (12,415 tests), diesel 61.8% (5,777 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2009 61.4% pass 20,446 tests
On a 2009 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a broken coil spring appears on 11% of failed tests, with a leaking shock absorbers next at 10.9%.
2009 cars pass 79.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 52.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 79.4% | 1,647 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 69.3% | 3,620 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 62.5% | 5,001 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 58.3% | 4,691 |
| Over 100,000 | 52.7% | 5,481 |
By fuel: petrol 62.8% (14,411 tests), diesel 58.2% (6,031 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2008 59% pass 19,814 tests
On a 2008 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a split CV boot appears on 13.3% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 12.3%.
2008 cars pass 77.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 51% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.2% | 1,256 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 69.7% | 2,930 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 61.9% | 4,507 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 55.7% | 4,662 |
| Over 100,000 | 51% | 6,444 |
By fuel: petrol 59.4% (14,830 tests), diesel 57.8% (4,984 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2007 58.3% pass 17,866 tests
On a 2007 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a brake light not working appears on 14.4% of failed tests, with headlamp aim out of adjustment next at 13.4%.
2007 cars pass 77.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 49.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.6% | 1,016 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.3% | 2,526 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 62.4% | 3,907 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 55.9% | 4,456 |
| Over 100,000 | 49.8% | 5,943 |
By fuel: petrol 58.9% (13,392 tests), diesel 56.5% (4,474 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2006 58% pass 13,003 tests
On a 2006 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a split CV boot appears on 19.4% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 13.4%.
2006 cars pass 69.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 51.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 69.2% | 730 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 66.2% | 1,771 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 61.5% | 2,919 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 57% | 3,066 |
| Over 100,000 | 51.2% | 4,465 |
By fuel: petrol 59% (9,484 tests), diesel 55.1% (3,518 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2005 58.4% pass 8,651 tests
On a 2005 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a split CV boot appears on 19.4% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 13.3%.
2005 cars pass 68.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 51.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 68.4% | 712 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68% | 1,314 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 59.7% | 1,888 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 57.5% | 1,997 |
| Over 100,000 | 51.4% | 2,631 |
By fuel: petrol 60.1% (6,522 tests), diesel 53.3% (2,129 tests).
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2004 54.6% pass 3,730 tests
On a 2004 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a brake light not working appears on 15.6% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 14.3%.
2004 cars pass 60.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 48.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 60.4% | 364 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 62.8% | 632 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 57% | 973 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 49.4% | 824 |
| Over 100,000 | 48.3% | 824 |
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2003 54.1% pass 3,857 tests
On a 2003 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a broken coil spring appears on 16.8% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 14.5%.
2003 cars pass 61.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 47.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 61.3% | 455 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 61.5% | 620 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 55.6% | 915 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 50.4% | 835 |
| Over 100,000 | 47.9% | 840 |
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2002 54.9% pass 2,815 tests
On a 2002 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a broken coil spring appears on 16.7% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 14.3%.
2002 cars pass 56.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 52.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 56.4% | 433 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 62.1% | 422 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 55.4% | 614 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 52% | 565 |
| Over 100,000 | 52.2% | 582 |
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2001 56.7% pass 1,818 tests
On a 2001 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a broken coil spring appears on 16% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 12.3%.
2001 cars pass 60.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 49.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 60.6% | 249 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 72.1% | 201 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 58.9% | 416 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 54.7% | 391 |
| Over 100,000 | 49.8% | 446 |
Questions people ask
How reliable is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?
On MOT evidence the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is about average. It passes 78.1% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 1.2 points. 89.7% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 964,964 DVSA tests.
What fails a Mercedes-Benz A-Class MOT most often?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum (11.6% of failed tests), a broken coil spring (7.7%) and brake pads worn below 1.5mm (6.9%). A tyre fail usually means a tyre that was already an advisory last year. Worth looking at the previous certificate before booking.
What is the best year for a used Mercedes-Benz A-Class?
Among years with a large sample, 2021 cars have the highest pass rate at 90.3% and 2006 cars the lowest at 58%. Newer years pass more because they are younger, so compare a specific car's year against the table above rather than against the overall figure.
What advisories does a Mercedes-Benz A-Class usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 16.4% of all A-Class tests, then a damaged tyre sidewall (8.9%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a Mercedes-Benz A-Class do?
About 7,833 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is close to the UK average of roughly 7,400.
Does the Mercedes-Benz A-Class pass rate apply to my car?
The figures describe the whole fleet. For one car, enter its registration in the free MOT check to see its own test history, advisories and mileage, set against these averages for its year.
Checking a A-Class before you buy?
Enter the registration to see its own MOT history, advisories and mileage set against these figures, including whether it has done more or fewer than the 7,833 miles a year typical of the model.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Class 4 cars, normal tests only; a pass after rectification counts as an initial failure. Age-adjusted figures compare the model's pass rate at each age with the national rate at the same age. Methodology.