Mercedes-Benz CLA: common problems, best years and what to check
Four-door coupé and Shooting Brake based on the A-Class. Covers 2013–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Mercedes-Benz CLA a good used buy?
Best buy
2019+ C118 CLA 200
Avoid
C117 with harsh DCT
Who it suits: Buyers wanting a stylish premium four-door coupé.
What's good
- Striking looks
- Premium interior (C118)
- Frugal diesels
- Shooting Brake practicality
What's not
- Tight rear headroom
- Firm ride
- DCT jerkiness
- Pricey options
By the numbers
- #91 most common model on UK roads, with about 96k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2024: 13.8k cars still licensed.
- 2019 cars survive 13% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- The most expensive common fault: 7G-DCT jerkiness (up to £1,500).
Mercedes-Benz CLA common problems by generation and engine
Mercedes-Benz CLA C117 (2013–2019) · coupé / Shooting Brake
How to spot it: 13 plate to 19 plate. Swoopy four-door with frameless windows.
CLA 180 / 200 (M270 / M282, petrol, 2013–2019)
Smooth; cold-start rattle on early M270
- Camshaft adjuster rattle at cold start (M270)£600–£1,30040k+
CLA 200d / 220d (OM651 / OM607, diesel, 2013–2019)
Faults on any C117 (2013–2019) engine
- 7G-DCT jerkiness£0–£1,500any
- Firm ride / suspension knocks£200–£600any
Mercedes-Benz CLA C118 (2019–) · coupé / Shooting Brake; 250e
How to spot it: 19 plate onwards. Shark-nose front and slim tail-lights.
CLA 180 / 200 / 250e (M282 / + e, petrol / PHEV, 2019–)
Refined
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Mercedes-Benz CLA years
How many Mercedes-Benz CLAs from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. Years that fall off the road faster: 2013, 2014, 2019 — check these harder.
Mercedes-Benz CLA MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2013+ cars)
Mercedes-Benz CLAs pass their MOT first time about as often as the average UK car of the same age.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 70% | 66% | 97k miles |
| 2014 | 72% | 69% | 93k miles |
| 2015 | 73% | 72% | 86k miles |
| 2016 | 75% | 75% | 79k miles |
| 2017 | 77% | 78% | 69k miles |
| 2018 | 80% | 81% | 57k miles |
| 2019 | 83% | 84% | 48k miles |
| 2020 | 84% | 86% | 42k miles |
| 2021 | 86% | 87% | 37k miles |
| 2022 | 87% | 89% | 28k miles |
| 2023 | 92% | 92% | 27k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Diesel
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3.09 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut2.75 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed2.6 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken2.2 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.94 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.73 per 100
- Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.43 per 100
- Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid1.32 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm24.35 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear11.2 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened10.07 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick9.9 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn5.45 per 100
- Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm3.91 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut3.19 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt2.29 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Mercedes-Benz CLA have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| M270/M282 | chain | check from 50k | £600–£1,300 |
| OM651 | chain | check from 80k | £1,000–£2,000 |
Mercedes-Benz CLA running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Mercedes-Benz CLA ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Mercedes-Benz CLA vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz CLA | 96k | 20–37 | 460 l | 2019+ C118 CLA 200 |
| Audi A3 Saloon | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| VW Arteon | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 364k | 16–34 | 370 l | 2018+ W177 A180/A200 petrol |
| Lexus IS | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
What to check when buying a used Mercedes-Benz CLA
- DCT software
Mercedes-Benz CLA FAQ
›Is the Mercedes-Benz CLA reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2019+ C118 CLA 200. Avoid: C117 with harsh DCT.
›What is the Mercedes-Benz CLA MOT pass rate?
81% of Mercedes-Benz CLAs passed their MOT first time in 2025 (66,318 tests), about average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm.
›What are the most common Mercedes-Benz CLA problems?
The costliest known faults are Camshaft adjuster rattle at cold start. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Mercedes-Benz CLA have a timing belt or chain?
M270/M282: chain; OM651: chain.
›What is the best year Mercedes-Benz CLA to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2015, 2022, 2023 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Mercedes-Benz CLA cost to run?
Real-world economy: CLA 180/200 40–46 mpg; CLA 220d 52–60 mpg. Insurance groups 20–37. A minor service is about £230–£320 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Mercedes-Benz CLA?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Mercedes-Benz CLA ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.