Mercedes-Benz GLA: common problems, best years and what to check
Mercedes' compact SUV based on the A-Class. Covers 2014–2024 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 GLA a good used buy?
Best buy
2020+ H247 GLA 200
Avoid
X156 with harsh DCT
Who it suits: Buyers wanting a Mercedes SUV in a compact size.
What's good
- Premium badge
- H247 is roomy and modern
- Frugal diesels
- Strong safety
What's not
- X156 is just a raised hatch
- Firm ride
- Expensive options
- DCT jerkiness
By the numbers
- #82 most common model on UK roads, with about 103k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2019: 16.5k cars still licensed.
- The most expensive common fault: 7G-DCT gearbox jerkiness (up to £1,500).
Mercedes-Benz GLA common problems by generation and engine
Mercedes-Benz GLA X156 (2014–2020) · small SUV
How to spot it: 14 plate to 20 plate. Raised A-Class hatch with plastic cladding.
GLA 180 / 200 (M270 / M282, petrol, 2014–2020)
Smooth; cold-start rattle on early M270
- Camshaft adjuster rattle at cold start (M270)£600–£1,30040k+
GLA 200d / 220d (OM651 / OM607, diesel, 2014–2020)
Frugal
Faults on any X156 (2014–2020) engine
- 7G-DCT gearbox jerkiness£0–£1,500any
Mercedes-Benz GLA H247 (2020–) · small SUV; EQA
How to spot it: 20 plate onwards. Taller, upright SUV with twin-screen dashboard.
GLA 200 / 250e (M282 / + e, petrol / PHEV, 2020–)
Refined
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Mercedes-Benz GLA years
How many Mercedes-Benz GLAs 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. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Mercedes-Benz GLA MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2014+ cars)
Mercedes-Benz GLAs pass their MOT first time 3 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (83% vs 80%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 79% | 69% | 80k miles |
| 2015 | 76% | 72% | 77k miles |
| 2016 | 77% | 75% | 70k miles |
| 2017 | 80% | 78% | 60k miles |
| 2018 | 82% | 81% | 50k miles |
| 2019 | 85% | 84% | 41k miles |
| 2020 | 90% | 86% | 34k miles |
| 2021 | 92% | 87% | 31k miles |
| 2022 | 92% | 89% | 22k 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 1.6mm2.52 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken2.1 per 100
- Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.02 per 100
- Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.86 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut1.82 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.79 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.69 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1.21 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm21.72 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear14.64 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick10.59 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened9.01 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 1.0mm3.23 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt3.09 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre2.56 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 GLA 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 GLA 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 GLA 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 GLA vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz GLA | 103k | 17–34 | 435 l | 2020+ H247 GLA 200 |
| Audi Q2 | 103k | 15–30 | 405 l | 35 TFSI manual |
| BMW X1 | 118k | 20–35 | 505 l | 2016+ F48 18d/20d |
| Volvo XC40 | 140k | 20–36 | 452 l | 2019+ B4 petrol or Recharge |
| Land Rover Range Rover Evoque | 212k | 25–42 | 472 l | 2011–2015 2.2 TD4/SD4 |
| Mini Countryman | 144k | 15–30 | 450 l | 2017+ F60 Cooper 1.5 or Cooper S |
What to check when buying a used Mercedes-Benz GLA
- DCT software updates
Mercedes-Benz GLA FAQ
›Is the Mercedes-Benz GLA reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2020+ H247 GLA 200. Avoid: X156 with harsh DCT.
›What is the Mercedes-Benz GLA MOT pass rate?
83% of Mercedes-Benz GLAs passed their MOT first time in 2025 (80,941 tests), better than the 80% 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 GLA 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 GLA have a timing belt or chain?
M270/M282: chain; OM651: chain.
›What is the best year Mercedes-Benz GLA to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2015, 2016, 2022 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Mercedes-Benz GLA cost to run?
Real-world economy: GLA 200 38–44 mpg; GLA 200d/220d 50–58 mpg; 250e 40–100 depending on charging. Insurance groups 17–34. A minor service is about £230–£320 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Mercedes-Benz GLA?
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 GLA 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.