MOT performance
Mercedes-Benz CLA petrol: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 62,442 MOT tests on petrol Mercedes-Benz CLAs in 2023–2024 (on average 4.9 years old at test, median 40,366 miles), 82.3% passed first time, against 78.6% of 52,186 diesel Mercedes-Benz CLA tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, petrol Mercedes-Benz CLAs failed about as often as comparable cars — 0.96× against 0.94× for the Mercedes-Benz CLA as a whole.
62,442 MOT tests on 33,753 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 82.3% | ±0.3 pts (95%), n = 62,442 |
| All Mercedes-Benz CLAs | 80.8% | n = 117,936 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 0.96× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Mercedes-Benz CLA overall 0.94× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 7.6% | n = 62,442 |
| Average age at test | 4.9 years | n = 62,442 |
| Registration years covered | 2013–2022 | DVSA first-use date |
Petrol against the other Mercedes-Benz CLA fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel). The petrol cars were tested 1.6 years younger on average than the diesel ones, so the raw pass rates partly reflect age; the adjusted column doesn't.
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 62,442 | 4.9 yrs | 82.3% | -4% | 7.6% |
| Diesel | 52,186 | 6.5 yrs | 78.6% | -8% | 9.6% |
| Hybrid | 3,308 | 2.4 yrs | 86.6% | +14% | 5.0% |
Where petrol Mercedes-Benz CLAs differ
- Body, chassis and structure: petrol Mercedes-Benz CLAs failed 68% more often than the Mercedes-Benz CLA overall, relative to comparable cars (0.52× vs 0.31×).
- Suspension: petrol Mercedes-Benz CLAs failed 20% less often than the Mercedes-Benz CLA overall, relative to comparable cars (0.57× vs 0.72×).
| Area | Petrol (vs similar) | All Mercedes-Benz CLAs (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 8.5% (+47%) | 9.1% (+47%) |
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 3.0% (-42%) | 3.1% (-47%) |
| Brakes | 2.9% (-19%) | 3.1% (-26%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 2.9% (-21%) | 3.0% (-16%) |
| Suspension | 1.8% (-43%) | 2.9% (-28%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.4% (+7%) | 1.8% (+13%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 1.1% (+154%) | 1.1% (+134%) |
| Road wheels | 0.6% (+182%) | 0.8% (+192%) |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.5% (+156%) | 0.5% (+107%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 0.5% (-48%) | 0.4% (-69%) |
Most common petrol Mercedes-Benz CLA failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 2.41% |
| Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 2.41% |
| Condition: has ply or cords exposed | Tyres | 2.24% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 1.70% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Driver's view of the road | 1.22% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | petrol pass rate (tests) | diesel pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 84.8% (23,331) | 84.5% (6,150) |
| 5-6 | 81.9% (15,966) | 80.2% (16,211) |
| 7-8 | 79.0% (8,965) | 76.6% (19,320) |
| 9-10 | 73.4% (5,400) | 73.5% (7,680) |
| 11-12 | 76.8% (336) | 71.6% (402) |
Mercedes-Benz CLA by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2013 Mercedes-Benz CLA · 71.2%
- 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA · 74.7%
- 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA · 76.9%
- 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA · 77.9%
- 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA · 80.0%
- 2018 Mercedes-Benz CLA · 82.2%
- 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLA · 84.0%
- 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA · 85.5%
- 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA · 86.0%
What this does and doesn't tell you
Fuel is DVSA's recorded fuel type; plug-in and self-charging hybrids are grouped as hybrid. A difference between fuels can come from the engines themselves, or from how the cars are used — diesels typically cover more miles, and the adjusted ratio allows for mileage band but not for every difference in use. For one car, its own MOT history is the better guide: see MOT check.
Check a specific petrol Mercedes-Benz CLA
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.