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Mercedes-Benz CLA years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year

75,462 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used 2013–2022 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

Mercedes-Benz CLA years with MOT pass rates below the average for vehicles first used in the same year: 2017–2018 and 2020–2022. Above it: 2013–2015. The other 2 years can't be told apart from average.

The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.

80.7%passed first time

First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 80.4% to 80.9%.

In 2025, 80.7% of the 75,462 initial MOT tests on Mercedes-Benz CLA cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 80.9%. That is 0.3 points below the same-age average.

Check a specific CLA

Its own MOT history, free.

Mercedes-Benz CLA MOT pass rate by year

Year is when the car was first used. Older vehicles fail more often, so each year is compared with all vehicles first used that year.

YearChartTestsmedian milesPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles that year
2022age 311,79127,50087.2%±0.7−1.3 ptsall: 88.5%
2021age 410,08936,60086.0%±0.7−1.2 ptsall: 87.2%
2020age 57,95742,00084.4%±0.9−1.6 ptsall: 86.0%
2019age 68,33147,50083.4%±0.9−0.1 ptsall: 83.5%
2018age 78,38857,20080.0%±0.9−0.9 ptsall: 80.9%
2017age 88,24169,40076.8%±1.0−1.4 ptsall: 78.2%
2016age 97,58979,20075.6%±1.0+0.7 ptsall: 74.9%
2015age 106,73686,00073.5%±1.1+1.6 ptsall: 71.9%
2014age 114,26592,00071.8%±1.4+3.2 ptsall: 68.6%
2013age 122,07597,40069.9%±2.1+4.1 ptsall: 65.8%

Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.

When a car's mileage doesn't add up

Does mileage matter?

Mercedes-Benz CLA first-time pass rates by the mileage at the initial test, all years together, against all vehicles of the same age and mileage.

89.2% of Mercedes-Benz CLA tests under 30,000 miles passed first time, against 69.6% at 120,000 miles or more. For all vehicles of the same age and mileage, the figures are 90.3% and 66.7%.

Miles at the testTestsPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles, same age and mileage
Under 30,00014,13089.2%±0.6−1.1 ptsall: 90.3%
30,000–59,99929,34483.2%±0.5−0.1 ptsall: 83.3%
60,000–89,99919,47477.1%±0.6+2.2 ptsall: 74.9%
90,000–119,9998,70771.0%±1.0+2.2 ptsall: 68.9%
120,000 or more3,76969.6%±1.5+2.8 ptsall: 66.7%

Against all vehicles of the same age and mileage, CLA tests were below average under 30,000 miles, about average at 30,000 to 59,999 miles and above average at 60,000 miles or more.

Mileage is only one factor. How a car has been driven and looked after matters too. These figures show an association across all Mercedes-Benz CLA tests in 2025, not what mileage does to a particular car.

Mileage is the odometer reading at the initial test. Each band is compared with all vehicles first used in the same year with a reading in the same band, weighted by this model's own tests in each year. Bands need at least 1,000 tests. 38 tests (0.1%) had no usable odometer reading and are left out. How we count

Common CLA problems at the MOT

Share of the 14,599 failed tests with a fault in each area, all years together. A test can count in more than one area, so these add up to more than 100%.

MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems. Each year page compares that year's failure areas with all vehicles first used in the same year.

What to check when viewing a CLA

Based on the areas where Mercedes-Benz CLA MOT tests fail most often. These are general checks anyone can do, not a mechanical inspection.

  1. Tyres

    In 43.6% of failed CLA tests

    • Check the tread on every tyre. The legal minimum for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread.
    • Look for cuts, bulges, and wear on only the inner or outer edge, which can point to an alignment problem.
    • Check that the spare wheel or the tyre repair kit is there.

  2. Suspension

    In 21.4% of failed CLA tests

    • Push down hard on each corner. The car should rise once and settle, not keep bouncing.
    • On the test drive, listen for knocks or clunks over speed bumps and potholes.
    • The car should sit level when parked on flat ground.

  3. Lights and electrics

    In 16.0% of failed CLA tests

    • Ask the seller to help you check every light: dipped and main beam, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp.
    • Look for cracked, misted or yellowed headlight lenses.
    • Warning lights on the dashboard should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts.

  4. Brakes

    In 15.4% of failed CLA tests

    • On a clear road, brake firmly. The car should stop in a straight line without juddering or pulling to one side.
    • Check the handbrake holds the car on a slope.
    • Look through the wheels at the brake discs for deep grooves or a raised lip at the edge.

Then read the car's own MOT history. Advisories in the same area at several tests are worth asking about.

Check a CLA's MOT history

After an MOT advisory

Mercedes-Benz CLA cars that passed their 2024 MOT first time with an advisory, and what their next MOT found, against similar cars that passed with nothing noted in that area. All first-use years together.

Tyres

Of Mercedes-Benz CLA cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 10.3% failed on tyres, against 7.7% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 8,728 and 27,589 cars.

  • With a tyre advisory10.3%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted7.7%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 15.4% of those with a tyre advisory and 14.3% of the others.

Brakes

Of Mercedes-Benz CLA cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a brake advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 6.2% failed on brakes, against 2.5% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 5,057 and 31,259 cars.

  • With a brake advisory6.2%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted2.5%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 15.0% of those with a brake advisory and 14.5% of the others.

Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.

How we worked this outAll models compared, with the data

Mercedes-Benz CLA questions

Which Mercedes-Benz CLA years have lower MOT pass rates?

Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, these model years have below-average MOT pass rates: 2017–2018 and 2020–2022. Above average: 2013–2015. The rest can't be told apart from average. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.

Is the Mercedes-Benz CLA reliable?

MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 80.7% of initial MOT tests on Mercedes-Benz CLA cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 80.9%. That is 0.3 points below average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.

What are the most common Mercedes-Benz CLA problems at the MOT?

The most common failure areas are tyres (in 43.6% of failed tests), suspension (in 21.4% of failed tests) and lights and electrics (in 16.0% of failed tests). A failed test can count in more than one area.

What mileage is normal for a 10-year-old Mercedes-Benz CLA?

At their 2025 MOT tests, Mercedes-Benz CLA cars first used in 2015, about 10 years old, had a median of 86,000 miles. Half had more and half had less.

How do I check a specific CLA's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.

Check a car's MOT history for free

What MOT data can't tell you about any Mercedes-Benz CLA

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checksWhat MOT history doesn't show

Other Mercedes-Benz models

Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.

All 23 Mercedes-Benz modelsCars ranked by MOT pass rate, by age

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all Mercedes-Benz CLA cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count