Mercedes-Benz A-Class
From 447,325 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer A-Classs fare better: 2021 models pass at 94.9% vs 65.6% for 2001.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened. The top issue, a tyre seriously damaged, caused 9,668 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a tyre seriously damaged | 9,668 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 8,835 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 7,917 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 7,159 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 6,194 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 5,898 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 4,881 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 4,847 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 4,788 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 4,257 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 19.9% of A-Class failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 38.3% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £106.
The warranty question
A new A-Class passes its MOT 90.9% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 83.4%, a 7.5 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 79.7%. With an average repair bill of £106 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a A-Class that's past its third birthday.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 13,554 newly registered in the past year with 8,615 leaving, a net gain of 4,939. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 378,537 | 13,106 | +4,283 | -2,943 | +1,340 |
| 2025 Q2 | 377,378 | 12,925 | +3,308 | -1,910 | +1,398 |
| 2025 Q1 | 376,071 | 12,834 | +3,341 | -2,070 | +1,271 |
| 2024 Q4 | 375,165 | 12,469 | +2,622 | -1,692 | +930 |
| 2024 Q3 | 374,525 | 12,179 | +5,580 | -3,297 | +2,283 |
| 2024 Q2 | 372,395 | 12,026 | +3,868 | -1,620 | +2,248 |
| 2024 Q1 | 370,165 | 12,008 | +7,828 | -2,342 | +5,486 |
| 2023 Q4 | 365,031 | 11,656 | +4,480 | -2,079 | +2,401 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| A 180 Amg Lne Executive Mhev A | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 8,949 | 7% |
| A 180 Amg Line Executive Auto | Petrol | 8,395 | 7% |
| A 200 Amg Line Premium Auto | Petrol | 8,161 | 7% |
| A 180 Sport Executive D Auto | Diesel | 7,359 | 6% |
| A 200 Amg Lne Executive Mhev A | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 7,265 | 6% |
| A 200 Amg Line Executive Auto | Petrol | 7,252 | 6% |
| A 200 Amg Line Auto | Petrol | 7,079 | 6% |
| A 200 D Amg Line Premium Auto | Diesel | 7,008 | 6% |
| A180 Blueefficiency Sport Cdi | Diesel | 6,524 | 5% |
| A180 Blue-Cy Amg Sport Cdi | Diesel | 5,376 | 4% |
| A 180 Sport Executive Auto | Petrol | 5,273 | 4% |
| A 180 Amg Line Executive D A | Diesel | 5,212 | 4% |
| A 200 D Amg Line Auto | Diesel | 5,086 | 4% |
| A 180 Sport D Auto | Diesel | 4,995 | 4% |
| A 180 D Amg Line | Diesel | 4,770 | 4% |
| A180 Blue-Cy Sport Cdi Auto | Diesel | 4,770 | 4% |
| A 180 D Sport Premium Auto | Diesel | 4,618 | 4% |
| A150 Classic Se | Petrol | 4,598 | 4% |
| A 200 Amg Line Premium+ Mhev A | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 4,493 | 4% |
| A160 Blueeff-Y Classic Se | Petrol | 4,480 | 4% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 94.9% | windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, warning device shows system malfunction |
| 2020 | 90.9% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2019 | 89.1% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2018 | 87.4% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
19 earlier years
| 2017 | 85% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 83.4% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2015 | 81% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2014 | 79.6% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2013 | 79.7% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 74.5% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2011 | 72.5% | a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2010 | 71.4% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2009 | 70.2% | windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2008 | 68.3% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2007 | 68.1% | windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2006 | 66.5% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2005 | 67.2% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2004 | 64.6% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2003 | 65.8% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2002 | 62.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2001 | 65.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2000 | 61.7% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1999 | 61.1% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
Typical mileage
Half of all A-Classs tested had between 46,915 and 100,712 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 74,164 median miles, the A-Class has 0.025 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Mercedes-Benz models
Common questions
What is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class MOT pass rate?
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class has a 81.1% MOT pass rate based on 447,325 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz A-Class?
The most common MOT failure on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a tyre seriously damaged, which caused 9,668 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Mercedes-Benz A-Classs are on UK roads?
There are 378,537 Mercedes-Benz A-Classs currently licensed on UK roads, with 13,106 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mercedes-Benz A-Class at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mercedes-Benz A-Class is 74,164 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 46,915 and 100,712 miles.
Buying a used A-Class?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 81.1% pass rate and an average repair bill of £106 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.