Diesel Mercedes-Benz A-Class: MOT pass rate

78.8% of diesel Mercedes-Benz A-Class pass the MOT first time, measured across 145,654 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 75,008.

Diesel against the other Mercedes-Benz A-Class versions

Fuel Pass rate Tests
Diesel 78.8% 145,654
Petrol 79.5% 94,824
All Mercedes-Benz A-Class79.1%240,503

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the Mercedes-Benz A-Class specifically, petrol is the strongest at 79.5%, and this diesel version sits 0.3 points below the 79.1% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

There is little to choose between fuel types on this model, so decide on running costs and mileage rather than MOT record. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel Mercedes-Benz A-Class had covered 75,008 miles at test, against 62,315 for the petrol. That is a shade above the middle of the range, still ordinary wear rather than a red flag, but worth checking against the service book for the car's age.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Other Mercedes-Benz A-Class fuel types

All Mercedes-Benz A-Class MOT data · Every model