Diesel Mercedes-Benz A: MOT pass rate
88.9% of diesel Mercedes-Benz As pass the MOT first time, measured across 29,184 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 41,940.
Diesel against the other Mercedes-Benz A versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 90.4% | 62,295 |
| Diesel | 88.9% | 29,184 |
| All Mercedes-Benz A | 90% | 91,485 |
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 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 90.4%, and this diesel version sits 1.1 points below the 90% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
The diesel Mercedes-Benz A fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. 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 had covered 41,940 miles at test, against 32,240 for the petrol. That is below average for a car this age, worth a mileage-consistency check since an unusually low reading is sometimes clocking rather than luck.
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 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Other Mercedes-Benz A fuel types
- Petrol Mercedes-Benz A - 90.4%