Mercedes-Benz Cla: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mercedes-Benz Cla passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 6.1 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 57,662 individual Mercedes-Benz Cla tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate82.8%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+6.1 points
Tests analysed57,662
Average mileage at test59,022 miles
Average year of manufacture2017
Reliability rank1,344 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 82.8% first-time pass rate means roughly 17 in every 100 Mercedes-Benz Clas presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Mercedes-Benz Cla tested had covered 59,022 miles and was built around 2017.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Mercedes-Benz Cla sits 6.1 points above the national average, ranked 1,344 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Mercedes-Benz Cla rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Mercedes-Benz Cla: £2,300 at UK salvage auction, from 5 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz Cla

  1. Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 0.6% of tests (2.76x the national rate for this defect)
  2. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 0.9% of tests (2.1x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 3% of tests (1.78x the national rate for this defect)
  4. A tyre seriously damaged, 4.5% of tests (1.61x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.6% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this defect)
  6. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.3% of tests
  7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.1% of tests
  8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 1.9% of tests
  9. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.6% of tests
  10. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.4% of tests

From 57,600 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz Cla tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 9.63% of these flagged Mercedes-Benz Cla defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Mercedes-Benz Cla

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Mercedes-Benz Cla before it actually fails on it.

  1. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 5.2% of tests (1.62x the national rate for this advisory)
  2. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.6% of tests (1.49x the national rate for this advisory)
  3. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 10.8% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 28.4% of tests, also fails
  5. A tyre seriously damaged, 16.1% of tests, also fails
  6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 10.6% of tests
  7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.9% of tests
  8. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 0.9% of tests
  9. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 0.9% of tests, also fails
  10. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 0.8% of tests

From 57,600 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz Cla tests, 2024.

Mercedes-Benz Cla pass rate by model year

From its 2013 to its 2021 model year, the Mercedes-Benz Cla's first-time pass rate has risen 12.7 points, from 76.3% to 89%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Mercedes-Benz Cla year:

Mercedes-Benz Cla by fuel type

The Mercedes-Benz Cla's two most-tested fuel types split by 4.8 points: petrol passes first time 85.2% of the time (34,177 tests) against 80.4% for diesel (23,165 tests).

Other Mercedes-Benz models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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Mercedes-Benz Cla MOT pass rate badge: 82.8%

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Mercedes-Benz Cla most common MOT failure: Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator (0.6% of tests)

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate