Mercedes-Benz A MOT pass rate: 89.1% (93,733 tests, 2025)

The Mercedes-Benz A passed 89.1% of its 93,733 MOT tests in 2025 — 11.6 points above the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 5 years old with 39,461 miles on the clock.

89.1%Pass rate (2025)

93,733MOT tests analysed

39,461 miMedian mileage at test

5 yrsMedian age at test

How the A compares

Mercedes-Benz A

89.1%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Mercedes-Benz average (all models)

80.7%

What fails most on the Mercedes-Benz A

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the A:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Tyres	6,724	43.0%
2	Brakes	3,233	20.7%
3	Visibility	1,344	8.6%
4	Suspension	1,190	7.6%
5	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	1,009	6.5%
6	Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems	947	6.1%

Pre-MOT checklist for A owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Replace smeared wiper blades and top up washer fluid — both are test items
Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

A pass rate by registration year

Strongest age-adjusted years: 2021, 2022. Full ranking and method: Mercedes-Benz A years to avoid.

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2018	2,502	85.5%	-0.8 pts	43,671
2019	125,677	88.5%	+0.1 pts	36,944
2020	86,336	90.6%	+0.6 pts	29,490
2021	34,759	92.0%	+1.6 pts	28,343
2022	4,161	92.8%	+1.5 pts	21,854

Check a specific A before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Mercedes-Benz models

C78.2% pass rate · 343,551 tests A-Class77.8% pass rate · 232,671 tests E79.7% pass rate · 215,896 tests Vito73.4% pass rate · 81,263 tests GLC87.2% pass rate · 65,847 tests GLA83.1% pass rate · 64,404 tests CLA82.7% pass rate · 62,279 tests B-Class74.9% pass rate · 60,589 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Mercedes-Benz A?

In 2025, 89.1% of 93,733 first MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz A were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the A fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is tyres (43.0% of its recorded defects), followed by brakes.

Is the Mercedes-Benz A reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 89.1% it performs above the national average at a median age of 5 years and 39,461 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.