Mercedes-Benz A-Class MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Mercedes-Benz A-Class MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class passed on its first attempt in 79.2%, and its overall record sits +1.5 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class in the 2023–2025 data: 850,750 tests across 22 model years (2000–2021). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Mercedes-Benz A-Class MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the Suspension section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Mercedes-Benz A-Class's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Mercedes-Benz A-Class DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, each with how many of the model's 850,750 tests it was noted on.

• "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 20,976 Mercedes-Benz A-Class tests, 2.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 20,044 Mercedes-Benz A-Class tests, 2.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 12,022 Mercedes-Benz A-Class tests, 1.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Major) — noted on about 11,214 Mercedes-Benz A-Class tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 9,936 Mercedes-Benz A-Class tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 9,344 Mercedes-Benz A-Class tests, 1.1% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz A-Class Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Mercedes-Benz A-Class model year on record is 2021 (93.0% across 115 tests), and the weakest is 2000 (70.6%). The gap between them is 22.4 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.4 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Mercedes-Benz A-Class Owners

These checks follow this Mercedes-Benz A-Class's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

• the coil springs — “coil spring fractured or broken”

  Look up inside each wheel arch with a torch, all the way round the spring. A snapped spring usually breaks at the very bottom coil, where a quick glance will not reach.

• the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”

  Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.

• the suspension joints — “linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated”

  With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz A-Class MOT & Reliability