Mercedes-Benz Cla MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

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

The Mercedes-Benz Cla passed on its first attempt in 83.7%, and its overall record sits +4.8 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz Cla in the 2023–2025 data: 215,204 tests across 11 model years (2013–2023). 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 Cla MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mercedes-Benz Cla, the Tyres 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 Cla's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

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

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz Cla, each with how many of the model's 215,204 tests it was noted on.

• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 4,785 Mercedes-Benz Cla tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (Major) — noted on about 4,155 Mercedes-Benz Cla tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 3,163 Mercedes-Benz Cla tests, 1.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Has ply or cords exposed" (Major) — noted on about 2,980 Mercedes-Benz Cla tests, 1.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 2,914 Mercedes-Benz Cla tests, 1.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Major) — noted on about 2,305 Mercedes-Benz Cla tests, 1.1% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz Cla Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Mercedes-Benz Cla model year on record is 2023 (93.8% across 659 tests), and the weakest is 2013 (80.1%). The gap between them is 13.7 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Mercedes-Benz Cla reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.3 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 Cla Owners

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

• 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 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 tyre tread — “tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm”

  Check all four tyres cold, including the inner shoulder where wear hides — 1.6mm across the central three-quarters is the legal limit, and most testers fail at 1.6mm without argument.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz Cla MOT & Reliability