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

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

The Mercedes-Benz Gla passed on its first attempt in 87.3%, and its overall record sits +7.6 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz Gla in the 2023–2025 data: 280,602 tests across 10 model years (2014–2023). 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 Gla MOT Problems by Failure Category

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

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

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz Gla, each with how many of the model's 280,602 tests it was noted on.

• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 3,617 Mercedes-Benz Gla tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 3,366 Mercedes-Benz Gla tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 3,276 Mercedes-Benz Gla tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 3,254 Mercedes-Benz Gla tests, 1.2% 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 3,120 Mercedes-Benz Gla tests, 1.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 3,003 Mercedes-Benz Gla tests, 1.1% of the model's MOT record.

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

The strongest Mercedes-Benz Gla model year on record is 2023 (96.4% across 195 tests), and the weakest is 2015 (84.6%). The gap between them is 11.8 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Mercedes-Benz Gla 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 Gla Owners

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

• 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.

• 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 Gla. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz Gla MOT & Reliability