Ranked #46 car in the UK · Hatchback · 13,076 units sold last year
Mercedes-Benz A-Class
The Mercedes A-Class is the entry point to the three-pointed star and a premium-hatchback benchmark for cabin design, with its slick MBUX twin-screen interior. The current (2018 on, W177) car offers petrol, diesel, the A250e plug-in hybrid and the hot A35/A45 AMG. Cross-shop the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and VW Golf.
How these figures are sourced — the valuation is anchored to a researched used-market price for this model (AutoTrader median, 2023 at 30k miles). Reliability, mileage and variant data are real DVSA MOT records. Dimensions, tyre sizes and costs, servicing figures and the insurance group are segment-level estimates rather than sourced per car, and are being replaced model by model.
- Body
- Hatchback
- Years
- 2018–2026
- Fuel
- Petrol / Diesel / Plug-in Hybrid
- Economy
- 47 mpg
- Insurance
- Group 23
combined
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 82 · Reliability 48 · Insurance 49 · catalogue percentiles
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class holds its value well and costs about average to run. Its MOT-based reliability is good — an MOT score of 77/100, ahead of 51% of the cars we track. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 82% of models.
The Forecourt score blends how this car ranks against the catalogue on value retention, reliability and insurance cost (weighted 40/40/20) — the from-new ownership picture. Higher is better; running cost is not yet folded in.
Pick your version
Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.
Fuel
Mild Hybrid · 1332cc
Power
136 ps
Drivetrain
FWD
Cam drive
Chain
Quoted MPG
47 mpg
The volume A-Class (W177). 1.3 turbo four (shared with Renault, M282) with 48V mHEV from the facelift. Chain-driven. Posh hatch, ~47 mpg.
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.
Remembered as you browse other cars.
Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.
Estimated market value
How we got this number — click for the breakdown, or to challenge it.£16,400
Range £13,850 – £19,200
medium confidence
Past the steep drop — most of the depreciation is behind it.
At 23,637 miles it’s about the ~28,054 typical for a 3-year-old.
Seen one for sale?
A data-led guide from the depreciation curve, UK parc trend and reliability — not financial advice.
The depreciation curve
How a 2023-registration Mercedes-Benz A-Class loses value over time.
What it costs to own
Based on the 2023 car with 23,637 miles you entered above — worth about £16,400 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 7,879 miles a year.
5-year total
£17,729
Per year
£3,546
All-in per mile
£0.45
Fuel per mile
16.8p
Best age to buy — around 2 years
A 2-year-old example loses roughly £1,800 a year — 73% less than the £6,750 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.
Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.
How it compares
Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.
Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.
Estimated insurance
Group 23 of 50 (mid — around the UK average) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB
Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.
Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39
£738/ year
Roughly £62 per month
Typical
Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.| Age band | Lower risk | Typical | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 17-25 | £1,682 | £2,102 | £2,732 |
| Age 26-32 | £878 | £1,033 | £1,260 |
| Age 33-39Selected | £649 | £738 | £870 |
| Age 40-49 | £551 | £612 | £710 |
| Age 50+ | £491 | £546 | £644 |
How we estimate this
Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.
Expected annual costs
Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).
Routine service
£290
Annual main-dealer service
Major service
£280
Every 2 years, annualised
Road tax
£200
Standard rate, post year-one
Fuel
£645
47 mpg, £1.73/L
Insurance
£738
Age 33-39, group 23
Clean-air zones
⚠ Depends on variantBased on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.
Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).
Unexpected costs
What out-of-warranty repairs typically run, by mileage band. Your selected mileage is highlighted.
0-30k miles
£120
per year · low risk
30-60k miles
£360
per year · low risk
60-100k miles
£780
per year · medium risk
100k+ miles
£1,350
per year · high risk
Tyres
195/65 R15 · 205/55 R16 · 215/45 R17
What a full set of four will cost you (including fit and balance), and which brand each tier of buyer should pick. A typical set lasts about 24,000 miles.
Budget
£300
set of 4, fitted · £60 per tyre
Mid-range
£440
set of 4, fitted · £95 per tyre
Premium
£620
set of 4, fitted · £140 per tyre
What to fit
Optional extras worth paying for
Factory options ranked by how much of their original cost they recover at resale. Anything above 70% return tends to make money back; below 40% is paying for your own enjoyment.
| Option | New cost | Added used value | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
Tow bar (factory-fit) Niche, but the buyers who want one will pay for it. | £650 | £450 | 69% |
Parking sensors & reversing camera Near-expected now — its absence costs more than its presence returns. | £500 | £300 | 60% |
Heated seats / cold-weather pack | £450 | £200 | 44% |
Adaptive / matrix LED headlights | £900 | £400 | 44% |
Metallic or premium paint Almost universal — an unusual colour is the bigger resale risk. | £600 | £200 | 33% |
Panoramic / opening roof | £1,100 | £350 | 32% |
Advanced driver-assistance pack | £1,500 | £450 | 30% |
Larger alloy wheels | £700 | £200 | 29% |
Premium sound system | £800 | £200 | 25% |
What fails at MOT
Recorded in DVSA MOT test data for this model, not owner reports. Ordered against 23,637 miles.
Watch now
Failure typically happens around your current mileage.
Upcoming
Typically happens at a higher mileage than yours.
Already due
Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.
SuspensionUpcoming
Recorded in 11.7% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,791,216 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
Tyres & wheelsUpcoming
Recorded in 7.5% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,791,216 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
BrakesUpcoming
Recorded in 9.5% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,791,216 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
Lighting & signallingUpcoming
Recorded in 8.6% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,791,216 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
Driver's viewUpcoming
Recorded in 4.8% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,791,216 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
Identification & otherUpcoming
Recorded in 3.6% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,791,216 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.
Safety rating
Euro NCAP's independent crash-test rating for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, from its 2018 assessment.
The passenger compartment of the A-Class remained stable in the frontal offset test.
Independent crash-test data from Euro NCAP. Star ratings reflect the test protocol of the year shown — newer protocols are stricter, so a 5-star from 2024 represents a higher bar than a 5-star from 2014. Euro NCAP ratings run for six years from publication; a lapsed rating means the protocol has moved on, not that the car performs any worse than it did on test.
MOT outlook
How this model fares at its MOT as it ages — from 4,476,043 real DVSA test records.
MOT pass rate by age
A 3-year-old A-Class passes its MOT 88.2% of the time; by 25 years that has slipped to 67.2%. The y-axis is zoomed to this model’s range so the trend is readable.
Longevity
From 42,900 vehicles registered in 2018.
Survival by registration year
Each point is one registration cohort. Older cars on the left, newer on the right. A flatter line means the model holds up over time; a steep drop means cohorts disappear from UK roads faster.
What’s on the road
The fuel-type split of every A-Class with MOT history in the DVSA record. From 469,396 vehicles tested at least once - not the number on the road today, which is lower.
- Petrol 44.1%
- Diesel 41.8%
- Hybrid 13.7%
What fails at the first MOT
The defect categories a A-Class registered 2018–2023 fails on at its first MOT, from 97,396 first tests. Every car here is the same age and the same generation, so these are the faults that show up first - not the wear a high-mileage older example collects.
- Tyres & wheels5.0%
- Driver's view1.0%
- Brakes0.9%
- Seat belts & restraints0.8%
- Lighting & signalling0.5%
- Suspension0.3%
Share of first MOT tests recording at least one defect in that category. DVSA test-item categories, not parts: “Driver’s view” covers mirrors, wipers and glass.
Typical mileage by age
The average odometer reading for a A-Class at MOT, by age — measured from the same DVSA records, not assumed. A useful yardstick for whether a given car has done more or fewer miles than its age suggests.
- 3 yr28,054
- 4 yr35,713
- 5 yr43,111
- 6 yr50,372
- 7 yr57,566
- 8 yr64,570
- 9 yr70,994
- 10 yr76,380
- 11 yr80,510
- 12 yr83,222
- 13 yr84,446
- 14 yr85,677
Mean recorded mileage at MOT by vehicle age, from DVSA test records. Ages below three are not shown: the first MOT is due at three years, so the few cars tested earlier are a self-selected minority rather than a representative sample. Ages with at least 10 tests shown.
Reliability
Good
First-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2018 onward (97,396 first tests), with cohort survival — high confidence.
MOT outlook · age 5 years
51st percentile — About catalogue average
Based on 500,496 MOT tests · ranked against 248 catalogue models with comparable data
Where this car sits in the catalogue
Pass-rate distribution across 248 catalogue models
Things owners say
- 01The 7G-DCT dual-clutch auto wants its servicing on schedule - check the history.
- 02MBUX is a highlight, but check all the tech works and software is up to date; early cars had occasional electrical niggles.
- 03Ride can be firm, especially on bigger AMG-line wheels - test drive to be sure it suits you.
Safety recalls
Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.
Check on GOV.UKOpens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.
Theft risk
A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.
Whole-car theft
Around average
Theft risk is around the UK average. Like most modern cars it has keyless entry, so relay theft is the method to guard against.
Parts theft
Higher
Hybrid versions are a catalytic-converter target — a hybrid cat is rich in precious metals and can be cut out in about a minute.
Worth doing
- Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
- A catalytic-converter guard or forensic marking makes a hybrid far less appealing to cut.
Clean-air zones
Whether driving a Mercedes-Benz A-Class into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.
Charging zones for cars
| City | Area | Daily charge | Likely outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | All of Greater London (within the M25) | £12.50 | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Birmingham | Inside the A4540 Middleway | £8.00 | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Bristol | City centre and part of the Portway | £9.00 | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Glasgow | City centre | — | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Edinburgh | City centre | — | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Aberdeen | City centre | — | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Dundee | City centre | — | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
Zones that don't charge private cars
- Bath — City centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
- Bradford — Outer ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
- Sheffield — Inside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
- Newcastle & Gateshead — City centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
- Portsmouth — Part of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).
Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.
Company car tax
What HMRC's Benefit-in-Kind charge looks like if you ran this Mercedes-Benz A-Class as a company car, by tax year and income-tax band. Calculated from a CO₂ of 152 g/km and a WLTP electric range of 51 miles, using £34,000 as the P11D value.
| Tax year | BIK % | Tax @ 20% | Tax @ 40% | Monthly @ 20% | Monthly @ 40% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 35% | £2,380 | £4,760 | £198 | £397 |
| 2026-27 | 36% | £2,448 | £4,896 | £204 | £408 |
| 2027-28 | 37% | £2,516 | £5,032 | £210 | £419 |
| 2028-29 | 37% | £2,516 | £5,032 | £210 | £419 |
| 2029-30 | 37% | £2,516 | £5,032 | £210 | £419 |
P11D value is approximated from the latest new price; the exact figure on your tax code will depend on options fitted. The 4% diesel surcharge applies only to non-RDE2 (pre-2021) diesels — we assume RDE2 compliance for current models. Bands and rates from HMRC's Autumn Budget 2024 confirmation through 2029/30.
Servicing & the dealer network
How well-supported Mercedes-Benz is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.
Franchised UK dealers
~125
Large network
Premium mainstream
Network size relative to the UK's largest (Mercedes-Benz is 2.8% of all franchised outlets)
Servicing, parts and warranty work are easy to find UK-wide, and most independent garages know the brand well — which keeps maintenance competitive.
For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.
Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.
Dimensions & weight
These are segment estimates, not manufacturer figures. 296 of 325 catalogued cars share one of 14 identical dimension sets, so they describe a class rather than this particular car. Sourced figures replace them model by model.
Length
4,300 mm
Width
1,790 mm
Height
1,460 mm
Kerb weight
1,350 kg
Boot
380–1,250 L
Fuel tank
48 L
How many are still out there
How the UK Mercedes-Benz A-Class fleet splits: taxed and on the road, parked off the road on a SORN, and gone from the register where that figure is available.
Currently registered
404,483
Currently taxed & on road
390,426
97% of all registered
SORN (off road)
14,057
3% of all registered
Scrapped or exported
n/a
not in this DfT extract
UK fleet trend — 2014 to 2025
+1.1% vs 2024Source: DfT VEH0124 vehicle licensing statistics (year-end 2025) · Updated 1 Oct 2026
Similar cars
Other hatchback models worth looking at
Same underpinnings
Built on the Mercedes MFA2 platform
Mercedes' front-wheel-drive platform underpinning compact cars and CUVs. Different badges, often substantially different residuals, but broadly the same mechanicals and repair cost profile.
Mercedes Modular Front Architecture 2 · Mercedes-Benz
Common questions
Mercedes-Benz A-Class, answered from the data
- Is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class reliable?
- The Mercedes-Benz A-Class scores 77/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 51% of the cars we track. That score uses first-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2018 onward (97,396 first tests), with cohort survival — high confidence.
- How much does a used Mercedes-Benz A-Class cost?
- A 2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class with around 23,637 miles is worth roughly £16,400 today (typical range £14,800–£18,000). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
- How quickly does the Mercedes-Benz A-Class depreciate?
- A new Mercedes-Benz A-Class typically loses about 33% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
- What insurance group is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?
- The Mercedes-Benz A-Class sits in insurance group 23 of 50 — the middle of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
- What goes wrong on a used Mercedes-Benz A-Class?
- The parts most often recorded at MOT on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class are: suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right); tyres & wheels (typically around over 100k miles, £80-£500 to put right); brakes (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£500 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
- What does the Mercedes-Benz A-Class cost to run?
- Expect around 47 mpg combined on the A180 1.3 mHEV, £200 a year in road tax, about £290 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.
- Is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class ULEZ compliant?
- Whether a Mercedes-Benz A-Class is ULEZ compliant depends on its engine and registration date: petrol from 2006 and diesel from September 2015 generally qualify, and electric versions are always exempt.
- How many Mercedes-Benz A-Classs are on UK roads?
- About 390,426 Mercedes-Benz A-Classs are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.
Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.