Mercedes A-Class review - Reliability and safety
The A-Class gets top marks for safety, but servicing costs are more expensive compared to some rivals
All versions of the A-Class come loaded with safety kit: an active bonnet, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, auto headlights, and a glut of airbags are standard throughout the range. Also included is ‘Mercedes me connect’; an in-built system which not only keeps the driver within easy contact of approved breakdown services, but is also able to contact the emergency services in the event of a serious accident.
The Mercedes A-Class was assessed by Euro NCAP in 2018 and achieved a maximum five-star safety rating. Adult and child occupant protection scored an excellent 96% and 91%, respectively.
The A-Class appears to be solid in terms of reliability, and finished 23rd out of 75 cars in our 2021 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, while Mercedes as a brand finished 13th out of 29 manufacturers.
Warranty
As with other models in the Mercedes range, the A-Class comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty. That’s a match for BMW’s standard warranty, and better than Audi’s which is capped at 60,000 miles over the three year period.
Servicing
Various service plans allow buyers to spread the cost of maintenance over monthly payments. A typical plan costs around £30 per month, guaranteeing the price of parts and labour for up to three services.
Which Is Best
Cheapest
- NameA180 SE 5dr
- Gearbox typeManual
- Price£23,085
Most Economical
- NameA180d [2.0] SE 5dr
- Gearbox typeManual
- Price£24,435
Fastest
- NameA250 AMG Line Executive Edition 5dr Auto
- Gearbox typeSemi-auto
- Price£32,235