Mercedes CLA review - Reliability and Safety
Reliability and safety are largely untested, but the CLA is packed with clever safety kit
The CLA is closely related to the A-Class hatchback and as such comes fully loaded with safety kit. All cars get autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, a driver attention monitor and cruise control as standard, with traffic sign recognition, parking assistance and blind spot assistance added as you climb the range. The optional Driving Assistance pack can be added to AMG Line Premium Plus cars and costs around £1,500, adding a full suite of up-to-date active safety and driver assistance systems, adding features like adaptive cruise, lane-change assist and evasive steering assistance. Euro NCAP is yet to test the latest A-Class in any form, but it’s safe to assume that you’ll be well protected if the worst happens.
The latest A-Class did not feature in our 2019 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey; Mercedes itself achieved a fairly disappointing 26th-place finish, with owners enjoying interior design, quality and infotainment but feeling let down by running costs and noisy engines. The latter isn’t an issue in the very refined CLA, however. Of those surveyed, 24 per cent reported experiencing a fault with their Mercedes. For comparison’s sake, BMW finished just one place ahead overall in 25th, with 22.3 per cent of owners reporting having experienced a fault with their car.
Warranty
As with every new Mercedes, the CLA comes with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and roadside assistance that’s valid across Europe. This matches those offered by Audi and BMW.
Servicing
Mercedes offers flexible servicing payment options on all its cars under the ServiceCare banner. As with many other manufacturer schemes, this allows you to spread the cost of servicing over monthly payments, or pay for all your car’s servicing requirements in one go. Mercedes’ scheme is comprehensive and can be customised depending on your car’s use and mileage.
