Skip advert
Advertisement

Used Mercedes GLA (Mk1, 2013-2020) review - What do owners think?

Owners are fairly pleased Mercedes GLA's reliability and build quality

After a dip in quality in the nineties and early noughties, Mercedes once again produces some of the more reliable cars you can buy.

That being said, in our 2021 Driver Power satisfaction survey, Mercedes ranked 13th out of 29 brands in our manufacturer poll, which isn't particularly indicative of a highly reliable marque. Indeed, Mercedes finished lower than premium rivals such as Jaguar, Lexus, Porsche and Volvo. However, owners reported more issues with cars built by Audi and BMW.

Reliability

Although the GLA didn’t get into the 2017 or 2018 Driver Power satisfaction surveys, the third-generation A-Class did. It finished 69th in 2017, beaten by the Audi Q3 (13th), Kia Sportage (12th) and Volvo XC60 (ninth). Owners rated the A-Class’s running costs and reliability, but not its engine, gearbox and safety kit. A year later it finished 56th out of 75 cars, with 11 per cent of owners finding a fault within the first year of owning their A-Class.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Toyota Yaris Cross
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £10,400Avg. savings £6,895 off RRP*Used from £9,399
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £10,500Avg. savings £2,285 off RRP*Used from £6,105
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £11,960Avg. savings £3,710 off RRP*Used from £10,950
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

EV drivers brace for £1 per kWh charging prices as standing charges skyrocket
Fiat 500 connected to a Gridserve rapid charger

EV drivers brace for £1 per kWh charging prices as standing charges skyrocket

A new impact assessment of operator standing charges estimates the cost of plugging in could exceed £1 per kWh before VAT and running costs are even c…
News
12 Nov 2026
Car Deal of the Day: Popular Jaecoo 7 hits a new low at £222 a month
Jaecoo 7 - front action

Car Deal of the Day: Popular Jaecoo 7 hits a new low at £222 a month

The Jaecoo 7 has taken the UK by storm – and it’s easy to see why at these prices. It’s our Deal of the Day for 11 November.
News
11 Nov 2026
New BMW X5 40 xDrive M Sport review: the iX5 is better in every way
BMW X5 40 xDrive - front tracking

New BMW X5 40 xDrive M Sport review: the iX5 is better in every way

We get an early taste of the new BMW X5 ahead of its official arrival
Road tests
11 Nov 2026