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

Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,840Avg. savings £5,643 off RRP*Used from £11,333
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £38,050Avg. savings £3,637 off RRP*Used from £24,990
Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,175Avg. savings £3,411 off RRP*Used from £7,500
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,805Avg. savings £4,879 off RRP*Used from £7,999
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New top-spec Skoda Karoq Sportline Black Edition revealed
New Skoda Karoq Sportline Black Edition - front static

New top-spec Skoda Karoq Sportline Black Edition revealed

Czech brand’s Karoq range-topper has plenty of kit at a very reasonable price
News
4 Sep 2026
Which electric car’s batteries last longest? Global EV study uncovers the truth
Nissan Leaf - front cornering

Which electric car’s batteries last longest? Global EV study uncovers the truth

EV batteries are lasting longer than you might have thought, but charging habits and capacity can have an impact on a battery’s State of Health
News
4 Sep 2026
Axe hangs over SEAT as VW Group bets on Cupra
SEAT Leon - front tracking

Axe hangs over SEAT as VW Group bets on Cupra

The Spanish brand, famous for the Ibiza supermini and founding the sporty Cupra badge, could be “gradually phased out” after 2030
News
4 Sep 2026