Mercedes Benz

Mercedes Benz Cla (2015)

7,361 real MOT outcomes analysed • 85.1% first-time pass rate

2015 Mercedes Benz Cla

CarHunch analysed 7,361 real MOT records for the 2015 Mercedes Benz Cla. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Petrol vs Diesel Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA passes its MOT at 85.1%, which is a solid 5 percentage points above the UK average—but nearly half of these cars have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, which is a material concern for a used buyer. Petrol and diesel variants perform similarly (86.0% and 84.5% pass rates respectively), so fuel choice won't meaningfully affect reliability here.

These cars sit at a reasonable 63,289 miles median for their age, yet they rack up 1.49 failures per vehicle on average, suggesting when issues do emerge they're often structural rather than one-off problems. With 8.4 advisories per car, expect routine wear items to need attention—budget for suspension and brake maintenance specifically. Before purchase, run a full service history check and have a pre-buy inspection focus on the cooling system and transmission, as these are common failure points on this generation.

The 2015 Mercedes Benz Cla has a decent first-time pass rate (85.1%), but a higher-than-average share of vehicles have had serious defects recorded — the individual vehicle's history matters a lot here.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.
First-time pass
85.1%
UK average ~80%
Around average
Dangerous (ever)
46.1%
At least once in MOT history
Check this vehicle
Avg failures / car
1.49
Over 9 tests on record
High
Typical mileage
63k
Middle half: 50k–81k
For context
Good baseline reliability. A 85.1% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.
🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 8.4 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.
🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 7,361 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Watch for defects — worth knowing

What tends to go wrong

Across 7,361 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 52.7%
Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · …
Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.
Brake wear 25.6%
Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · …
Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.
Other issues 15.8%
Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt · Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view · Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction
Lighting 10.4%
Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault
Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2015.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 7,361 Mercedes Benz Cla cars.

UK

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 1.5 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

86%
Petrol
2,629 vehicles
84.5%
Diesel
4,732 vehicles

Before you buy a 2015 Mercedes Benz Cla

Based on MOT data from 7,361 vehicles — here's what to check.

  • 📋 Check the full MOT history. 46.1% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
    Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
  • 🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection ClickMechanic
  • 📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History carVertical Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type Vehicles Pass rate Avg failures
Diesel (64%) 4,732 84.5% 1.55
Petrol (36%) 2,629 86% 1.39

Colour Breakdown

Based on 64,873 Mercedes Benz Cla vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 29.6%
19,209
White 27.6%
17,907
Grey 22.2%
14,431
Silver 8%
5,174
Red 6.9%
4,447
Blue 4.5%
2,923
Purple 1.1%
692
Bronze 0.1%
67
Green 0%
10
Gold 0%
8
Brown 0%
5

Mileage Distribution

Most 2015 Mercedes Benz Cla vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

63,289
typical
49,612
low mileage
80,790
high mileage

Half of all 2015 Mercedes Benz Cla vehicles fall between 49,612 and 80,790 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?
Under 49,612 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.
49,612–80,790 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2015 Mercedes Benz Clas sit.
Over 109,066 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2015 Mercedes Benz Cla — Still on the Road

Almost all 2015 Mercedes Benz Clas are still on the road.

Strong survival — 6,437 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 94% of the peak.

6,862 6,437 2018 2025

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2018–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

9
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
1.49
Avg failures per vehicle
8.4
Avg advisories per vehicle
Other model years — Mercedes Benz Cla: All Cla years → Which year to buy? →
2013 2014 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

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Compare with another model

See how the 2015 Mercedes Benz Cla stacks up against a rival.

Watch for defects — worth knowing