Mercedes A-Class review - Reliability and safety

All versions of the A-Class come loaded with safety kit: an active bonnet, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), 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 per cent, respectively.

The A-Class finished 39th on our list of the best cars to own based on owners' feedback from the 2023 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey. The premium hatchback also received a 93.77 per cent score for reliability. However, Mercedes as a brand finished a disappointing 25th (out of 32) in the best car manufacturers rankings – behind Jaguar and BMW.

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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.