Mercedes-Benz A-Class running costs and reliability

Item: Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2018 onwards)
Rating: 3.5
Author: Tom Wiltshire

2018 onwards (change model)

Running costs rating: 3.5 out of 53.5

Written by Tom Wiltshire Updated: 31 January 2024

Miles per pound (mpp) ⓘ

Low figures relate to the least economical version; high to the most economical. Based on WLTP combined fuel economy for versions of this car made since September 2017 only, and typical current fuel or electricity costs.

Petrol engines	5.2 - 7.1 mpp
Diesel engines	5.6 - 8.2 mpp
Plug-in hybrid petrol engines *	6.1 - 6.9 mpp

* Fuel economy of the engine when operating without assistance from the electric motor and battery.

What is miles per pound?

Fuel economy ⓘ

Low figures relate to the least economical version; high to the most economical. Based on WLTP combined fuel economy for versions of this car made since September 2017 only.

Petrol engines	35.8 - 48.7 mpg
Diesel engines	44.1 - 64.2 mpg
Plug-in hybrid petrol engines *	41.5 - 47.1 mpg

* Fuel economy of the engine when operating without assistance from the electric motor and battery.

View mpg & specs for any version

Diesel offers the best fuel economy
Don’t ignore the petrols, though
PHEV only available on the saloon

What are the running costs?

Fuel economy is a strong point of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class range. All the engine options provide strong economy numbers, with the exception of the two AMG models – but that’s really not the point of them.

Both mild hybrid petrol examples return the same claimed mpg – up to 48.7mpg on the WLTP cycle. In our experience that’s more likely to be a steady 40mpg, depending on how you drive it. The long gearing of the automatic ‘box does help with motorway economy, and a gentle run may see you exceed the claimed figure.

The diesel is likely to be the best motorway performer, though, with a claimed fuel economy figure of 57.6mpg. That’ll be significantly lower on short runs, making one of the petrols the better option for those who do mixed mileage.

The best company car option was the previously-available plug-in hybrid, but that’s now limited exclusively to the A-Class Saloon.

View detailed MPG and CO2 figures on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class specs pages

Servicing and warranty

Servicing intervals for the A-Class are every 12 months or 15,500 miles – whichever comes sooner. A range of service packs are available, and can be passed on if the vehicle is sold to a new owner.

Every new A-Class comes with a comprehensive three-year, unlimited mileage warranty from the manufacturer, along with three years’ roadside assistance. Compared with up to 10 years offered by rivals, Mercedes-Benz’s warranty is beginning to look off-the pace.

Reliability

Owners seem far from impressed with quality and reliability
No recalls listed for pre-facelift models
Plenty of advanced kit, which could eventually be costly to fix

The overall quality and reliability of the A-Class seem to be a bit of an issue. The previous-generation A-Class’s reliability record was far from exemplary – and if the range of Parkers owners’ reviews for this car is anything to go by, history seems to be repeating itself, with a very modest rating and a fair amount of negative feedback.

It will be worth keeping an eye on the fancy interior as time goes on, however, as the array of high-tech components offering plenty of potential for things to go wrong.