Mercedes-Benz CLA running costs and reliability

Item: Mercedes-Benz CLA (2019 onwards)
Rating: 4

2019 onwards (change model)

Running costs rating: 4 out of 54.0

Mercedes-Benz CLA review on Parkers.co.uk

Mercedes CLA review - rear, blue, driving

Mercedes CLA review - front, blue, driving round corner

Mercedes CLA review - front, blue, driving

Mercedes-Benz CLA (2020) rear view, driving

Mercedes CLA review - rear, blue, driving round corner

Mercedes CLA review - interior, dashboard, steering wheel

Mercedes CLA review - interior, rear seats

Mercedes CLA review - front interior from passenger side

Mercedes CLA review - interior, front seats

Written by Jake Groves and CJ Hubbard Published: 22 April 2025

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	5.4 - 7.1 mpp
Diesel engines	6.7 - 7.2 mpp
Plug-in hybrid petrol engines *	6.2 - 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	36.7 - 48.7 mpg
Diesel engines	52.3 - 56.5 mpg
Plug-in hybrid petrol engines *	42.2 - 47.1 mpg

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

View mpg & specs for any version

Petrol engines are very efficient
Diesel best for long-distance fuel economy
Plug-in hybrid the most tax-efficient

What are the running costs?

The CLA delivers fuel economy in the 40s at the upper end for all of its petrol variants, depending on wheel size and driving style.

The newest version – the plug-in hybrid CLA 250e delivers between 256.8-313.9mpg and a battery-only range of 44-47 miles in official testing, and as long as you keep it charged up regularly, it will certainly make those numbers.

Unsurprisingly, the diesel is by far the most economical of the traditional cars on paper, but we’ve found the petrols can return some impressive economy figures if the car’s onboard computer can be trusted, with over 50mpg managed for the CLA 200 in particular.

To find out more, see our Mercedes CLA specs pages.

Servicing and warranty

Servicing intervals for the CLA 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 CLA comes with a comprehensive three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, 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

Based on the A-Class hatchback
Lots of safety recalls
Still, owners tend to rate them

The previous-generation model’s reliability record was far from exemplary – but if the current CLA owner reviews uploaded to the Parkers website are anything to go by, this one’s looking a little better with a decent all-round rating of four out of five stars. That said, the car has been subject to a number of official safety recalls. Hopefully, the 2023 refresh has taken care of some of the teething build-quality problems

We have experienced technical glitches with CLA models we’ve had on test, usually related to the vast amount of there’s onboard technology. If your dealer requests you visit for a software update, we recommend you take them up on it.