Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
Every model year 2016–2027: recalls, owner complaints, NHTSA crash ratings and EPA efficiency side by side, each value traced to the file it came from.
Every Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class model year
Source: NHTSA · EPA · one row per year| Year | Powertrains | Safety | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | Best efficiency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Electric Hybrid | A | 1 | 0 | — | 374 mi | |
| 2026 | Electric Hybrid Gas | A | 1 | 1 | — | 374 mi | |
| 2025 | Hybrid Gas | A | 0 | 1 | — | 30 mpg | |
| 2024 | Hybrid Gas | A | 0 | 2 | — | 30 mpg | |
| 2023 | Gas | A | 1 | 6 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2022 | Gas | A | 0 | 5 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2021 | Gas | C | 6 | 9 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2020 | Gas | F | 13 | 25 | — | 28 mpg | |
| 2019 | Gas | C | 6 | 23 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2018 | Gas | F | 10 | 47 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2017 | Gas | F | 10 | 28 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2016 | Gas | F | 9 | 67 | — | 30 mpg |
Which model year the record favours
Source: recalls and complaints per year on the roadOn the filed record so far, the 2022 is the cleanest CLA-Class year we hold, and the 2017 the one to check hardest.
Both figures are divided by the number of years the car has been on sale, because otherwise the oldest year on the page loses every time simply for having been around longer. The current model year and any year under three on the road are left out: their records are not finished.
What changed year to year
Source: computed from the filed record- 2027: dropped gas; best combined mpg 30 → 33; 7 → 4 EPA configurations
- 2026: added electric; 4 → 7 EPA configurations
- 2024: added hybrid; best combined mpg 29 → 30
- 2021: best combined mpg 28 → 29
- 2020: best combined mpg 29 → 28
- 2017: best combined mpg 30 → 29
Common questions about the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class year is the best used buy?
On the recall record, the 2022 CLA-Class comes out top of the years before the current one: Safety Signal grade A (100/100), 0 recalls and 5 owner complaints on file. That ranks paperwork, not condition — a specific car's history and service record still decide it.
What Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class years should I avoid?
2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 have the weakest recall records in this range. The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists yet. Every CLA-Class model year ranked, with the reasons.
How many recalls does the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class have?
Across model years 2016–2027, NHTSA has posted 57 recall campaigns for the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class. They are counted per model year in the table above, because a campaign almost never covers the whole run — it covers a build range.