Item: Used Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2013 - 2018
Rating: 2
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a3/hatchback/used-review/n17405">Audi A3</a> is one of our very favourite family cars. It has a range of punchy yet economical engines, a high-quality interior and an excellent infotainment system, but above all, it's&nbsp;great to drive.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/used-review/n798">BMW 1 Series</a> gives you all the equipment you could want, never mind need, and it’s surprisingly cheap to run. It’s not the roomiest family car, but it’s good to drive and comes with&nbsp;a class-leading infotainment system.

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

<h3 dir="ltr">Insecure seat backrest</h3>

Vehicles built between 18 June 2013 and 25 July 2013 had a problem with the driver and passenger seats on cars fitted&nbsp;with AMG seats. In the event of a side impact, the backrests may come loose and therefore&nbsp;compromise safety.

<h3 dir="ltr">Oil leak</h3>

On certain diesel models built between 1 February 2014 and 30 November 2014, there’s an O-ring that can let oil leak out, damaging&nbsp;the environment&nbsp;or, in a worst-case scenario, resulting in the engine running low on oil and causing&nbsp;internal damage.

<h3 dir="ltr">Loss of drive</h3>

The driveshaft might detach from the wheel hub on examples manufactured up to 30 June 2013, causing a sudden loss in drive. The braking and steering will still be operational for you&nbsp;to steer the vehicle to safety if this does happen, though.

<h3 dir="ltr">Front passenger airbag</h3>

Due to an issue with the installation of fuses on some A-Class models&nbsp;made between 8 September 2014 and 7 November 2014, the front passenger airbag might not deploy in an accident. This also affects the instrument cluster and windscreen wiper operation.

<h3 dir="ltr">Camshaft failure</h3>

There’s a possibility that the camshaft in the engine could break on cars constructed between 16 July 2015 and 11 September 2015. This would result in an immediate loss of power and potentially lots of damage to the internal components of the engine.

<h3 dir="ltr">Risk of fire</h3>

The high-pressure fuel lines on some vehicles built from 28 November 2015 and 19 November 2015 can break, because some weren't made to specification. Over time, this can get worse, with poorer fuel economy and the potential for an engine fire if the fuel finds an ignition source.

<h3 dir="ltr">Dual-clutch gearbox failure</h3>

A poor weld of a component inside the gearbox of cars that were built between 1 October 2015 and 19 November 2015 and came equipped with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox&nbsp;can either crack or fail. This can lead to the car going into limp home mode or losing drive completely.

<h3 dir="ltr">Front passenger airbag</h3>

Another front passenger airbag recall, this time for examples built between 31 July 2016 and 20 March 2017;&nbsp;there&nbsp;was an issue with the airbag igniter that could inflate the bag only partially&nbsp;or not at all.

<h3 dir="ltr">Potential electrical fire</h3>

In the unlikely event that the engine seizes up on vehicles produced between 1 February 2014 and 28 February 2017 and the driver continues to try to start the car, the high current limiter going to the starter motor could overheat and potentially cause a fire.

<h3 dir="ltr">Brake booster failure</h3>

There’s a risk that a vacuum line connection from the brake booster could snap, resulting in a loss of&nbsp;all boost assistance to the brakes. This means that the driver will have to apply additional pressure to the brake pedal in order to stop.

Unfortunately, Mercedes-Benz as a brand didn’t do particularly well in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, ranking&nbsp;26th out of 31 manufacturers. The A-Class didn’t do very well in the family car category, either. In a class of 27, it was the petrol versions that did best, managing&nbsp;19th place, while diesel models were a few places south of that, in 25th.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2018-what-car-reliability-survey/n17798">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;pages for more information.

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Hatchback

Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Jaguar and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is probably the most comfortable for a long motorway journey.

MERCEDES-BENZ

A CLASS

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class certainly looks the part, but its hard ride and disappointing refinement count against it

Used Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2013 - 2018

The good news is the official economy of the A180d diesel is astounding, with a claimed NEDC combined figure of 80.7mpg, equating to&nbsp;CO2 emissions of just 89g/km. Even the A200d can average 65.7mpg, while the swift A220d actually betters that,&nbsp;with 68.9mpg and 107g/km of CO2 emissions, although this is dependant on trim. Best of the petrols is the A160, at a claimed 52.3mpg and 124g/km, while the worst is the A250, which gets just 41.5mpg and spits out 158g/km of CO2.

Tax for cars registered before 1 April 2017 varies&nbsp;considerably depending on CO2 output, with the A180d actually being exempt. Any&nbsp;car registered after that date will pay the flat rate of £140, although owners of the&nbsp;AMG A45 hot hatch should note that if their car cost more than £40,000 new, there will be a surcharge of £310.

Insurance groups range from a reasonable 13 for the lower-powered variants up to&nbsp;45 for the ultra-fast AMG&nbsp;A45.

Servicing costs for the A-Class are some of the most expensive in the class, and replacement parts are equally pricey. At least there's a pay-monthly service plan available to spread the cost of cars&nbsp;that are less than 12 months old. Such plans can be had for as little as £29 per month&nbsp;and guarantee the cost of parts required and labour for up to three services.&nbsp;If you’re buying an older car, you might&nbsp;want to look for a cheaper independent specialist.

Page 2 of 5

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class certainly looks the part, but its hard ride and disappointing refinement count against it 


A high-mileage or Cat D 2013 A-Class can be bought for around £7500, but if you’re after one with an average mileage for the year, as well as a full service history, you’d be better off looking in the £9500-£10,500 bracket. Up the money to between £11,500 and £13,000 for a later 2015 car that satisfies the same criteria&nbsp;or spend £15,000 to £18,000 to get a 2017 or 2018 car&nbsp;from a reputable dealer.

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We’d keep things simple on the engine front and try to seek out an A180, which is a more refined choice than the diesels, if not so economical. If you’re planning on doing lots of miles, go with the A180d, but you’ll have to put up with its unruly engine tone.

As far as trim goes, we’d go for entry-level&nbsp;SE, since it provides the most comfortable suspension set-up of the range and&nbsp;a good selection of standard goodies. If you’re lucky, it might come with some useful options added, too.

Our favourite Mercedes-Benz A-Class: A180 SE

<h3>Page 4 of 5</h3>

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of practical space </li> <li>Low running costs </li> <li>A comfortable ride </li> <li>A healthy equipment list </li> <li>Quality materials and thoughtful touches inside </li> <li>Rock-solid reliability</li></ul>

Family cars arguably have the toughest brief of all: they have to be good at pretty much everything. They’re used as the daily drive, on the school run or work commute (often both), and have to be able to cope with a family’s clutter on weekends and holidays.

The Skoda Scala is a relative newcomer, but it's&nbsp;already carved out a name for itself in this segment.&nbsp;If you're looking for a moderately priced car that combines a supple ride, neat handling, a spacious interior and a capacious boot&nbsp;it's well worth a look.&nbsp;Alternatively, if you're looking for entertaining handling then the&nbsp;BMW 1 Series may well be for you. It's great to drive, rides well&nbsp;and also comes with a top-notch interior, featuring one of our very favourite infotainment systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Toyota Corolla&nbsp;is another great choice. This latest version of one of the world's best-selling cars of all time can be had with a choice of two different petrol-electric hybrid engines, both of which should mean&nbsp;potentially lower fuel bills. It's comfortable, well equipped and should be very reliable, too.&nbsp;

Family

The A-Class is quite long for a family car and the seating position is low, with awkward visibility out of the rear. With that in mind, check the extremities of the car carefully for any dents or dings. Also check the alloy wheels for any kerb damage. Make sure the rear seats fold as they should&nbsp;and that the tailgate opens and shuts properly. It’s worth checking any electrical equipment on board as well to make sure it all works.

Innovation is no guarantee of sales success. Despite the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/used-review/n477"> first</a> and<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/used-review/n476"> second</a> iterations&nbsp;of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class being very safe and space-efficient, with their clever ‘sandwich’ floor layout, neither was a smash hit. Meanwhile, rivals like the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a3/hatchback/used-review/n17405"> Audi A3</a> and<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/used-review/n798"> BMW 1 Series</a> were lapping up buyers looking for a family car with a premium badge and a sporty image.

So, a radical rethink was in order. The third generation A-Class, launched in 2013, was longer, lower and infinitely more stylish, while conforming to the class norm, unlike its upright and stubby predecessors.

It offered a choice of four petrol engines –&nbsp;two 1.6-litre units&nbsp;and two 2.0-litre units –&nbsp;and three diesels:&nbsp;a 1.5-litre unit and two 2.1-litre units.&nbsp;The diesels offer the best blend of performance and economy, but their refinement units isn’t great&nbsp;compared with rivals'. The petrols are definitely smoother, and the higher-powered versions are much quicker, but at the expense of needing significantly more juice.

There are also five trims to choose from, with the entry-level SE models coming with 16in alloy wheels, comfort suspension, cruise control and a rear-view camera, while inside there's a 7.0in infotainment display, complete with Garmin sat-nav and smartphone integration, including Apple CarPlay. Sport trim gets bigger alloys, automatic wipers, an 8.0in infotainment screen and climate control. AMG Line gets&nbsp;you an aggressive bodykit, sports seats and a sports steering wheel, while full-blown AMG adds LED headlights, lowered sports suspension and heated front seats.

The A-Class grips well and feels flat and stable –&nbsp;a stark contrast to the preceding models. What really lets it down, though, is the quality of its ride, which is unnecessarily firm. Over broken British roads, it can be unyieldingly uncomfortable and noisy, with bumps both large and small sending shock waves through the body. AMG versions&nbsp;are even firmer,&nbsp;and&nbsp;as such definitely best avoided.

The&nbsp;interior is of unalloyed sportiness. The firm seats grip you securely&nbsp;and the driving position is low and fairly adjustable to suit all sizes. However, there’s not a great deal of space up front.

The impression given by the style of the dashboard and surroundings gives the A-Class a distinctly classy feel, even if &nbsp;the quality of materials don’t stand up to the plushness of the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/audi"> Audi</a> A3 upon&nbsp;closer inspection.

Space in the rear is in rather short supply, with limited head room and three people abreast being an uncomfortable squeeze that could be endured only for short journeys. Perhaps surprisingly, the boot is a good size, especially with the rear seats dropped, but access to it through the narrow aperture limits what you load&nbsp;into it.

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Used Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2013 - 2018 review

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Alternatives

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