2021 Mercedes-Benz Amg A 35 + 4Matic Ed A — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 608 MOT tests, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Amg A 35 + 4Matic Ed A recorded an 89.5% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (8.7% fail rate), the 2021 Amg A 35 + 4Matic Ed A comes out 1.9pp worse. Failures cluster in road wheels, tyres and other defects.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — road wheels (5.1%) and tyres (4.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are registration plates, headlamp aim and tread depth — registration plates alone was recorded 7 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Road wheels | 5.1% | 31 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 28 |
| 3 | Other defects | 0.8% | 5 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 5 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.7% | 4 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.5% | 3 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registration plates | 7 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 6 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 5 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 2 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 2 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 2 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 21.9% | 133 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.1% | 31 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.6% | 22 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.3% | 20 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.1% | 13 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 9 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 412 | 8.5% |
| 30-60k | 190 | 15.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 308 | 11.4% |
| 2025 | 299 | 9.7% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Amg A 35 + 4Matic Ed A
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: road wheels accounted for 5.1% of tests. Start there.
- Road wheels (5.1% of tests): Damaged or corroded wheels, missing/loose fixings — generally a moderate fix. Typical repair: £80–£250.
- Tyres (4.6% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Other defects (0.8% of tests): Miscellaneous items not in the main categories. Typical repair: varies.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2021 Mercedes-Benz Amg A 35 + 4Matic Ed As pass their MOT?
89.5% of the 608 2021 Mercedes-Benz Amg A 35 + 4Matic Ed A MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Amg A 35 + 4Matic Ed A?
Road wheels, recorded in 5.1% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2021 Amg A 35 + 4Matic Ed A get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.5% in the 0-30k band to 15.3% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 608 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.