2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA — MOT failures & pass rate
12,911 MOT tests on the 2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA are in this dataset, and 90.4% of them passed. Against small family cars of a similar age (7.9% fail rate), the 2022 CLA comes out 1.7pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 6.5% of tests against 1.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 253 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2022 CLA fails 7.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 10.7% at 90-120k, a spread of only 3.4 points.
The petrol cars hold up better: 9.0% fail against 11.4% for hybrid, a 2.4-point gap across 11,517 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.5% | 845 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.6% | 205 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 187 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.5% | 187 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.8% | 105 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.5% | 62 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 253 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 198 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 172 |
| 4 | Wipers | 133 |
| 5 | Linkage ball joints | 89 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 86 |
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 | 23.5% | 3,038 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.4% | 1,081 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.3% | 681 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.6% | 460 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.4% | 437 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.6% | 83 |
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 | 7,188 | 7.3% |
| 30-60k | 4,938 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 699 | 13.7% |
| 90-120k | 75 | 10.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 8,615 | 9.0% |
| Hybrid | 2,902 | 11.4% |
| Diesel | 1,394 | 9.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 497 | 7.0% |
| 2025 | 12,405 | 9.7% |
What to check before buying a 2022 CLA
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.5% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.5% 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.
- Visibility (1.6% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (1.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2022 Mercedes-Benz CLAs pass their MOT?
90.4% of the 12,911 2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA?
Tyres, recorded in 6.5% of tests, followed by visibility (1.6%).
Does the 2022 CLA get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.3% in the 0-30k band to 10.7% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,911 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.