Mercedes-Benz GLA 2018: MOT failure rate for its age
11.7% of 66,223 MOT tests of the Mercedes-Benz GLA first registered in 2018 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 106.8 (95% CI 104.4–109.1; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA fails more often than other build years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 11.7 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 66223 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 104.4–109.1) | 106.8 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 66223 |
| Rank among this model's 7 build years | 6 | of 7 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 66223 |
| Tested in 2024 | 16350 | tests | median 43,035 miles | 2024 | 16350 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA fail at each age?
Cars built in 2018 were tested at ages 3 to 6 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 16,893 | 9.8 | 9.4–10.3 | 9.1 | 108.4 |
| 4 | 16,570 | 9.5 | 9–9.9 | 9.5 | 99.8 |
| 5 | 16,410 | 12.5 | 12–13 | 11.5 | 109 |
| 6 | 16,350 | 15.1 | 14.6–15.7 | 13.9 | 108.6 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 66,223 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2018 is tyres: 5.4 items per 100 first tests, against 5.7 across all build years of the Mercedes-Benz GLA. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2018 were tested at ages 3 to 6.
| Failure group | Built 2018, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 5.4 | 5.7 | 3,572 |
| Visibility | 4.2 | 4 | 2,795 |
| Brakes | 2.4 | 2.7 | 1,576 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1,084 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 1.4 | 1.5 | 948 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 66,680 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2018 compare with the years around it?
Among the 7 published build years of the Mercedes-Benz GLA, 2018 ranks 6 (1 = fails least for its age). 2017: index 99.0. 2019: index 112.5.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 92.3 | 89.2–95.5 | better | 20,994 |
| 2015 | 99.4 | 97.2–101.5 | no different | 53,185 |
| 2016 | 101.2 | 99.1–103.3 | no different | 64,239 |
| 2017 | 99.0 | 96.9–101.2 | no different | 67,226 |
| 2018 | 106.8 | 104.4–109.1 | worse | 66,223 |
| 2019 | 112.5 | 109.6–115.5 | worse | 50,982 |
| 2020 | 96.6 | 91.9–101.3 | no different | 18,461 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 341,310 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Mercedes-Benz GLA 2018 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/mercedes-gla/2018/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Mercedes-Benz GLA 2014 · Mercedes-Benz GLA 2015 · Mercedes-Benz GLA 2016 · Mercedes-Benz GLA 2017 · Mercedes-Benz GLA 2019 · Mercedes-Benz GLA 2020 · Mercedes-Benz GLA in Norway · Mercedes-Benz GLA in Finland · Mercedes-Benz GLA in the Netherlands · Mercedes-Benz GLA by postcode area · Mercedes-Benz GLA body, chassis and structure failures · Mercedes-Benz GLA brakes failures · Mercedes-Benz GLA vehicle identification failures · Mercedes-Benz GLA lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mercedes-Benz GLA noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mercedes-Benz GLA road wheels failures · Mercedes-Benz GLA seat belts and airbags failures · Mercedes-Benz GLA steering failures · Mercedes-Benz GLA suspension failures · Mercedes-Benz GLA tyres failures · Mercedes-Benz GLA visibility failures