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Mercedes-Benz GLA: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Mercedes-Benz GLA problems by model year, from 313 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2019 (56%, 15 drivetrain complaints), 2015 (54%, 48 drivetrain complaints) and 2016 (52%, 23 drivetrain complaints). 5 of the 5 Mercedes-Benz GLA years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share.
No Mercedes-Benz GLA year we score is clear of an elevated signal. The lowest is the 2017 (47%).
By raw volume, the 2015 drew the most drivetrain complaints (48 of 121 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
2021, 2022 and 2023 have fewer than 25 complaints on record so far, too few to score. Newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Mercedes-Benz GLA year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 GLA | high | 54% | 48 | 101 | 2/5 | 0 |
| 2016 GLA | high | 52% | 23 | 52 | 3/5 | 0 |
| 2017 GLA | high | 47% | 14 | 34 | 5/5 | 0 |
| 2018 GLA | high | 48% | 21 | 51 | 4/5 | 0 |
| 2019 GLA | high | 56% | 15 | 30 | 1/5 | 0 |
| 2020 GLA | too few to score | – | 5 | 10 | – | 0 |
| 2021 GLA | too few to score | – | 11 | 23 | – | 0 |
| 2022 GLA | too few to score | – | 2 | 4 | – | 0 |
| 2023 GLA | too few to score | – | 4 | 8 | – | 0 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Mercedes-Benz GLA years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
What the free pages leave out on the Mercedes-Benz GLA
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Mercedes-Benz GLA
What are the worst years for the Mercedes-Benz GLA?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Mercedes-Benz GLA years are the 2019 (56% of relevant complaints, high), the 2015 (54% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2016 (52% of relevant complaints, high). 5 of 5 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Mercedes-Benz GLA?
No Mercedes-Benz GLA year we score is below the 33% line. The lowest share is the 2017 (47%).
Does the Mercedes-Benz GLA have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 5 scored years, 121 of 234 relevant NHTSA complaints (52%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Is the Mercedes-Benz GLA reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 5 of 5 Mercedes-Benz GLA years we score have an elevated complaint share and 0 do not. Pooled across those years, 52% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.