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2018 Mercedes-benz GLA
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
49 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Complaints are still coming in strong late in this car's life, a chronic-problem pattern, not early teething.
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#112 of 389Among the 2018 models with a matured record, the 2018 Mercedes-benz GLA ranks #112, scoring higher than 69% of them. See the 2018 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
2 open NHTSA defect investigations on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2018 Mercedes-benz GLA, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (10) · Engine (10) · Fuel system (6) · Transmission & drivetrain (6)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Electrical system
20%10 complaints · 5 in the last 2 years
“The instrument cluster would fail intermittently, the speedometer would be my accurate speed, and then suddenly 0. Same for RPMs, gas, etc. Then after a period of time…”
Engine
20%10 complaints · 6 in the last 2 years
“Why is the Crankcase Ventilation System P052E Code (PCV) covered in most Mercedes models, but not the GLA? This is an expensive repair that seems to cover other cars b…”
Fuel system
12%6 complaints · 5 in the last 2 years
“Crankcase Vent Valve needs replaced. Causes jumps in acceleration and pressure build up. Was a recall in other models. Took to a dealer today to confirm the check engi…”
Transmission & drivetrain
12%6 complaints · 4 in the last 2 years
“Rear differential is faulty. This is the second time it has failed. The first time was in October 2021 the mileage was 44,812 and it was repaired. More recently it was…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 49 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 4 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Mercedes-benz before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2018 Mercedes-benz GLA beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2018? See how every GLA model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Mercedes-benz GLA against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.