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2019 Mercedes-benz CLA
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
51 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (25% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#165 of 444Among the 2019 models with a matured record, the 2019 Mercedes-benz CLA ranks #165, scoring higher than 61% of them. See the 2019 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.
1 open NHTSA defect investigation 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 2019 Mercedes-benz CLA, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Transmission & drivetrain (13) · Fuel system (7) · Airbags (6) · Steering (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
25%13 complaints · 4 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission inadvertently shifted to neutral(N), cau…”
Fuel system
14%7 complaints · 6 in the last 2 years
“My 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 has become unsafe to drive due to strong gasoline fumes filling the cabin. The smell is overwhelming and makes it difficult — and frankly…”
Engine
14%7 complaints · typically near 28k mi · 6 in the last 2 years
“JUST PAID $4,154.67 TO HAVE MY 2019 MERCEDES CLA 250, WITH JUST 46,222 MILES, ENGINE REPAIRED. * REPACE FUEL INJECTOR SEALS/ORINGS $1,462.80 *REPLACE ALL 4 FUEL INJECT…”
Airbags
12%6 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“The emergency braking system keeps coming on every time I go to drive, my car automatically shifts into neutral gear when driving and I have an error message saying th…”
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.
We can place 1 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 51 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 5 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 transmission & drivetrain problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any transmission & drivetrain symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report fuel system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any fuel system 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 2019 Mercedes-benz CLA beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2019? See how every CLA model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2019 Mercedes-benz CLA 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.