Model Year Index

Which Mercedes-Benz GLA years to avoid

Across 6 scored model years, the 2015 and 2019 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Mercedes-Benz GLA Full report
F
Grade 2015–2021
2015 vs model median 2.4×
Model median3× median
Airbags & Restraints 8
Engine 6
Electrical 6
Avoid

2015 · 2019

Best

2016 · 2017

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2015
2.44× 49 F
2016
0.36× 12 B
2017
0.73× 18 C
2018
0.98× 16 C
2019
1.26× 20 D
2021
1.01× 21 C
2023 P
0.73× 15 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2015 F 49 reports · median 17,150 mi

  1. Airbags & Restraints 8

    I had two mva accidents (february 1 and march 16, 2016) in this vehicle within~ 3 months of ownership. The accidents occurred when I slowed down this vehicle under 10-15mph. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 6

    The contact owns a 2015 mercedes benz GLA250. While driving approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 6

    Vehicle on side street near home...suddenly chugs, and slows to a crawl will not accelerate...all lights come on dashboard..also engine light... owner complaint filed with NHTSA

9 crash · 18 injuries

2019 D 20 reports

  1. Drivetrain 3

    The vehicle with only 29,775 miles on it, and I bought it new, made a knocking noise in the brakes and the brake pedal jumped up and down at first stop sign when I left my house. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Driver Assist 3

    I bought this car at end of june, dealership never disclosed information that car had an active recall… I looked it up on NHTSA and sure enough I need a sim card for emergency service, the site says it will be done over… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Airbags & Restraints 2

    The contact was leasing the 2019 mercedes benz GLA250. The contact stated that while stopped she attempted to shift to park however, the vehicle shifted into reverse as she crashed into an unknown object. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

6 crash · 4 injuries

The best year for the GLA

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2016 is the best-scoring GLA model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 80.1 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2016 0.36× 12 B
2017 0.73× 18 C
2021 1.01× 21 C

Recalls

23 campaigns on record.

Treat that as a minimum. NHTSA's lookup does not answer to this model's published name, so its campaigns are collected one trim at a time and the list may be short of the full count.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
21V058000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2017–2021 1,292,258
17V627000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL 2015–2018 495,290
21V354000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2021 343,191
26V481000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LOCK 2021, 2023 310,667
17V114000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY 2017 307,629
22V365000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2019, 2021 242,722
22V232000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION 2021 126,443
23V732000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS 2021 42,742
19V787000 COMMUNICATION 2015, 2016 24,226
21V197000 STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS 2015, 2016 15,096
21V229000 STEERING 2017, 2018 4,992
19V585000 SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER 2018, 2019 3,435

+ 11 further campaigns

Recall work is free at any franchised dealer, whoever owns the car and however old it is. Check a specific car’s VIN on NHTSA’s register before you buy — an unrepaired campaign is among the most commonly missed items on a used vehicle.

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2015 were reported at a median of 17,150 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Mercedes-Benz GLA years should you avoid?
2015, 2019 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Mercedes-Benz GLA model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Mercedes-Benz GLA?
2016 is the best-scoring Mercedes-Benz GLA model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 80.1 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Mercedes-Benz GLA have?
At least 23 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Mercedes-Benz GLA model years — a minimum, because NHTSA's lookup does not answer to this model's published name and its campaigns have to be collected one trim at a time. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2015 GLA
Complaints in window
49
Severity-weighted
80.5
Model median (weighted)
33
vs model median
2.44×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
5
Open investigations
1
Score 23.2 F