2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA 1.3L Petrol · LL72 OFC

A single clean pass with no advisories or advisories of any kind represents the strongest possible roadworthiness signal available from an MOT history, and this 2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA has achieved exactly that on its most recent examination dated 23 September 2025. With only one test recorded so far in its life and no defects, failures, or even minor advisories logged against the vehicle, the official DVSA record provides no negative indicators at all. For a prospective buyer this is reassuring, though it is worth remembering that a single clean test is a snapshot at roughly three years of age, and the true picture of long-term durability in Mercedes chassis components, particularly the suspension and underbody, will only emerge as the car accumulates further mileage and reaches the four and five-year testing thresholds where corrosion-related advisories typically begin to surface on this marque. The recorded mileage of 19,795 miles against an age of approximately four years equates to an annual accumulation rate of around 4,949 miles, which is notably below the UK average and points to either genuinely light usage or extended periods of standing between journeys. Low annual mileage of this nature tends to preserve high-wear consumables such as brake pads, discs, and clutch friction material, but it can introduce its own concerns around ageing of less-obvious items such as rubber components, brake fluid, and underbody protective coatings that degrade through time rather than use. Standing periods can also lead to brake disc surface corrosion, which usually self-cleans on driving but is worth confirming does not produce any persistent judder under braking. The lack of any mileage gaps between the first registration and the September 2025 test, where a single MOT was required as the vehicle first became testable in its fourth year, suggests the car has not been off the road for prolonged stretches requiring a re-application for test. Although the MOT record itself flags no specific components, a prospective buyer inspecting this CLA should still conduct a targeted physical evaluation of the areas most likely to develop wear on a Mercedes-Benz of this generation regardless of mileage. On a test drive, listen carefully for any knocking or clonking from the front suspension over uneven surfaces, particularly from the lower control arm bushes and anti-roll bar drop links, which are known to deteriorate on these chassis. Feel for any vagueness or knocking through the steering rack on full lock manoeuvres and check for uneven tyre wear on the inner edges, which can indicate worn suspension geometry. Visually inspect the underside, paying particular attention to the brake pipes, subframe mounting points, and any evidence of oil seepage from the engine sump or turbocharger oil feed lines, as Mercedes four-cylinder units can develop minor leaks that have not yet reached the threshold of an MOT failure. Given the very clean MOT profile and low mileage, a pre-purchase inspection by an independent Mercedes-Benz specialist or a main dealer would be money well spent, focusing on a diagnostic scan for any stored fault codes in the transmission control module, AdBlue system, and central electronics, none of which would necessarily be visible on a standard MOT. The brake fluid should be checked for age and moisture content regardless of mileage, as fluid degradation is time rather than distance dependent on a car that has covered only modest annual miles. Confirm that the service history is fully stamped and that the most recent service included a replacement of the cabin and engine air filters, along with a fresh oil and filter, to ensure that the long intervals between services have not stretched beyond recommended tolerances.