2022 Mercedes-Benz CLA 1.3L Petrol · N60 LAH

A clean pass on the most recent test dated 3 March 2026, with no advisories or defects recorded, gives an immediately favourable impression of this CLA's current roadworthiness. The broader picture, however, carries a couple of blemishes worth weighing. In February 2026 the vehicle failed on a Major defect concerning the offside rear passenger door which could not be opened from outside, and that same February 2025 visit produced a fail on both headlamps being aimed too high. These were rectified ahead of retest within days on both occasions, which means the underlying issues are not necessarily chronic, but the recurrence of items being flagged on consecutive test cycles points to a car that has needed active attention rather than passing without comment every year. With just over 23,400 miles recorded across four years, the annual accumulation works out at roughly 5,800 miles per year, which is low for the age and class of vehicle. Such modest usage can keep wear items such as brake discs, tyres, clutches and suspension components in relatively good condition simply through limited duty cycles, but it can equally allow issues related to standing time to develop, including seized brake caliper pistons, dried damper fluid, perished rubber bushes and underbody corrosion from road salts and moisture not being regularly washed off. The mileage progression is also worth scrutinising on the V5 and at the dashboard, as low recorded figures can sometimes mask inconsistent use or extended lay-ups. Any extended period the car was off the road between tests could be particularly relevant given the door mechanism fault, since interior and exterior latch components can stick or seize when a vehicle is left unused. Because the door fault recorded was specifically a Major on the offside rear passenger door external release, a prospective buyer should physically test all four doors from both inside and outside on a level surface, listening for any sticking, sluggishness or resistance in the handle mechanism. The latch, cable and exterior handle assembly should be inspected for broken or displaced components, and any warning on the instrument cluster relating to door status should be investigated. On the headlamp aim issue, both headlamps were found to be too high, suggesting the adjustment mechanism may have been knocked or tampered with rather than a single unit failing. A road test should be carried out at night, or at minimum against a flat wall, to confirm the beam pattern sits below the horizontal cut-off and does not dazzle oncoming traffic, and the adjuster wheels should turn smoothly without free play. Given the low mileage, attention should also turn to components that suffer from standing rather than wear. Brake discs should be inspected for surface rust that has not been cleaned off through use, calipers for binding pistons when the pedal is released, and the handbrake mechanism for seized cables. Suspension should be tested over speed humps and uneven surfaces with the windows down, listening for clonks from bushes or top mounts, and the bodywork, sills and wheel arches should be examined closely for early corrosion, as low-mileage cars stored outside or driven only on salted winter roads can still develop subframe and brake-line surface rust. Finally, a thorough diagnostic scan is advisable, as Mercedes-Benz systems can record intermittent faults in modules such as the central locking, lighting control and suspension that do not always illuminate a dashboard warning but may relate to the door and headlamp issues previously flagged.