Is the Audi A5 more reliable than the Mercedes-Benz CLA?

Yes, by a large margin. The A5's standing is good and the CLA's is mixed. Owners filed 2.9 complaints per 10,000 A5s sold, compared with 46 per 10,000 CLAs. The CLA's reports also include more severe failures, such as highway stalls, fires, and a transmission slipping into neutral.

Which has more recalls, the A5 or the CLA?

The CLA, by far. Federal recall records show 606 recalls across seven CLA model years and 16 across eight A5 model years. If you shop for a CLA, confirm that every recall repair was completed, because some owners reported repairs delayed by missing parts.

What goes wrong most often on the Audi A5?

Electrical trouble leads, with 47 complaints. The typical report describes an instrument panel that blinks, then goes dark, and a dealer that must wait on parts. Smaller groups cover tire tread separation, steering assist cutting out, and Pre-Sense braking hard with no real threat.

Is the Mercedes-Benz CLA engine reliable?

It is a weak spot, with 175 engine complaints. The most common is a crankcase ventilation failure with code P052E, which brings a check engine light and a repair quote around $2,000. More severe reports describe a cracked piston, a failed cylinder head, and an engine replacement just past 50,000 miles.

Which model years of the A5 and CLA should I avoid?

For the A5, the weakest years are 2020 and 2021. For the CLA, they are 2022 and 2024. The A5's 2023 and the CLA's 2020 rank among their stronger years. The newest 2026 cars rank well, but they have had little time to collect complaints.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz CLA: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Audi A5

Good

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mixed

The Audi A5 beats the Mercedes-Benz CLA on reliability by a wide margin. Owners filed far fewer complaints, and recalls are far fewer too. The gap is stark: 2.9 complaints per 10,000 A5s sold, against 46 for the CLA, which also has stalls and fires on record.

How Do the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz CLA Generations Compare?

Second-generation A5 cars (RE9) cover US model years 2018 through 2024, with a refresh in 2022. The third generation (RE10) began with the 2025 model year, so those cars have little complaint history yet. Most used shoppers will be choosing between pre-refresh 2018 to 2021 cars and refreshed 2022 to 2024 cars. For the CLA, the first generation (C117) covered US model years 2013 through 2019, with a facelift in 2017. The second generation (C118) started in 2019 and ran through 2023, with a facelift in 2023. A 2018 CLA is a late first-generation car, while a 2019 or later is second generation.

Verdict

The Audi A5 is more reliable than the Mercedes-Benz CLA, scoring 76/100 vs 48/100.

Reliability favors the A5, and the gap is large. Owners filed far fewer complaints per car sold, and federal recall records show 16 recalls across its model years against 606 for the CLA. The deciding difference is severity. CLA reports include highway stalls, fires, and a transmission slipping into neutral, while the A5's biggest category is a failing instrument panel. The A5's standing is good. The CLA's is mixed.

Key Differences

1Audi A5 has 590 fewer total recalls
2Audi A5 has 43.1 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Audi A5 scores 28 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

3Audi A5

—

0Mercedes-Benz CLA

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz CLA: Which Is More Reliable?

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz CLA at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Audi A5	Mercedes-Benz CLA
Reliability Score	76/100	48/100
Years Tracked	8	7
Total Recalls	16	606
Complaints per 10k Sold	2.9	46
Year Wins	6	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz CLA?

Instrument panel trouble leads the A5's list: the display flickers and goes dark, taking the speedometer and warning lights with it. Smaller groups cover tire tread separation and Pre-Sense braking with no real threat. The CLA's list is heavier: highway stalls after 48V battery warnings, fires, a transmission slipping into neutral at 70 mph, and sunroof glass that shatters. Crash-linked filings separate them. The CLA has them in electrical, power train, and steering. The A5 has one, in steering, from a rear suspension failure. Some CLA electrical and structure filings name other Mercedes models.

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz CLA common problem areas comparison
Component	Audi A5	Mercedes-Benz CLA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.5Low	6.2Average
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.5Very Low	4.1Average
ENGINE	0.1Very Low	4.5Average
POWER TRAIN	—None	3Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	2.2Low
STRUCTURE	—None	1.4Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	0.9Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	1Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	1Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	—None	0.9Very Low
TIRES	0.1Very Low	0.6Very Low
WHEELS	—None	0.6Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	0.4Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	0.3Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	0.2Very Low
SEAT BELTS	—None	0.1Very Low
SEATS	—None	0.1Very Low

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz CLA Reliability Compare by Year?

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz CLA year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Audi A5	Mercedes-Benz CLA	Edge
2026	82/1000R / 0C	64/1000R / 0C	Audi A5
2022	74/1003R / 5C	38/10076R / 272C	Audi A5
2021	71/1005R / 7C	45/100149R / 318C	Audi A5
2020	70/1005R / 60C	56/10062R / 110C	Audi A5
2019	73/1003R / 12C	44/100196R / 523C	Audi A5
2018	77/1000R / 6C	46/100115R / 529C	Audi A5

Best years to cross-shop: The 2018 Audi A5 scored 77/100 and the 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA scored 56/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Audi A5 vs the Mercedes-Benz CLA?

If you want the lower chance of a surprise failure, choose the A5. Target 2023, which stands among the stronger years, and be wary of 2020 and 2021, the weakest. A 2026 car looks good on paper, but it has had little time to collect complaints. On a test drive, watch the instrument panel and ask about tire history. Check how the Pre-Sense braking behaves in a left turn. Choose the CLA only if its compact size or price matters more than risk, and go in with a plan. Look at 2020, a stronger year, and avoid 2022 and 2024, the weakest. Ask for proof that recall repairs were done, since some owners waited on parts. Have a shop scan for the crankcase ventilation code P052E, which owners were quoted around $2,000 to fix. Inspect the panoramic sunroof and its roof panel for loose edges or wind noise.

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz CLA: Common Questions

Is the Audi A5 more reliable than the Mercedes-Benz CLA?: Yes, by a large margin. The A5's standing is good and the CLA's is mixed. Owners filed 2.9 complaints per 10,000 A5s sold, compared with 46 per 10,000 CLAs. The CLA's reports also include more severe failures, such as highway stalls, fires, and a transmission slipping into neutral.
Which has more recalls, the A5 or the CLA?: The CLA, by far. Federal recall records show 606 recalls across seven CLA model years and 16 across eight A5 model years. If you shop for a CLA, confirm that every recall repair was completed, because some owners reported repairs delayed by missing parts.
What goes wrong most often on the Audi A5?: Electrical trouble leads, with 47 complaints. The typical report describes an instrument panel that blinks, then goes dark, and a dealer that must wait on parts. Smaller groups cover tire tread separation, steering assist cutting out, and Pre-Sense braking hard with no real threat.
Is the Mercedes-Benz CLA engine reliable?: It is a weak spot, with 175 engine complaints. The most common is a crankcase ventilation failure with code P052E, which brings a check engine light and a repair quote around $2,000. More severe reports describe a cracked piston, a failed cylinder head, and an engine replacement just past 50,000 miles.
Which model years of the A5 and CLA should I avoid?: For the A5, the weakest years are 2020 and 2021. For the CLA, they are 2022 and 2024. The A5's 2023 and the CLA's 2020 rank among their stronger years. The newest 2026 cars rank well, but they have had little time to collect complaints.

More Audi A5 comparisons

Audi A5 vs BMW 4 Series reliability Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz C-Class reliability Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class reliability Audi A5 vs Audi e-tron GT reliability Audi A5 reliability by year Audi A5 years to avoid

More Mercedes-Benz CLA comparisons

Mercedes-Benz CLA vs Audi A4 reliability Mercedes-Benz CLA vs BMW 3 Series reliability Mercedes-Benz CLA vs Lexus IS reliability Mercedes-Benz CLA vs Tesla Model 3 reliability Mercedes-Benz CLA reliability by year Mercedes-Benz CLA years to avoid

Decided between Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz CLA? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz CLA

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

See incorrect data? Report an issue