Model year 2026 · Compact Cars

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class at 23–30 mpg combined (gas versions) and 109–126 MPGe combined with 312–374 miles of EPA-rated range across 7 versions. NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 1 owner complaint for this model year.

Safety recalls

1

EPA combined mpg

23–30

NHTSA overall rating

—

Recall file dated Oct 28, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 28, 2026, 7:36 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as CLA 250+ (EV), CLA 350 4MATIC (EV).

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Mercedes-Benz dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 1 safety recall for the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, newest first.

Seat belts: Front: Retractor

NHTSA 26V278000 Reported May 1, 2026
Filed by
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Units affected
15 (estimate)
Problem
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2026 CLA 350 4MATIC (EV) and CLA 250+ (EV) vehicles. The front passenger seat belt retractor may have been manufactured with a defect that prevents the deactivation of the child seat safety function (Automatic Locking Retractor). As a result, the seat belt may remain in a locked position and cannot be extended.
Risk
A passenger who is unable to fasten their seat belt is not properly restrained, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the front passenger seat belt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2026. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 8, 2026.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination; electric figures are in MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombElectric rangeFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
AMG CLA35 4matic2.0L 4-cyl turbo hybridAutomatic 8-speedAll-Wheel DrivePremium22/29/25 mpg—$3,300361
AMG CLA45 S 4matic2.0L 4-cyl turboAutomatic 8-speedAll-Wheel DrivePremium20/28/23 mpg—$3,550379
CLA2502.0L 4-cyl turbo hybridAutomatic 8-speedFront-Wheel DrivePremium26/36/30 mpg—$2,750298
CLA250 4matic2.0L 4-cyl turbo hybridAutomatic 8-speedAll-Wheel DrivePremium25/34/29 mpg—$2,850311
CLA250 Plus with EQ TechElectric (200 kW ACPM 3-Phase)Single-speedRear-Wheel DriveElectricity112/105/109 MPGe317 mi
31 kWh/100 mi		$7000
CLA250 Plus with EQ Tech (R22)Electric (200 kW ACPM 3-Phase)Single-speedRear-Wheel DriveElectricity127/124/126 MPGe374 mi
27 kWh/100 mi		$6000
CLA350 4matic with EQ TechElectric (81 and 210 kW ACPM 3-Phase)Automatic 2-speedAll-Wheel DriveElectricity120/115/118 MPGe312 mi
29 kWh/100 mi		$6500

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class crash-test ratings

We did not find NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class (checked Oct 26, 2026). NHTSA does not test every model every year; see nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class owner complaints

Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, most recently on Aug 20, 2026. 0 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Forward collision avoidance: Adaptive cruise control1
Forward collision avoidance: Automatic emergency braking1
Forward collision avoidance: Warnings1

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class model years

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2027 CLA-Class33 mpg · 109–126 MPGe10—
2025 CLA-Class23–30 mpg01—
2024 CLA-Class23–30 mpg02—
2023 CLA-Class23–29 mpg16—
2022 CLA-Class23–29 mpg05—
2021 CLA-Class23–29 mpg69—
2020 CLA-Class23–28 mpg1325—
2019 CLA-Class26–29 mpg623—
2018 CLA-Class26–29 mpg1047—
2017 CLA-Class26–29 mpg1028—
2016 CLA-Class26–30 mpg968—
2015 CLA-Class26–30 mpg764—

All Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2026 Mercedes-Benz models

2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz EQE2026 Mercedes-Benz EQS2026 Mercedes-Benz G-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 28, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Mercedes-Benz.