The 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA is associated with 66 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 9 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Other / Uncategorized, accounting for 8 reports (12% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 4 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 26 to 30 MPG combined. Detailed NHTSA crash-test ratings are not available in the current AutoUtility dataset for this model year. The 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA belongs to the 1st generation (C117) CLA platform spanning model years 2015–2019.

Key Data Findings
  • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 66 reports
  • Safety Recall Campaigns: 9 campaigns
  • Top Reported Defect Area: Other / Uncategorized (8 / 12%)
  • Safety Incident Signals: 5 crash / 1 fire / 4 injury reports
  • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: Not rated by NHTSA
  • EPA Efficiency: 26–30 MPG (4 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
Fuel Economy
26–30MPG
4 EPA certified variants (2l 4-cyl powertrain configurations)
Reported Complaints
66
66 submitted owner reports
Safety Recalls
9
9 official NHTSA recalls
NCAP Safety Rating
Not rated by NHTSA

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
CLA250 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 26 MPG 37 MPG 30 MPG $2,550 / yr
CLA250 4matic 2L 4-Cyl 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 24 MPG 32 MPG 27 MPG $2,800 / yr
CLA250 4matic 2L 4-Cyl 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 24 MPG 32 MPG 27 MPG $2,800 / yr
AMG CLA45 4matic 2L 4-Cyl 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 23 MPG 30 MPG 26 MPG $2,900 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NHTSA 5-Star NCAP laboratory crash evaluations are not currently on file for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA.

Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Not Specified and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Not Specified in official NHTSA records for tested 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA models.
View complete 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA?

Summary of 66 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
66
Crash Reports
5
Fire Reports
1
Complaints w/ Injury
4
Total Injuries
4

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Air Bags 7 complaints (1 crash)
Engine 6 complaints
Structure & Body 4 complaints
Fuel & Propulsion System 3 complaints
Powertrain 3 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA problems & component breakdown (35 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #23V854000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

Defect Summary: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014-2020 C-Class, CLA, GLA, S-Class, GLC, and GLE vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair, allowing the front panel to detach from the vehicle.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will replace the front panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 2, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on, March 22,2024, and August 2, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-197.
NHTSA Campaign #21V197000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

Defect Summary: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 C300 Coupe, C43 Coupe AMG, C43 AMG, 2015-2020 C300, GLA250, 2016-2018 C350e, CLA45 Coupe AMG, 2015 C400, S65 AMG, 2015-2019 C63 AMG, 2016 C450, 2015-2016 GLA45 AMG, S600, 2016-2020 GLC300, 2017-2019 GLC43 AMG, GLE43 Coupe AMG, 2014-2019 CLA250 Coupe, 2014-2015 CLA45 AMG, 2018 GLC63 AMG, 2014-2017 S550, 2018-2020 S450, 2016-2019 GLE63 Coupe AMG, 2016 GLE450 Coupe, 2014-2020 S63 AMG, 2018-2019 S560, and 2019 GLC350e vehicles equipped with a panoramic sunroof. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Mercedes-Benz dealer will remove the bonded panel and will install a new front panel by following the detailed repair instructions and using the approved primer, cleaner and adhesive, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021 and October 26, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA Campaign #21V058000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Defect Summary: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the Part 573 report for specific vehicle model details. The software design of the communication module may fail to communicate the correct vehicle location for the emergency call system (eCall) in the event of a crash.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021020025.
View all 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA recalls & campaign history (9 campaigns) →
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.