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Mercedes-Benz GLA 250Model year report

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 Problems

Complaints
18filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
6,600miles, 2 complaints with mileage
Recalls
9campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
28 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 25 city / 34 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 18 consumer complaints for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250. The part named most often is engine, with 5 complaints (28% of the total), followed by electrical system (4) and other or unknown (4). 2 of the complaints include a mileage, and 100% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 6,600 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns and 234 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine complaints overlap with 13 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign and 125 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Forward collision avoidance (1), Body and structure (1), Vehicle speed control (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “I purchased this car approx 3 months after real issues began. My car would have issues idling where it would sometimes turn off at stop lights and require multiple reignition attempts before proceeding. This would also happen when the auto-start feature (anti-idle/gas saving) was engaged (which is the default in the system) and this posed major safety concerns. The unstable idling of the car would result in an initial acceleration after being stopped, shortly followed by the engine dying. …”

NHTSA complaint #11544109, filed 2023-09

Electrical system: “Cowl vent grille openings allowed normal environmental debris to accumulate, plug drainage and divert water onto electrical components and potentially result in a fire if not addressed. Some of the debris passes through into the hvac system and cannot be cleaned without dealer removal/repair of the hvac motor, which costs the customer more than $500 in repairs and disincentivizes mitigation. …”

NHTSA complaint #11743847, filed 2026-06

Other or unknown: “My vehicle has two separate tire inflation placards. There is a placard inside the drivers door recommending 43 PSI (cold) all tires, and another placard inside the fuel door recommending 38 PSI front and 34 PSI rear (cold). Two different tire service centers have confirmed that my tires are wearing out prematurely because of overinflation. My telephone calls to Mercedes USA have been handled poorly because their representatives are poorly training and do not understand the nature of my issue.”

NHTSA complaint #11585806, filed 2024-04

Fuel system: “When coming to a full stop at a red light (or any need to idle at a stop), the car frequently begins to hesitate as if it is about to cut off. I assume it has something to do with the ‘fuel saving feature’ which comes on in the form of a green symbol in the lower left of the odometer display (the engine is still running the AC) . …”

NHTSA complaint #11677929, filed 2025-08

Mileage when problems were reported

100% of the 2 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 2,200 and 11,000 miles.

50%0–1050%10–250%25–500%50–750%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (2 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 6,600 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

20212022420232024202520264
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
GLA250 FWD2.0L 4-cyl8-speed automatic253428$2,950

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 9 recalls for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 234 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 234 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20238—1—28—Too new
2021186,6009—28—Stable
20201143,1005—28—Not enough data
20192950,00011—2730 · FewerRising
20185042,50012—2761 · TypicalRising
20173162,0009—2748 · TypicalRising
20165035,0004—2850 · TypicalRising
20159437,5005—2888 · MoreRising

All Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 have?

NHTSA recorded 18 consumer complaints for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 5 complaints (28% of the total), followed by electrical system with 4.

Has the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 get?

The EPA rates the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 (GLA250, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 28 mpg combined, 25 city and 34 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 reported?

Among the 2 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 6,600 miles and the middle half falls between 2,200 and 11,000 miles; 100% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.