Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 18, 2026.
Fuel economy
23–29 mpgcombined; city 20–25, highway 28–36; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$13,880–$17,500U.S. average; Ohio $13,070–$16,490 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2023 CLA-Class. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 CLA-Class. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Unknown or other
3
0
0
0
Air bags
1
1
0
2
Electrical system
1
0
0
0
Engine
1
0
0
0
Steering
1
1
0
0
What the columns count
Complaints: complaints that name that part. One complaint can name several parts, so the rows overlap and don't add up to the total.
Crashes and Fires: complaints that report one. Two owners can file about the same event, and NHTSA doesn't link them, so these count reports, not events.
Injuries: the number of people the complaints say were injured.
None of these columns shows that a part caused a crash, fire or injury: they're what owners reported, unverified.
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2023 CLA-Class over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Tires
NHTSA campaign 23V232000 · reported Mar 31, 2023 · 3 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6373. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023040004.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023 AMG CLA 45 vehicles. The tires may leak air.
Risk: A sudden loss of air pressure from a tire may cause a loss of vehicle control while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 209 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2023 CLA-Class, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (108), engine (25), power train (19), structure (16), steering (12).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2023 CLA-Class.
EPA class: compact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
AMG CLA35 4matic All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM7)
Premium Gasoline
21 / 29 / 24
AMG CLA45 4matic All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM8)
Premium Gasoline
20 / 28 / 23
CLA250 Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM7)
Premium Gasoline
25 / 36 / 29
CLA250 4matic All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM7)
Premium Gasoline
24 / 33 / 27
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data