Showing the 2026 CLA-Class AMG CLA45 S: EPA's AMG CLA45 S 4matic (2.0 L, AWD). Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 18, 2026.
Fuel economy
23 mpgcombined; city 20, highway 28; the AMG CLA45 S
Five years of fuel
$17,500U.S. average; Ohio $16,490 at local prices; the AMG CLA45 S; 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 2026 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 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2026 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
Forward collision avoidance
1
0
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 2026 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.
Seat belts: front
NHTSA campaign 26V278000 · reported May 1, 2026 · 15 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
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.
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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 102 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2026 CLA-Class, the latest on Sep 29, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (64), steering (10), structure (8), visibility/wiper (8), power train (6).
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 2026 CLA-Class.
EPA class: compact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–10 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 (AM8)
Premium Gasoline
22 / 29 / 25
AMG CLA45 S 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 (AM8)
Premium Gasoline
26 / 36 / 30
CLA250 4matic All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM8)
Premium Gasoline
25 / 34 / 29
CLA250 Plus with EQ Tech Rear-Wheel Drive
200 kW ACPM 3-Phase
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 374 miles of range
127 / 124 / 126 MPGe
CLA250 Plus with EQ Tech Rear-Wheel Drive
200 kW ACPM 3-Phase
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 317 miles of range
112 / 105 / 109 MPGe
CLA350 4matic with EQ Tech All-Wheel Drive
81 and 210 kW ACPM 3-Phase
Automatic (A2)
Electricity 312 miles of range
120 / 115 / 118 MPGe
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