Ford C-Max Energi vs Mercedes Benz GLA 250

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure	Ford C-Max Energi	Mercedes Benz GLA 250
Complaints on file	181	448
Model years covered	2013–2017	2014–2026
Worst model year	2013	2015
Best model year	2017	2020
Crashes reported	17	27
Fires reported	5	4
Injuries reported	6	29
Deaths reported	0	0
Most complained-about part	Electrical System	Engine & Cooling
Share of complaints involving harm	15.5%	13.4%

Ford C-Max Energi by year

65 39 20 44 13

13 14 15 16 17

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Electrical System 56 30.9%

Transmission & Drivetrain 18 9.9%

Steering 18 9.9%

Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance 13 7.2%

Body & Structure 12 6.6%

Other & Unspecified 12 6.6%

Engine & Cooling 10 5.5%

Fuel & Propulsion 10 5.5%

Mercedes Benz GLA 250 by year

1 139 72 42 72 46 16 28 5 15 2 6 4

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Engine & Cooling 80 17.9%

Other & Unspecified 63 14.1%

Electrical System 49 10.9%

Transmission & Drivetrain 46 10.3%

Fuel & Propulsion 38 8.5%

Airbags 35 7.8%

Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance 30 6.7%

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 20 4.5%