Ford Focus vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Figures updated
The Ford Focus and Mercedes-Benz A-Class are two of the UK's most popular family hatchbacks. We compare the Mk4 (2018–2025) Focus and the W177 (2018–) A-Class on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 1,247,011 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Ford Focus for the bigger boot, lower fuel costs and more performance, or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class for the better MOT record.
- The Ford Focus has the biggest boot: 375 litres, 25 more than the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
- The Mercedes-Benz A-Class has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Ford Focus fails its MOT about 7% more often.
- The Ford Focus is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £188 a year less than the Mercedes-Benz A-Class at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the seat belts and airbags on a Mercedes-Benz A-Class: it fails on them 2.7 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Ford FocusMk4 (2018–2025), 5-door hatchback | Mercedes-Benz A-ClassW177 (2018–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | – | £31,870 to £46,175July 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 375 litres / 1,354 (best) | 350 litres / 1,190 |
| Length | 4,382mm | 4,428mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,825mm | 1,796mm |
| Height | 1,471mm | 1,423mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 85–280 PS (best) | 136–218 PS |
| 0–62mph | 5.7–13.5 sec (best) | 7.4–9.2 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2018) | ★★★★★ (2018) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 35.8–70.6 mpg | 31.4–64.2 mpg |
| CO2 | 106–180 g/km | 16–205 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.7p a litre, today's UK average | £1,180 (49.6 mpg) (best) | £1,368 (42.8 mpg) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,054 (64.2 mpg) (best) | £1,148 (58.9 mpg) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,054 (diesel) | £1,148 (diesel) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200£640 in years 2–6 for versions listed over £40,000 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 101Average | 108Above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 31.5% | 21.4% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 11.4% | 10.2% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 17.0% | 15.0% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 34.1% | 29.7% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Position lamp (3.8% of tests) | Tread depth (2.4% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Seat belts and airbags (2.7×) |
| MOT tests analysed | 905,513 | 341,498 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family hatchback | Family hatchback |
| Owners' average miles a year | 8,000 | 8,500 |
| On sale | 2018–2025 | 2018 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Ford Focus or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class more reliable?
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Like for like on age and mileage, the Ford Focus fails its MOT about 7% more often (reliability scores 108 and 101, where 100 is average). 21.4% of Mercedes-Benz A-Classes and 31.5% of Ford Focuses failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Ford Focus or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is 46mm longer (4,428mm against 4,382mm). The Ford Focus has the bigger boot: 375 litres against 350.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Ford Focus or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?
Comparing petrol versions, the Ford Focus costs about £188 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£1,180 against £1,368), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Ford Focus or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?
Euro NCAP gave the Ford Focus 5 stars (2018) and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class 5 stars (2018). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Ford Focus or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?
Pick the Ford Focus for the bigger boot, lower fuel costs and more performance, or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class for the better MOT record. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.