Is the Audi A1 or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class cheaper to buy?

In current stock the Audi A1 starts lower: the Audi A1 is available from £2,995 (median £10,245) and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class from £5,999 (median £10,990).

What are the monthly finance payments on the Audi A1 vs the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?

Illustrative finance starts from £73/mo (HP, 60 months, 17.4% APR) on the Audi A1 and £185/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR) on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. These are examples from cars currently in stock, not offers of finance — the actual rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check.

Which is cheaper to tax, the Audi A1 or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?

The most common annual road tax (VED) across Audi A1 stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class — so the Audi A1 is generally cheaper to tax.

Which is more reliable at MOT, the Audi A1 or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?

Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the Audi A1 averages a 80% first-time pass rate and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class 87% — the Mercedes-Benz A-Class edges it on this measure.

Side by side

Audi A1 vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class

A side-by-side comparison of the used Audi A1 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class — price, real monthly finance, running costs and MOT reliability, all from live UK stock.

Reviewed by the Motoring Today Editorial team · methodology in our editorial standards.

Audi A1 or Mercedes-Benz A-Class — which should I buy?

The Audi A1 starts cheaper (Audi A1 from £2,995, Mercedes-Benz A-Class from £5,999), with illustrative finance from £73/mo and £185/mo respectively. On MOT reliability they score 80% and 87% first-time passes. The full spec, running-cost and deal breakdown is below.

A1 from: £2,995
A-Class from: £5,999
In stock: 4 vs 11

Audi A1 versus Mercedes-Benz A-Class on price, running costs and MOT reliability, from live UK stock. The best value in each row is highlighted.
From live stock	★ Best value overall Audi A1 4 in stock · from £2,995	Mercedes-Benz A-Class 11 in stock · from £5,999
Cheapest in stock	£2,995★ lowest	£5,999
Median price	£10,245★ lower	£10,990
From (per month)Illustrative, from live stock	£73/mo (HP, 60 months, 17.4% APR)★ lower	£185/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR)
Road tax (VED)Typical car in stock	£200/yr	£200/yr
Median mileage	65,822 mi★ lower	71,672 mi
Median year	2018	2018★ newer
Median CO₂	115 g/km	111 g/km★ cleaner
Typical power	123 bhp★ more	114 bhp
Most common fuel	Petrol	Diesel
Most common gearbox	Manual	Automatic
MOT first-time passDVSA history	80%	87%★ more reliable
Great/good deals in stockMotoring Today price rating	2 / 4★ more	3 / 11
	View all 4 A1 →	View all 11 A-Class →

Motoring Today score

Our 0–100 vehicle-intelligence score: reliability is from real DVSA MOT pass rates, the rest from manufacturer specs (MPG/CO₂, insurance group, Euro NCAP, dimensions). Higher is better — the stronger side is highlighted.

Score	Audi A1	Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Overall	70/100	67/100
Reliability	68	60
Running costs	72	80
Safety	—	60
Family & practicality	78	79
Insurance	60	53

A guide, not a guarantee — based on the sample of stock and MOT/spec records we hold for each model.

Specs, side by side

Manufacturer specifications across the Audi A1 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class trim range. The stronger figure is highlighted where there's a clear better/worse direction (dimensions are shown for reference only).

Spec	Audi A1	Mercedes-Benz A-Class
MPG (combined)	39–76 mpg	36–80 mpg
CO₂ emissions	97–168 g/km	17–197 g/km
Insurance group1 (cheapest) – 50	Group 9–38	Group 9–45
Euro NCAP safety	5 stars (2019)	73% pillar avg
0–60mph	5.6s	4.1s
Power	84–227 bhp	75–375 bhp
Seats	5	5
Doors	5	5
Length	3973 mm	4299 mm
Width	1906 mm	1992 mm
Height	1416 mm	1440 mm

How we compare. The “best value overall” column and the cells marked ★ are chosen from live market data, running costs, DVSA MOT history and manufacturer specs — the side that wins the most comparable rows leads. Deal ratings come from the Motoring Today price model. Our methodology →

About the finance figures

Monthly payments shown are illustrative examples drawn from real quotes on cars currently in stock — the exact rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check. They are not an offer of finance and are not a representative example of the total cost of credit.

Motoring Today is a trading style of Motor Genius Group Ltd (FRN 960504), an appointed representative of The Compliance Guys Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 941360).

Motoring Today is a credit broker, not a lender.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Audi A1 or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class cheaper to buy?: In current stock the Audi A1 starts lower: the Audi A1 is available from £2,995 (median £10,245) and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class from £5,999 (median £10,990).
What are the monthly finance payments on the Audi A1 vs the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?: Illustrative finance starts from £73/mo (HP, 60 months, 17.4% APR) on the Audi A1 and £185/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR) on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. These are examples from cars currently in stock, not offers of finance — the actual rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check.
Which is cheaper to tax, the Audi A1 or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?: The most common annual road tax (VED) across Audi A1 stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class — so the Audi A1 is generally cheaper to tax.
Which is more reliable at MOT, the Audi A1 or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?: Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the Audi A1 averages a 80% first-time pass rate and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class 87% — the Mercedes-Benz A-Class edges it on this measure.

Motoring Today score

Specs, side by side

Frequently asked questions

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