Mercedes-Benz A-Class vs MINI Hatch
A side-by-side comparison of the used Mercedes-Benz A-Class and MINI Hatch — 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.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class or MINI Hatch — which should I buy?
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class starts cheaper (Mercedes-Benz A-Class from £5,999, MINI Hatch from £5,999), with illustrative finance from £185/mo and £145/mo respectively. On MOT reliability they score 87% and 93% first-time passes. The full spec, running-cost and deal breakdown is below.
- A-Class from
- £5,999
- Hatch from
- £5,999
- In stock
- 11 vs 27
| From live stock | Mercedes-Benz A-Class 11 in stock · from £5,999 | ★ Best value overall MINI Hatch 27 in stock · from £5,999 |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest in stock | £5,999 | £5,999 |
| Median price | £10,990★ lower | £11,195 |
| From (per month)Illustrative, from live stock | £185/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR) | £145/mo (HP, 60 months, 16.9% APR)★ lower |
| Road tax (VED)Typical car in stock | £200/yr | £200/yr |
| Median mileage | 71,672 mi | 46,554 mi★ lower |
| Median year | 2018 | 2019★ newer |
| Median CO₂ | 111 g/km★ cleaner | 124 g/km |
| Typical power | 114 bhp | 134 bhp★ more |
| Most common fuel | Diesel | Petrol |
| Most common gearbox | Automatic | Manual |
| MOT first-time passDVSA history | 87% | 93%★ more reliable |
| Great/good deals in stockMotoring Today price rating | 3 / 11 | 10 / 27★ more |
| View all 11 A-Class → | View all 27 Hatch → |
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 | Mercedes-Benz A-Class | MINI Hatch |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 67/100 | — |
| Reliability | 60 | 40 |
| Running costs | 80 | — |
| Safety | 60 | — |
| Family & practicality | 79 | — |
| Insurance | 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 Mercedes-Benz A-Class and MINI Hatch trim range. The stronger figure is highlighted where there's a clear better/worse direction (dimensions are shown for reference only).
| Spec | Mercedes-Benz A-Class | MINI Hatch |
|---|---|---|
| MPG (combined) | 36–80 mpg | — |
| CO₂ emissions | 17–197 g/km | — |
| Insurance group1 (cheapest) – 50 | Group 9–45 | — |
| Euro NCAP safety | 73% pillar avg | — |
| 0–60mph | 4.1s | — |
| Power | 75–375 bhp | — |
| Seats | 5 | — |
| Doors | 5 | — |
| Length | 4299 mm | — |
| Width | 1992 mm | — |
| Height | 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 Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the MINI Hatch cheaper to buy?
- In current stock the Mercedes-Benz A-Class starts lower: the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is available from £5,999 (median £10,990) and the MINI Hatch from £5,999 (median £11,195).
- What are the monthly finance payments on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class vs the MINI Hatch?
- Illustrative finance starts from £185/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR) on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and £145/mo (HP, 60 months, 16.9% APR) on the MINI Hatch. 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 Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the MINI Hatch?
- The most common annual road tax (VED) across Mercedes-Benz A-Class stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the MINI Hatch — so the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is generally cheaper to tax.
- Which is more reliable at MOT, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the MINI Hatch?
- Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class averages a 87% first-time pass rate and the MINI Hatch 93% — the MINI Hatch edges it on this measure.