Is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the Vauxhall Corsa cheaper to buy?

In current stock the Vauxhall Corsa starts lower: the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is available from £6,567 (median £13,147) and the Vauxhall Corsa from £5,476 (median £7,545).

What are the monthly finance payments on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class vs the Vauxhall Corsa?

Illustrative finance starts from £209/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR) on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and £132/mo (HP, 60 months, 16.9% APR) on the Vauxhall Corsa. 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 Vauxhall Corsa?

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

Which is more reliable at MOT, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the Vauxhall Corsa?

Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class averages a 47% first-time pass rate and the Vauxhall Corsa 29% — the Mercedes-Benz A-Class edges it on this measure.

Side by side

Mercedes-Benz A-Class vs Vauxhall Corsa

A side-by-side comparison of the used Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Vauxhall Corsa — 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 Vauxhall Corsa — which should I buy?

The Vauxhall Corsa starts cheaper (Mercedes-Benz A-Class from £6,567, Vauxhall Corsa from £5,476), with illustrative finance from £209/mo and £132/mo respectively. On MOT reliability they score 47% and 29% first-time passes. The full spec, running-cost and deal breakdown is below.

A-Class from: £6,567
Corsa from: £5,476
In stock: 10 vs 12

Mercedes-Benz A-Class versus Vauxhall Corsa on price, running costs and MOT reliability, from live UK stock. The best value in each row is highlighted.
From live stock	Mercedes-Benz A-Class 10 in stock · from £6,567	★ Best value overall Vauxhall Corsa 12 in stock · from £5,476
Cheapest in stock	£6,567	£5,476★ lowest
Median price	£13,147	£7,545★ lower
From (per month)Illustrative, from live stock	£209/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR)	£132/mo (HP, 60 months, 16.9% APR)★ lower
Road tax (VED)Typical car in stock	£200/yr	£200/yr
Median mileage	51,259 mi	42,822 mi★ lower
Median year	2018	2020★ newer
Median CO₂	125 g/km	119 g/km★ cleaner
Typical power	154 bhp★ more	94 bhp
Most common fuel	Petrol	Petrol
Most common gearbox	Automatic	Manual
MOT first-time passDVSA history	47%★ more reliable	29%
Great/good deals in stockMotoring Today price rating	4 / 10★ more	3 / 12
	View all 10 A-Class →	View all 12 Corsa →

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	Vauxhall Corsa
Overall	67/100	63/100
Reliability	60	40
Running costs	80	76
Safety	60	60
Family & practicality	79	75
Insurance	53	70

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 Vauxhall Corsa 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	Vauxhall Corsa
MPG (combined)	36–80 mpg	35–85 mpg
CO₂ emissions	17–197 g/km	88–190 g/km
Insurance group1 (cheapest) – 50	Group 9–45	Group 1–34
Euro NCAP safety	73% pillar avg	73% pillar avg
0–60mph	4.1s	6.5s
Power	75–375 bhp	59–204 bhp
Seats	5	5
Doors	5	5
Length	4299 mm	3999 mm
Width	1992 mm	1944 mm
Height	1440 mm	1488 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 Vauxhall Corsa cheaper to buy?: In current stock the Vauxhall Corsa starts lower: the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is available from £6,567 (median £13,147) and the Vauxhall Corsa from £5,476 (median £7,545).
What are the monthly finance payments on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class vs the Vauxhall Corsa?: Illustrative finance starts from £209/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR) on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and £132/mo (HP, 60 months, 16.9% APR) on the Vauxhall Corsa. 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 Vauxhall Corsa?: The most common annual road tax (VED) across Mercedes-Benz A-Class stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the Vauxhall Corsa — so the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is generally cheaper to tax.
Which is more reliable at MOT, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the Vauxhall Corsa?: Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class averages a 47% first-time pass rate and the Vauxhall Corsa 29% — the Mercedes-Benz A-Class edges it on this measure.

Motoring Today score

Specs, side by side

Frequently asked questions

Explore these models