Mercedes-Benz A-Class insurance group & cost

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a sleek and sophisticated vehicle, sometimes affectionately referred to as the ‘Baby Benz’.

First manufactured in 1997, this car model is now in its fourth generation, which is incredibly popular on the UK roads, with over 53,000 of them registered in 2019.

In this guide, we look at Mercedes-Benz car insurance costs and how you could save on your premiums.

Mercedes-Benz A-class insurance groups

Vehicles in the UK are categorised into insurance groups by model, ranging from group 1 (the cheapest) to group 50 (the most expensive), which partly determine the cost of your premium.

Mercedes-Benz A-class models range from insurance groups 17 to 37, so the cost of insurance can vary quite a bit.

However, the insurance group isn’t the only factor determining the cost of your car insurance; one of the most important other factors is your age. The younger you are, the more risk you represent to insurers, and the more you’re likely to pay for insurance.

That’s why, in the table below, we show you the insurance group for each Mercedes-Benz A-class model and also the likely cost at a few different ages.

• How we got these rates

  These rates are based on the average cost of cover for cars in the insurance groups shown, for drivers of different ages with a Newcastle (NE1) postcode, which our research suggests represents an average for insurance rates in the UK. Updated: March 2021 (source: Quotezone)

How much does it cost to insure a Mercedes-Benz A-class?

To give you an idea of how much it could cost you to insure your Mercedes A-Class, we ran a number of quotes to find an average figure. Our results estimated that, on average, you could insure your Mercedes A-Class with a comprehensive policy for monthly payments of £63.66, or an annual payment of £681.44.

• How we got this rate

  We generated these quotes using the following assumptions.
  The vehicle is/has:

  • 2018 model
  • Manual transmission
  • 1.2 litre petrol engine
  • Factory fitted alarm system
  • Not modified
  • Used for social, domestic and commuting purposes
  • 10,000 mileage per year
  • Parked in a work car park during the day
  • Parked on a driveway at night

  The driver is/has:

  • A 30-year-old, single teacher living in London
  • A homeowner
  • 5 years no claims discount
  • No driving or other convictions in the last 5 years

What other factors affect my Mercedes-Benz A-class insurance rate?

We’ve covered insurance groups and age. Here are some of the other factors that affect your insurance premium costs:

• Your age, marital status, job and where you live
• Your credit history
• Your car’s safety rating, security and any anti-theft precautions
• Annual mileage
• Your driving history and activity
• No claims discount

How can I save on my Mercedes A-Class premiums?

When searching for car insurance, you’ll want to find the best deal for a price that’s within your budget. We’ve uncovered some tricks you can try to lower the cost of your premium: take a look below.

• Pay annually rather than monthly. It might be scary to part with a large sum of money in one go, but if you’re able to pay annually you can save an average of £82.48 a year.
• Limit your car usage (where possible) Occasionally deciding to walk or get public transport, rather than using your car, can help to save on your premiums.
• Don’t just accept your renewal quote. When it’s time for renewal, it’s worth investing a couple of hours to shop around: there may be cheaper options out there.
• Install extra safety precautions. The safer your vehicle is, the lower your premium is likely to be.

Is a Mercedes-Benz A-class cheap to insure?

Finder insurance expert Danny Butler answers

Let’s say you’re doing everything you can from the list above: you’re driving less, you’re paying annually, you’re shopping around for insurance quotes. Does that mean you’ll find a Mercedes-Benz A-class cheap to insure?

The short answer is no: as the Mercedes A-class is a more expensive car, it won’t be cheap to insure.

The longer answer is that, as with any make of car, the cost of your insurance will depend on many things, including the model you go for and which insurance group it’s in. Mercedes-Benz A-class models range from insurance groups 17 to 37, so none of them have the cheapest insurance costs on the market; but you can look for models in lower insurance groups to keep your costs down.

One factor affecting insurance groups is engine size. The size of engine in an A-class varies depending on the model you choose, with some models having smaller engines (like the 1.3 base petrol engine), and some going up to a 2.0 engine of varying strengths. You can also choose between petrol and diesel engines, with different levels of performance.

Finally, the safer your car is, the lower your premium is likely to be.

How safe is Mercedes A-Class?

When tested by Euro NCAP in 2018, the Mercedes A-Class was awarded a 5/5 rating for safety. It was given an excellent score of 93% for adult occupant safety, and scored an impressive 86% for safety assist due to its standard safety features.

As mentioned earlier on, the safer your car is, the less of a risk it is for companies to insure. The Mercedes A-Class could be a great investment for lower premiums due to its safety features. As standard, it comes with basic features such as a Seat Belt reminder, as well as ESC, or electronic stability control, to help keep your car gripped to the road. It has speed assistance to help make sure you travel at the legal speed limit, lane-keeping assist to stop you drifting, and a reversing camera to prevent any accidental bumps.

Even more impressively, the Mercedes A-Class comes with Active Brake Assist, which warns you if the distance in front of your car is insufficient, and can alert you audibly if it detects a collision. In addition, it can brake for you or increase your braking in the event of an emergency, helping you come to a quicker stop.

There are a selection of extra safety measures that are optional to the Mercedes A-Class, such as front and rear parking sensors, that you may wish to consider.

Bottom line

If you’re the owner of an A-Class, you’ll no doubt want to keep your premiums down.

With the lowest insurance group for an A-Class model starting at group 17, it’s important not to take the easy option of auto-renewing your car insurance. Chances are, you’ll pay over the odds. Do a little research and compare deals to find the right cover for you at a price that you’re happy with.

Frequently asked questions

• Is a Mercedes A Class cheap to run?

  While luxury cars tend to have higher maintenance costs, keeping a Mercedes is not as pricey as some other high end vehicles.

  Of course, this does depend on the spec and model you choose. For example, petrol cars are usually high on running cost and low on maintenance cost, whereas diesel cars are low on running cost and high on maintenance.

  Another way to keep running costs down is to strictly follow the maintenance chart mentioned in the manual of your Mercedes A class and keep to the recommended servicing schedule.

• How long do Mercedes A class last?

  Mercedes cars are built to last and, as long as it’s properly maintained, a Mercedes A class should serve its owner for 30 or more years without a major overhaul.

• What is the top speed of the Mercedes A Class?

  Depending on the model, a Mercedes A class vehicle can do up to 149 mph.

• Is a Mercedes-Benz A-class a good first car?

  Even the cheapest of the Mercedes A-class models is not really cheap, so buying this car as a newer driver might not be the best idea. Don’t forget that younger drivers already pay more for their insurance, which could be exacerbated if you go for a car in one of the more expensive insurance classes.

• Is the Mercedes-Benz A-class being phased out?

  Yes, although not just yet: the Mercedes-Benz A-Class will end production in 2025.

• Does the Mercedes-Benz A-class use a lot of fuel?

  It depends on the model: the A180d and A200d are recognised as being particularly economical with fuel.