Blame it on Janis Joplin, but ever since she sang Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz, people have been praying for the promised perfection of the German autobahn-tested luxury ride. Few could afford it until recently, but Mercedes–tired of selling exclusively to the upper classes–started building cars for middle-income people in recent years. The Mercedes CLA 250 is the company’s most accessible result. And Mercedes is finding out what other automakers have long known: when you build cheaper cars they come out kind of, well, cheaper.
Still it’s a surprise to see Mercedes Benz on Consumer Reports’ list of least reliable vehicles. Even more so when you consider what Consumer Reports calls a “raft of problems, including squeaks and rattles; engine issues, bad audio and electrical problems.” Squeaks and rattles!?! Janis would be so disappointed. But at $29,900, you could maybe overlook it. It’s a Mercedes, after all.