Import a Mercedes-Benz A-Class from Japan to Ireland: what it really costs
Japan buys the A-Class as a premium small car and sells it used at prices that undercut Irish dealers by thousands; the same car pays 10% duty coming here.
The A-Class is one of the German cars that fill the import statistics: cheap to buy used in Japan, low in mileage, and familiar to every Irish insurer and buyer. The Japanese market took the A180 as its volume car, with the A250 and the AMG A45 above it and a diesel A200d on the current generation.
Duty is 10% because the car was built in Rastatt or Kecskemét, and VAT is charged on the duty as well. The other thing to watch is the CO2 figure: the older W176 carries an NEDC figure that Revenue uplifts by about 25 g/km before banding, which lifts a 121 g/km car two bands higher than its newer WLTP-rated replacement.
- Customs duty
- 10%
- Built in Germany, so the EU–Japan rate does not apply.
- VRT in the scenarios
- 19.25% to 25%
- of Revenue’s valuation, by CO2 band
- Landed, incl. fee
- €16,851 to €31,165
- across the scenarios and CO2 assumptions
- Exchange rate
- 180.94 ¥/€
- ECB, 18 Sept 2026, with the 2% buffer
Worked scenarios
Computed with the same engine as the calculator when this page was built. Prices and Irish values are assumptions. The right-hand range shows what happens when the CO2 evidence comes back at 125, 136, 150 g/km. Open any row and replace the assumptions with a real car.
| Car | Price in Japan | Irish value | CO2 → band | Landed incl. fee | CO2 125–150 | Open in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 W176 A180 Sports, 50,000 kmPetrol | ¥1,300,000 | €16,000 | 121 NEDC → 146 → band 16, 25% | €18,271 | €16,851–€18,171 | Open |
| 2019 W177 A180 Style, 35,000 kmPetrol | ¥2,100,000 | €24,000 | 133 → band 13, 19.25% | €24,932 | €24,332–€26,312 | Open |
| 2021 W177 A180 AMG Line, 25,000 kmPetrol | ¥2,600,000 | €28,000 | 136 → band 14, 20% | €29,765 | €28,855–€31,165 | Open |
- 2016 W176 A180 Sports, 50,000 km: NEDC 121 g/km from the German type approval, uplifted by Revenue to about 146; value from Irish 2016 listings.
- 2019 W177 A180 Style, 35,000 km: WLTP 133 g/km from the W177 certificate of conformity; value from the Irish 2019 cluster.
- 2021 W177 A180 AMG Line, 25,000 km: A facelift-era car on larger wheels; value an estimate from Irish 2021 listings.
VRT and the OMSP
The W177 A180 bands around 19.25% to 20% on its WLTP figure. The older W176 has an NEDC figure of about 121 g/km that Revenue converts to roughly 146 g/km before banding, which is band 16 at 25%: a newer car can pay a lower rate than an older one, and the older car’s cheaper purchase price does not fully make up for it.
Revenue values A-Classes constantly, so the OMSP is well established and the estimate range is narrow.
NOx levy
Petrol A-Classes certify at around 20 to 30 mg/km, a levy of €100 to €150 with the certificate of conformity figure. The A200d diesel needs its figure evidenced or pays €4,850.
Without evidence Revenue charges €600 for petrol and hybrid cars, €4,850 for diesels.
Customs duty and origin
Built in Germany and Hungary, so the EU–Japan 0% rate does not apply however long the car lived in Japan: 10% customs duty is payable on the customs value, and import VAT is charged on the duty as well as the car. No document from the exporter changes this.
Built in: Germany (Mercedes-Benz Rastatt) and Hungary (Kecskemét). Built in the EU, so the EU–Japan 0% duty rate does not apply; 10% duty is payable.
Insurance
A mainstream car for every Irish insurer; the Japanese-market specification changes nothing they care about. AMG models are rated as performance cars whatever their origin.
Generations
- W176 (2013 to 2018): A180 with the 1.6 turbo petrol, A250 and A45 AMG, NEDC-era CO2 figures that Revenue uplifts before banding.
- W177 (2018 on): A180 with the 1.33 turbo, A250, A200d diesel and the A35 and A45 AMGs, with WLTP figures of about 130 to 140 g/km for the A180.
Before you bid
- Duty is 10% and there is no paperwork that removes it; budget for it and for the VAT on it.
- The NEDC uplift on W176 cars: check the band before assuming the older car is the cheaper import.
- Japanese-market cars run Japanese navigation and voice; the radio needs a band expander or a head-unit swap.
- Dual-clutch gearbox service history on the W176; the 7G-DCT wants its fluid changes.
- Cars from snowy prefectures can carry underbody corrosion from road salt; ask for underside photos or an inspection before bidding.
- Book the NCTS appointment within 7 days of arrival and register within 30, or penalties apply.
Where the numbers come from
- Japanese used prices in 2026 for a 2016 W176 A180 sat roughly between ¥1,100,000 and ¥1,500,000, and for a 2019 W177 A180 between ¥1,900,000 and ¥2,400,000 (research assumption from exporter listings; directional).
- Irish-registered 2019 A180s listed in the mid twenties of thousands of euro in 2026; the values below take the middle of that range (research assumption; directional).
- The A-Class has certificates of conformity with EU figures, so the CO2 and NOx evidence is a document request rather than a disclosure.
Questions people ask
Why does an A-Class from Japan pay duty?
Because duty follows where the car was built. The A-Class is made in Rastatt and Kecskemét, so the EU–Japan agreement’s 0% rate for Japanese-origin goods does not apply and 10% of the customs value is charged, with VAT on top of it.
What VRT band is an A180?
Around 19.25% to 20% for the W177 on its WLTP figure. The older W176 is uplifted from its NEDC figure and lands around 25%.
Is a Japan-sourced A-Class cheaper than an Irish one?
Usually, because the Japanese price is low and the car is clean and low in mileage; the duty and VAT narrow the gap without closing it. Run the exact car through the calculator with the duty in and compare against the Irish price.
Where do the CO2 and NOx figures come from?
From the certificate of conformity for that VIN, which Mercedes-Benz or a specialist can supply. They are not on the Japanese export certificate.
How long does the import take?
Typically 8 to 14 weeks from auction to Irish plates: a week or two in Japan for deregistration and export paperwork, four to six at sea, then customs clearance, the NCTS appointment and registration.
Price a real A-Class
Put a real auction listing into the calculator: hammer price, mileage and the CO2 figure if you have it. You get every cost line and a range, and you can send it to us for sourcing from there.
Other models
Rules version 2026-09-17. Estimates only; VRT is assessed by Revenue at registration. Page computed at build time; the calculator uses the exchange rate of the day.