Verdict
Mercedes-Benz cars and vans pass their MOT first time on 75.9% of tests, against 71.4% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. That beats 74% of cars on UK roads and ranks Mercedes-Benz 8th of 40 makes, well ahead of mainstream makes such as Ford and Vauxhall, though behind Porsche and Lexus.
The SL-Class does best, beating 99% of cars, followed by the S-Class (97%), the older GL-Class (96%), the GLE-Class (94%) and the GLC-Class (90%); the GLA-Class beats 80%. Of the three most tested models, the E-Class beats 87%, the C-Class 75% and the A-Class 62%. The CLC-Class beats only 36%, and the electric EQC just 18%.
The vans vary, partly from commercial use: the Sprinter beats 74% of cars, level with the make as a whole, but the Vito beats 47% and the Citan only 4%, the Mercedes to check most carefully.
Mercedes-Benz vehicles fail on body and structure and on steering about half as often as a typical car, and on lights and electrics and visibility items more than a third less often. Tyres fail a little more often than typical, on about 1 in 14 tests, and wheels about 1.7 times as often, though on fewer than 1 in 100 tests. The EQC has no exhaust emissions test, which flatters it a little, and the MOT does not test its battery or motor: ask for a battery health report.
Where it fails
Every Mercedes-Benz compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Mercedes-Benz models
Models with 20,000+ MOT tests, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate. Light vans are included and tend to grade lower, partly from hard commercial use.
| Model first registered | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| C-Class 1994–2022 | 74.2% | Beats 75% | B |
| A-Class 1999–2023 | 77.9% | Beats 62% | B |
| E-Class 1994–2022 | 77.7% | Beats 87% | A |
| Vito 1998–2023 | 65.2% | Beats 47% | C |
| B-Class 2005–2021 | 73.6% | Beats 62% | B |
| GLA-Class 2014–2023 | 85.9% | Beats 80% | A |
| SLK-Class 1997–2016 | 73.3% | Beats 80% | B |
| GLC-Class 2015–2022 | 87.6% | Beats 90% | A |
| CLA-Class 2013–2023 | 81.5% | Beats 62% | B |
| ML-Class 1999–2015 | 70.3% | Beats 84% | A |
| CLK-Class 1998–2009 | 61.4% | Beats 69% | B |
| CLS-Class 2005–2019 | 74.0% | Beats 81% | A |
| S-Class 1999–2022 | 80.8% | Beats 97% | A |
| GLE-Class 2015–2023 | 87.9% | Beats 94% | A |
| SL-Class 1994–2019 | 82.2% | Beats 99% | A |
| Citan 2013–2021 | 63.8% | Beats 4% | E |
| Sprinter 1998–2019 | 69.8% | Beats 74% | B |
| CLC-Class 2008–2011 | 57.3% | Beats 36% | D |
| V-Class 2002–2022 | 82.2% | Beats 79% | B |
| SLC-Class 2016–2020 | 87.2% | Beats 65% | B |
| Viano 2004–2015 | 65.9% | Beats 68% | B |
| EQC 2020–2023 | 83.4% | Beats 18% | E |
| GLB-Class 2020–2023 | 89.7% | Beats 83% | A |
| GL-Class 2007–2016 | 78.9% | Beats 96% | A |
| 300 1986–1993 | 75.7% | Beats 87% | A |
FAQ
What is the Mercedes-Benz MOT pass rate?
75.9% of Mercedes-Benz MOT tests were passed first time, from 12.8 million tests. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 71.4%, so Mercedes-Benz is above average.
Are Mercedes-Benz cars reliable?
On MOT results, yes: Mercedes-Benz beats 74% of cars on UK roads and ranks 8th of 40 makes. The C-Class beats about three in four cars and the E-Class nearly nine in ten. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Mercedes-Benz models are most reliable?
The SL-Class and S-Class beat almost every car on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account, the GL-Class and GLE-Class more than nine in ten, and the GLC-Class about nine in ten.
Which Mercedes-Benz should I check most carefully?
The Citan van beats only about 1 in 25 cars, partly from commercial use. The electric EQC beats fewer than one in five, the CLC-Class just over a third, and the Vito van just under half.
What are the most common MOT failures on Mercedes-Benz vehicles?
Lights and electrics, suspension and tyres (each on about 1 in 14 tests) and brakes. Tyres fail a little more often than on a typical car; the rest less often.