How reliable are Mercedes-Benzs? Every model at the MOT
58 Mercedes-Benz models, 4,875,866 MOT tests. The average Mercedes-Benz passes 76.8% of tests, against 71.7% for all cars, and 88.1% of them pass the first MOT at three years old. Raw pass rates range from 55.5% for the CLC to 91.3% for the Gla 200. Discontinued models are tested only as old cars, so the fairer comparison is the age-adjusted column.
| Model | Pass rate | Age-adjusted | Tests | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 74.3% | +4.1 | 1,072,633 | 2000 to 2021 |
| Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 78.1% | +1.2 | 964,964 | 2001 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 77.2% | +4.9 | 668,054 | 2000 to 2021 |
| Mercedes-Benz Vito | 66.5% | -5.4 | 248,826 | 2002 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz B-Class | 72.5% | +3.1 | 209,483 | 2005 to 2021 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLA | 82.8% | +3.2 | 192,416 | 2014 to 2020 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC | 86.5% | +4.6 | 190,768 | 2015 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz CLA | 80% | +0.1 | 168,668 | 2013 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz SLK | 72.3% | +9.4 | 158,254 | 2000 to 2016 |
| Mercedes-Benz ML | 71.7% | +10.2 | 94,868 | 2000 to 2015 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE | 87.5% | +5.8 | 83,718 | 2015 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz CLK | 62.1% | +2 | 81,377 | 2000 to 2009 |
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 82.9% | +11.3 | 70,586 | 2002 to 2019 |
| Mercedes-Benz CLS | 74.4% | +5.2 | 69,079 | 2005 to 2019 |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter | 70.4% | +2.4 | 65,247 | 2000 to 2020 |
| Mercedes-Benz Citan | 60.3% | -17 | 53,577 | 2013 to 2019 |
| Mercedes-Benz SL | 83.5% | +14.7 | 45,941 | 2000 to 2019 |
| Mercedes-Benz Glc 300 | 90.6% | +4.2 | 40,211 | 2019 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz A 250 | 88.6% | +1.9 | 34,610 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz Gla 200 | 91.3% | +4.8 | 34,194 | 2019 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz V-Class | 81.8% | +1.1 | 28,440 | 2015 to 2019 |
| Mercedes-Benz CLC | 55.5% | -4 | 25,230 | 2008 to 2011 |
| Mercedes-Benz SLC | 85.9% | +6 | 24,188 | 2016 to 2019 |
| Mercedes-Benz Eqc 400 | 83.9% | -2.7 | 21,745 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz E 220 | 86.2% | -0.3 | 19,028 | 2019 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz Gla 180 | 90.2% | +4.6 | 15,993 | 2019 to 2021 |
| Mercedes-Benz A 200 | 84.2% | +2.3 | 14,942 | 2013 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz Viano | 65.1% | +2.4 | 14,748 | 2005 to 2014 |
| Mercedes-Benz AMG | 86.7% | -0.4 | 14,255 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz A 180 | 90.2% | +2.3 | 12,824 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz Eqa 250 | 89.1% | +1.7 | 12,096 | 2021 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz Glb 200 | 90.6% | +3 | 12,022 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz X | 80.1% | -4.1 | 10,480 | 2018 to 2020 |
| Mercedes-Benz C 300 | 85.3% | -1.9 | 9,319 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz Cla 220 | 86.6% | -0.5 | 9,117 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz Glb 220 | 89.4% | +2.5 | 8,128 | 2020 to 2021 |
| Mercedes-Benz Cla 250 | 86.3% | -0.2 | 8,061 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz E 300 | 87.3% | -0.7 | 6,827 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz C 220 | 87.6% | +0.3 | 6,582 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz Gla 250 | 91.5% | +4.4 | 5,914 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLS | 87.3% | +6.5 | 5,792 | 2016 to 2019 |
| Mercedes-Benz Citan 109 | 68.3% | -18.7 | 5,199 | 2020 to 2021 |
| Mercedes-Benz GL | 83.6% | +13.1 | 4,957 | 2013 to 2015 |
| Mercedes-Benz C 200 | 89.4% | +1.7 | 4,936 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz Gle 350 | 87.7% | +1.3 | 4,695 | 2020 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz Vito 110 | 66.3% | -20.5 | 3,610 | 2020 to 2021 |
| Mercedes-Benz Gla 220 | 92.8% | +5.8 | 2,929 | 2020 to 2021 |
| Mercedes-Benz G-Class | 91.8% | +6.3 | 2,564 | 2019 to 2020 |
| Mercedes-Benz Eqe 300 | 95.9% | – | 2,065 | 2023 to 2023 |
| Mercedes-Benz Eqb 350 | 85.8% | -2.3 | 1,719 | 2022 to 2022 |
| Mercedes-Benz Vito 114 | 72.6% | -14.7 | 1,711 | 2021 to 2021 |
| Mercedes-Benz Eqv 300 | 88.6% | +0.5 | 1,390 | 2021 to 2021 |
| Mercedes-Benz E 350 | 86.2% | -0.3 | 1,282 | 2020 to 2020 |
| Mercedes-Benz S 350 | 90.4% | +4 | 1,204 | 2020 to 2020 |
| Mercedes-Benz Gls 400 | 86.5% | 0 | 1,182 | 2020 to 2020 |
| Mercedes-Benz V 300 | 82.6% | -3.9 | 1,166 | 2020 to 2020 |
| Mercedes-Benz R-Class | 71.5% | +9.6 | 1,041 | 2011 to 2011 |
| Mercedes-Benz Eqb 300 | 85.4% | -3.2 | 1,011 | 2022 to 2022 |
Click through for the year-by-year pass rates, the failure list, the advisories to look for on a used example and the mileage at which each Mercedes-Benz starts to struggle. For a specific car, the free MOT history check shows its own record against these averages, and the all makes ranked shows where Mercedes-Benz sits overall.
Questions people ask
Are Mercedes-Benzs reliable?
Mercedes-Benz cars pass 76.8% of MOTs against 71.7% for all cars, from 4,875,866 tests, and 88.1% pass their first test at three years old. Within the range the SL is the strongest once age is allowed for and the Citan the weakest.
Which Mercedes-Benz is the most reliable?
Age-adjusted, the Mercedes-Benz SL, at +14.7 points against cars of the same age; on raw pass rate the Gla 200 leads at 91.3%, helped by a younger fleet.
What fails Mercedes-Benzs most at the MOT?
Across the range: tyre tread below the legal minimum, a worn ball joint and a broken coil spring. Each model page lists its own top failures and the advisories that come before them.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Methodology.