Mercedes-Benz AMG reliability: what 14k MOT tests show
Across 14,255 MOT tests on Mercedes-Benz AMG cars first used between 2020 and 2022, 86.7% passed first time. The figure for all cars is 71.7%. Set against cars of the same age rather than the whole fleet, the AMG is about average at -0.4 points. At its first MOT, at three years old, 86.2% of AMGs pass; the national figure for three-year-old cars is 87.9%. When a AMG does fail, a tyre worn or cut to the cords is the item recorded most often.
Why Mercedes-Benz AMGs fail the MOT
The AMG's failures cluster around tyres: a tyre worn or cut to the cords on 28.9% of fails, a tyre worn or cut to the cords on 17.4%. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
A tyre fail usually means a tyre that was already an advisory last year. Worth looking at the previous certificate before booking.
Advisories to expect on a AMG
An advisory is the tester telling you what fails next year. On the AMG the usual suspects are tyre tread below the legal minimum (11.7% of tests) and brake pads worn below 1.5mm (4.2%). Nationally, an advisory on lights becomes a failure 36.1% of the time.
Petrol, diesel or hybrid AMG?
Among Mercedes-Benz AMG cars, hybrid versions pass 87.4% of the time and petrol versions 86.8%, so fuel makes little difference on this model.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 86.8% | 11,969 |
| Hybrid | 87.4% | 1,372 |
Pass rate by year of first use
Pass rates run from 86.3% for 2020 cars to 86.6% for 2022 cars. Most of that spread is age: a car tested at ten years old has had far more chances to wear something out than one tested at four.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz AMG 2022 | 86.6% | 3,223 | 8,015 | 86.3% |
| Mercedes-Benz AMG 2021 | 87.2% | 6,032 | 7,846 | 86.2% |
| Mercedes-Benz AMG 2020 | 86.3% | 5,000 | 7,654 | 85.8% |
Mileage matters more than the badge
On the 2021 cars, a AMG under 40,000 miles passes 87.9% of the time; one over 100,000 passes 100%. When comparing two used AMGs, the odometer tells you more than the year.
| Mileage at test (2021 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.9% | 5,145 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.2% | 738 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.1% | 132 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85.7% | 14 |
| Over 100,000 | 100% | 3 |
Mercedes-Benz stablemates and rivals
Set against the rest of the Mercedes-Benz range, which averages 76.8%, the AMG at 86.7% is above par. Within the family, see how the C-Class does (74.3%), Mercedes-Benz A-Class MOT pass rate (78.1%), Mercedes-Benz E-Class reliability (77.2%) and Mercedes-Benz GLC reliability (86.5%), or the Mercedes-Benz range at the MOT. Buyers weighing a AMG against other cars of similar popularity often compare it with the BMW 6 Series (85.7%) and Peugeot Rifter (80.9%). The full reliability table puts them side by side, and the statistics for all 98 million tests give the baseline.
Failure lists and mileage by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Mercedes-Benz AMG 2022 86.6% pass 3,223 tests86.3% at first MOT
On a 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 25% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 19.2%.
2022 cars pass 87.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 100% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.1% | 2,931 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 84% | 244 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 71.4% | 42 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 60% | 5 |
| Over 100,000 | 100% | 1 |
Mercedes-Benz AMG 2021 87.2% pass 6,032 tests86.2% at first MOT
On a 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 28% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 17.1%.
2021 cars pass 87.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 100% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.9% | 5,145 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.2% | 738 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.1% | 132 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85.7% | 14 |
| Over 100,000 | 100% | 3 |
By fuel: petrol 87.1% (4,660 tests), hybrid 87.4% (1,372 tests).
Mercedes-Benz AMG 2020 86.3% pass 5,000 tests85.8% at first MOT
On a 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 32.5% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 16.7%.
2020 cars pass 87.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 72.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.2% | 3,861 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.7% | 914 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.5% | 187 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 73.1% | 26 |
| Over 100,000 | 72.7% | 11 |
Questions people ask
Is the Mercedes-Benz AMG reliable?
On MOT evidence the Mercedes-Benz AMG is about average. It passes 86.7% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and trails cars of the same age by 0.4 points. 86.2% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 14,255 DVSA tests.
What are the most common Mercedes-Benz AMG MOT failures?
A tyre worn or cut to the cords (28.9% of failed tests), a tyre worn or cut to the cords (17.4%) and tyre fractured (10.2%). A tyre fail usually means a tyre that was already an advisory last year. Worth looking at the previous certificate before booking.
Which Mercedes-Benz AMG year is the most reliable?
Among years with a large sample, 2021 cars have the highest pass rate at 87.2% and 2020 cars the lowest at 86.3%. Newer years pass more because they are younger, so compare a specific car's year against the table above rather than against the overall figure.
What advisories does a Mercedes-Benz AMG usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 11.7% of all AMG tests, then brake pads worn below 1.5mm (4.2%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a Mercedes-Benz AMG do?
About 7,817 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is close to the UK average of roughly 7,400.
How do I check a particular Mercedes-Benz AMG?
The figures describe the whole fleet. For one car, enter its registration in the free MOT check to see its own test history, advisories and mileage, set against these averages for its year.
Checking a AMG before you buy?
Enter the registration to see its own MOT history, advisories and mileage set against these figures, including whether it has done more or fewer than the 7,817 miles a year typical of the model.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Class 4 cars, normal tests only; a pass after rectification counts as an initial failure. Age-adjusted figures compare the model's pass rate at each age with the national rate at the same age. Methodology.