How reliable is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
DVSA recorded 1,072,633 MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2000 to 2021 cars) in 2023 to 2025. 74.3% of them were a pass, against 71.7% for every car tested. Raw pass rates flatter young models and punish old ones, so we also compare each C-Class with cars of the same age: on that basis it does 4.1 points better than a typical car, which makes it above average. The cleanest measure of build quality is the first test at three years old, where the C-Class scores 87.5% against 87.9% for all cars. The most common reason for a fail is a worn ball joint.
What fails a Mercedes-Benz C-Class at its MOT
A worn ball joint is recorded on 15% of failed Mercedes-Benz C-Class tests, followed by tyre tread below the legal minimum at 14.2% and a dashboard warning light at 9.8%. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
Coil springs fracture on British roads more than anywhere else in Europe, and a fractured spring is a fail. Listen for a clunk over potholes.
Warning signs on the certificate
These are the advisories most often recorded on a Mercedes-Benz C-Class: items that passed on the day but were wearing. Tyre tread below the legal minimum is noted on 18.3% of all tests. If one of these is on a car's last certificate, it is the next repair. How often each category of advisory turns into a failure is measured across the whole dataset.
C-Class pass rate by fuel
The hybrid C-Class has the better record at 84.5%; the diesel manages 73.2%. 11.3 points is a real difference. Allow for the hybrid fleet being younger.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 73.2% | 657,234 |
| Petrol | 75% | 363,792 |
| Hybrid | 84.5% | 50,676 |
Pass rate by year of first use
Between 2000 (66.3%) and 2021 (87.5%) the pass rate moves mostly with age. Among years with a decent sample, 2020 is the strongest at 87.3% and 2004 the weakest at 57.1%.
Pass rate by mileage
Take the 2017 C-Class, the year with the most tests: cars with under 40,000 miles on the clock pass 88% of the time, and that falls to 78.4% over 100,000. A 10-point drop across the mileage range is a bigger effect than the difference between most makes.
| Mileage at test (2017 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88% | 27,154 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.3% | 37,872 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 80.2% | 28,187 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 78.6% | 14,222 |
| Over 100,000 | 78.4% | 10,847 |
Mercedes-Benz stablemates and rivals
The average Mercedes-Benz passes 76.8% of tests, so the C-Class is below the make's own average. Within the family, see Mercedes-Benz A-Class MOT pass rate (78.1%), E-Class common problems (77.2%), how the GLC does (86.5%) and how the CLA does (80%), or other Mercedes-Benz models. For a cross-make comparison, the Nissan Juke and Honda Jazz have similar test volumes and their own pages. The ranking of every make puts them side by side, and the UK pass rates by age and fuel give the baseline.
Year by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2021 87.5% pass 3,599 tests87.8% at first MOT
On a 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 20.2% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 19.3%.
2021 cars pass 89.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 90% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.2% | 2,738 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.6% | 667 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.6% | 141 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 69.7% | 33 |
| Over 100,000 | 90% | 20 |
By fuel: hybrid 88.2% (1,631 tests), diesel 86.5% (1,529 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2020 87.3% pass 22,241 tests87.4% at first MOT
On a 2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 20.6% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 17.7%.
2020 cars pass 88.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.8% | 15,287 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85% | 5,030 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.4% | 1,427 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81% | 352 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.8% | 144 |
By fuel: diesel 86.7% (9,874 tests), hybrid 88.7% (7,268 tests), petrol 86.6% (5,092 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2019 87% pass 71,902 tests
On a 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 21.2% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 15.2%.
2019 cars pass 89.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 79.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.5% | 39,503 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.1% | 21,281 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82% | 7,730 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 80.4% | 2,265 |
| Over 100,000 | 79.9% | 1,112 |
By fuel: petrol 87.9% (37,921 tests), diesel 85.8% (29,379 tests), hybrid 87.3% (4,584 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2018 85% pass 84,470 tests
On a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 20.2% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 12%.
2018 cars pass 88.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 81.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.7% | 30,877 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 84.1% | 28,563 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.4% | 14,873 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.3% | 6,142 |
| Over 100,000 | 81.9% | 4,005 |
By fuel: diesel 84.1% (42,894 tests), petrol 85.9% (36,226 tests), hybrid 85.7% (5,346 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2017 82.6% pass 118,302 tests
On a 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 17.9% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 13.7%.
2017 cars pass 88% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 78.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88% | 27,154 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.3% | 37,872 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 80.2% | 28,187 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 78.6% | 14,222 |
| Over 100,000 | 78.4% | 10,847 |
By fuel: diesel 81.5% (75,612 tests), petrol 85% (33,156 tests), hybrid 83.3% (9,534 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2016 81% pass 110,350 tests
On a 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 18.3% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 14.5%.
2016 cars pass 87.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.5% | 13,602 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.9% | 27,275 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 80.4% | 29,295 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 78.5% | 19,807 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.4% | 20,351 |
By fuel: diesel 79.6% (72,268 tests), petrol 83.9% (22,288 tests), hybrid 83% (15,788 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2015 78.9% pass 103,038 tests
On a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 17.2% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 16.1%.
2015 cars pass 87.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 75.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.1% | 7,432 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.3% | 18,261 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 79.4% | 25,520 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 76.8% | 21,970 |
| Over 100,000 | 75.4% | 29,839 |
By fuel: diesel 77.8% (75,942 tests), petrol 82.3% (20,565 tests), hybrid 81% (6,525 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2014 76.4% pass 76,819 tests
On a 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 14.2% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 12%.
2014 cars pass 87.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 71.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.1% | 4,545 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.4% | 11,146 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 78.7% | 17,637 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 74.7% | 17,638 |
| Over 100,000 | 71.7% | 25,843 |
By fuel: diesel 75.4% (62,482 tests), petrol 80.8% (14,303 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2013 70.8% pass 72,441 tests
On a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 16.3% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 11.2%.
2013 cars pass 86.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 65% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.3% | 3,322 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 80.7% | 8,296 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 74.7% | 14,477 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 70% | 16,200 |
| Over 100,000 | 65% | 30,130 |
By fuel: diesel 68.9% (54,692 tests), petrol 76.6% (17,744 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2012 68.3% pass 80,701 tests
On a 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 21.5% of failed tests, with corroded brake pipes next at 11.9%.
2012 cars pass 84.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 63.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 84.3% | 2,791 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 78.4% | 7,276 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 73.2% | 13,940 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 68.5% | 17,403 |
| Over 100,000 | 63.5% | 39,268 |
By fuel: diesel 66.2% (58,711 tests), petrol 74% (21,988 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2011 68.1% pass 60,219 tests
On a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 21.3% of failed tests, with corroded brake pipes next at 12%.
2011 cars pass 84.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 63.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 84.1% | 1,562 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 80% | 4,393 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 74.1% | 8,644 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 69.9% | 12,191 |
| Over 100,000 | 63.6% | 33,414 |
By fuel: diesel 66.2% (44,185 tests), petrol 73.3% (16,032 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2010 66.3% pass 42,049 tests
On a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 18.2% of failed tests, with corroded brake pipes next at 11.3%.
2010 cars pass 85.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 62% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 85.8% | 1,079 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 76.8% | 2,893 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 72.5% | 5,957 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 67.9% | 8,399 |
| Over 100,000 | 62% | 23,706 |
By fuel: diesel 63.6% (24,285 tests), petrol 70% (17,755 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2009 64% pass 40,824 tests
On a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 23.3% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 11.3%.
2009 cars pass 81.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 60.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 81.9% | 806 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 77.6% | 2,237 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 70.3% | 4,491 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 66.3% | 6,992 |
| Over 100,000 | 60.6% | 26,270 |
By fuel: diesel 62% (25,753 tests), petrol 67.3% (15,059 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2008 63.3% pass 42,842 tests
On a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 22.7% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 11.1%.
2008 cars pass 81.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 60.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 81.2% | 931 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 76.6% | 2,214 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 70% | 4,639 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 65% | 6,975 |
| Over 100,000 | 60.2% | 28,050 |
By fuel: diesel 61.2% (24,467 tests), petrol 66.3% (18,356 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2007 61% pass 38,374 tests
On a 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 22.5% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 13.5%.
2007 cars pass 77% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 57.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77% | 927 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 71.9% | 2,314 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 68.9% | 4,363 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 62.1% | 6,173 |
| Over 100,000 | 57.8% | 24,550 |
By fuel: petrol 61.8% (19,386 tests), diesel 60.3% (18,984 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2006 58.7% pass 30,576 tests
On a 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 24.2% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 12.7%.
2006 cars pass 76.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 55.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 76.8% | 654 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 71% | 1,873 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 63.9% | 3,543 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 59.7% | 5,410 |
| Over 100,000 | 55.7% | 19,066 |
By fuel: petrol 60.2% (17,924 tests), diesel 56.6% (12,641 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2005 58.3% pass 26,728 tests
On a 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 23% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 15%.
2005 cars pass 77.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 55.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.4% | 584 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 70.3% | 1,489 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 64.7% | 2,919 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 60.4% | 4,338 |
| Over 100,000 | 55.1% | 17,359 |
By fuel: petrol 59.1% (15,401 tests), diesel 57.3% (11,313 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2004 57.1% pass 19,932 tests
On a 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 21.8% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 15.2%.
2004 cars pass 70.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 54.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 70.6% | 524 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.4% | 1,200 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 62.1% | 2,392 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 56.8% | 3,533 |
| Over 100,000 | 54.6% | 12,244 |
By fuel: petrol 57.5% (14,152 tests), diesel 56.3% (5,773 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2003 57.8% pass 13,765 tests
On a 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 17.3% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 17%.
2003 cars pass 77.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 53.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.2% | 461 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 65.7% | 1,056 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 63.1% | 1,945 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 59.5% | 2,471 |
| Over 100,000 | 53.7% | 7,800 |
By fuel: petrol 57.8% (9,843 tests), diesel 57.7% (3,915 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2002 61.7% pass 7,620 tests
On a 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a broken coil spring appears on 16.7% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 16.6%.
2002 cars pass 78.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 58.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 78.7% | 315 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.5% | 796 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 63.8% | 1,305 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 61.7% | 1,533 |
| Over 100,000 | 58.1% | 3,648 |
By fuel: petrol 62.2% (5,823 tests), diesel 59.8% (1,784 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2001 62.1% pass 3,928 tests
On a 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a worn ball joint appears on 17.1% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 16.3%.
2001 cars pass 77.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 58% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.7% | 215 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.4% | 392 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 64.6% | 656 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 62.4% | 850 |
| Over 100,000 | 58% | 1,797 |
By fuel: petrol 63.3% (3,177 tests), diesel 57.4% (751 tests).
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2000 66.3% pass 1,913 tests
On a 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, body mounting corroded at a mounting point appears on 11.2% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 10.2%.
2000 cars pass 62.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 64.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 62.7% | 126 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 76% | 171 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 70% | 297 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 66.8% | 386 |
| Over 100,000 | 64.9% | 877 |
Questions people ask
How reliable is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
On MOT evidence the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is above average. It passes 74.3% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 4.1 points. 87.5% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 1,072,633 DVSA tests.
What fails a Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOT most often?
A worn ball joint (15% of failed tests), tyre tread below the legal minimum (14.2%) and a dashboard warning light (9.8%). Coil springs fracture on British roads more than anywhere else in Europe, and a fractured spring is a fail. Listen for a clunk over potholes.
What is the best year for a used Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
Among years with a large sample, 2020 cars have the highest pass rate at 87.3% and 2004 cars the lowest at 57.1%. 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 C-Class usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 18.3% of all C-Class tests, then corroded brake pipes (8.1%). 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 C-Class do?
About 8,369 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.
Does the Mercedes-Benz C-Class pass rate apply to my car?
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.
Own a C-Class?
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 8,369 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.