How reliable is the Mercedes-Benz GLC?
DVSA recorded 190,768 MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz GLC (2015 to 2022 cars) in 2023 to 2025. 86.5% 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 GLC with cars of the same age: on that basis it does 4.6 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 GLC scores 91.1% against 87.9% for all cars. Top of the failure list: a worn ball joint, on 20% of failed tests.
Why Mercedes-Benz GLCs fail the MOT
Of every hundred GLCs that fail, about 20 are marked down for a worn ball joint and 13 for tyre tread below the legal minimum. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
Suspension failures are the hard ones to see coming: a snapped coil spring or a worn ball joint gives little warning. Knocks over speed bumps are the clue.
What testers flag before it fails
These are the advisories most often recorded on a Mercedes-Benz GLC: items that passed on the day but were wearing. Tyre tread below the legal minimum is noted on 15.8% of all tests. If one of these is on a car's last certificate, it is the next repair. The advisory conversion table shows which of these are worth acting on first.
GLC pass rate by fuel
The petrol GLC has the better record at 88.9%; the diesel manages 86%. 2.9 points is modest but consistent.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 86% | 156,639 |
| Petrol | 88.9% | 33,604 |
Mercedes-Benz GLC pass rate by year
Between 2015 (82.9%) and 2022 (91.3%) the pass rate moves mostly with age. Among years with a decent sample, 2021 is the strongest at 91.3% and 2016 the weakest at 84%.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz GLC 2022 | 91.3% | 2,998 | 9,883 | 91.1% |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC 2021 | 91.3% | 5,886 | 10,091 | 91.8% |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC 2020 | 90.2% | 13,340 | 9,276 | 90.6% |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC 2019 | 88.4% | 43,502 | 8,473 | – |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC 2018 | 86% | 56,382 | 8,510 | – |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC 2017 | 84.9% | 37,381 | 8,803 | – |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC 2016 | 84% | 27,306 | 8,884 | – |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC 2015 | 82.9% | 3,973 | 8,444 | – |
Mileage matters more than the badge
Take the 2018 GLC, the year with the most tests: cars with under 40,000 miles on the clock pass 89.8% of the time, and that falls to 76.7% over 100,000. A 13-point drop across the mileage range is a bigger effect than the difference between most makes.
| Mileage at test (2018 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.8% | 18,168 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.7% | 22,101 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.8% | 11,180 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.1% | 3,610 |
| Over 100,000 | 76.7% | 1,321 |
Mercedes-Benz stablemates and rivals
The average Mercedes-Benz passes 76.8% of tests, so the GLC is one of the stronger cars in the range. Within the family, see C-Class common problems (74.3%), A-Class common problems (78.1%), Mercedes-Benz E-Class MOT pass rate (77.2%) and CLA common problems (80%), or other Mercedes-Benz models. For a cross-make comparison, the Toyota Avensis and Ford Puma have similar test volumes and their own pages. The full reliability table puts them side by side, and the statistics for all 98 million tests give the baseline.
Year by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Mercedes-Benz GLC 2022 91.3% pass 2,998 tests91.1% at first MOT
On a 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLC, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 29.1% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 17.6%.
2022 cars pass 91.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 87.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.7% | 2,452 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 88.7% | 470 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 93.1% | 58 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 100% | 10 |
| Over 100,000 | 87.5% | 8 |
By fuel: diesel 91.2% (2,489 tests), petrol 91.7% (509 tests).
Mercedes-Benz GLC 2021 91.3% pass 5,886 tests91.8% at first MOT
On a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 26.7% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 15.4%.
2021 cars pass 92% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 76.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 92% | 4,115 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 90.9% | 1,412 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.3% | 286 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85% | 60 |
| Over 100,000 | 76.9% | 13 |
By fuel: diesel 91.2% (5,122 tests), petrol 92% (760 tests).
Mercedes-Benz GLC 2020 90.2% pass 13,340 tests90.6% at first MOT
On a 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 17.5% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 16.8%.
2020 cars pass 91.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 90.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.3% | 8,529 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 88.6% | 3,593 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 87% | 915 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 86.4% | 236 |
| Over 100,000 | 90.6% | 64 |
By fuel: diesel 90.2% (11,860 tests), petrol 90.3% (1,471 tests).
Mercedes-Benz GLC 2019 88.4% pass 43,502 tests
On a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 15.1% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 14.1%.
2019 cars pass 90.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 80.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.8% | 22,117 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87% | 14,787 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84% | 5,003 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.1% | 1,204 |
| Over 100,000 | 80.5% | 390 |
By fuel: diesel 87.7% (27,648 tests), petrol 89.5% (15,849 tests).
Mercedes-Benz GLC 2018 86% pass 56,382 tests
On a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC, a worn ball joint appears on 22.4% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 12.3%.
2018 cars pass 89.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 76.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.8% | 18,168 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.7% | 22,101 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.8% | 11,180 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.1% | 3,610 |
| Over 100,000 | 76.7% | 1,321 |
By fuel: diesel 85.3% (43,077 tests), petrol 88% (13,305 tests).
Mercedes-Benz GLC 2017 84.9% pass 37,381 tests
On a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC, a worn ball joint appears on 27.3% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 13.5%.
2017 cars pass 88.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 80.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.8% | 6,443 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.5% | 13,074 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.1% | 10,714 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 82.1% | 4,845 |
| Over 100,000 | 80.1% | 2,299 |
By fuel: diesel 84.8% (35,671 tests), petrol 86.1% (1,710 tests).
Mercedes-Benz GLC 2016 84% pass 27,306 tests
On a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC, a worn ball joint appears on 25.3% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 12.2%.
2016 cars pass 89.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 78.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.9% | 2,772 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.4% | 7,143 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 83.8% | 8,662 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.5% | 5,393 |
| Over 100,000 | 78.9% | 3,331 |
Mercedes-Benz GLC 2015 82.9% pass 3,973 tests
On a 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLC, a worn ball joint appears on 26.1% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 13.6%.
2015 cars pass 86.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 78.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.6% | 247 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.5% | 873 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.1% | 1,289 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 79.8% | 921 |
| Over 100,000 | 78.8% | 642 |
Questions people ask
How reliable is the Mercedes-Benz GLC?
On MOT evidence the Mercedes-Benz GLC is above average. It passes 86.5% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 4.6 points. 91.1% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 190,768 DVSA tests.
What fails a Mercedes-Benz GLC MOT most often?
A worn ball joint (20% of failed tests), tyre tread below the legal minimum (13.3%) and a tyre worn or cut to the cords (12.9%). Suspension failures are the hard ones to see coming: a snapped coil spring or a worn ball joint gives little warning. Knocks over speed bumps are the clue.
What is the best year for a used Mercedes-Benz GLC?
Among years with a large sample, 2021 cars have the highest pass rate at 91.3% and 2016 cars the lowest at 84%. 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 GLC usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 15.8% of all GLC tests, then brake pads worn below 1.5mm (8.3%). 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 GLC do?
About 8,735 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 GLC 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 GLC?
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 8,735 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.