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CarsMercedes E-Class

MOT results · tests in 2025 · Great Britain

Mercedes E-Class reliability: what the MOT shows

219,341 E-Classes had an MOT in 2025. 77.7% passed first time, against 70.5% for other cars of the same age and mileage. That is 7.2 points better than comparable cars. Those registered from 2022 onwards pass as often as other cars their age.

77.7%passed first time

+7.2points against cars of the same age and mileage

2.9×as many road wheels failures as comparable cars

Report card

Mercedes E-Class MOT results by registration year

Each dot compares how often E-Classes of that year failed on one area of the test with cars of the same age and mileage.

Much betterBetterAbout the sameWorseMuch worse

Year	Passed first time	Against same age and mileage	MOTs
2005	66.2%	+10.5	3,385
2006	68.8%	+13.4	3,072
2007	71.0%	+15.3	4,709
2008	69.9%	+14.4	3,839
2009	69.9%	+13.4	6,040
2010	69.0%	+10.9	10,432
2011	69.6%	+9.5	12,412
2012	68.9%	+7.0	13,685
2013	70.9%	+6.9	17,843
2014	75.2%	+8.2	19,451
2015	77.8%	+7.7	20,728
2016	81.0%	+7.9	19,985
2017	83.0%	+7.2	21,819
2018	83.8%	+4.6	20,792
2019	85.6%	+3.9	20,924
2020	86.3%	+1.9	10,428
2021	87.8%	+2.1	6,469
2022	87.7%	+0.7	3,328

Much worse: failed on that area at least 1.5 times as often. Worse: 1.15 to 1.5 times. Better: up to 0.87 times. Much better: two-thirds as often or less. Gaps under half a percentage point count as about the same. Registration year is the year the car was first used.

Mercedes E-Class years to avoid, going by the MOT

Ahead2005 to 2021+1.9 to +15.3 ptsMost common failures: ball joint excessively worn in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2017; coil spring (fractured or broken) in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014; tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm in 2015 and 2016; condition (has ply or cords exposed) in 2018, 2019 and 2020; condition (fractured) in 2021. 216,013 MOTs.

Level2022+0.7 ptsMost common failure: condition (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords). 3,328 MOTs.

Well behind: 5 or more points below cars of the same age and mileage. Behind: 1.5 to 5 points below. Level: within 1.5 points. Ahead: 1.5 or more points above.

What fails

Mercedes E-Class common faults at the MOT

1.3% of E-Class MOTs failed on road wheels, against 0.5% for cars of the same age and mileage, and 8.3% on tyres, against 6.8%.

Most common failures

Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.5%Cars of the same age and mileage: 2.6%

Ball joint excessively worn2.4%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.6%

Condition: has ply or cords exposed2.2%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.5%

Coil spring: fractured or broken2.0%Cars of the same age and mileage: 2.7%

Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1.7%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.4%

Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.3%Cars of the same age and mileage: 0.8%

Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1.1%Cars of the same age and mileage: 0.5%

Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements1.1%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.1%

E-ClassSame age and mileage

Fails more often than other cars

Condition: fractured14.5×0.90% of E-Class MOTs (1,980) against 0.06% for cars of the same age and mileage

Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened4.4×0.55% of E-Class MOTs (1,200) against 0.12% for cars of the same age and mileage

Rigid brake pipes: leaking on a hydraulic braking system3.6×0.22% of E-Class MOTs (489) against 0.06% for cars of the same age and mileage

Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded2.5×1.15% of E-Class MOTs (2,517) against 0.47% for cars of the same age and mileage

Condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure2.2×0.95% of E-Class MOTs (2,095) against 0.44% for cars of the same age and mileage

Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements1.9×0.28% of E-Class MOTs (615) against 0.15% for cars of the same age and mileage

Mileage

Pulls ahead after 30,000 miles

Up to 30,000 miles, E-Classes pass as often as cars of the same age and mileage. Ahead from there: 30–60,000 miles 2.9 points, 60–90,000 miles 7.4 points, 90–120,000 miles 9.3 points, 120,000+ miles 10.6 points.

E-Class, first-time pass rateCars of the same age and mileage

Petrol, diesel or hybrid E-Class

Diesels passed 76.8% first time, 7.4 points above comparable cars; petrols passed 81.0%, 6.5 points above comparable cars. Diesels had a median of 90,805 miles at the test, against 55,237 for petrols. Hybrids are mostly newer cars (median 43,305 miles), so compare them with care.

Fuel	MOTs	Passed first time	Same age and mileage	Gap (pts)	Median miles
Diesel	186,915	76.8%	69.5%	+7.4	90,805
Petrol	19,800	81.0%	74.5%	+6.5	55,237
Other	7,341	85.4%	77.1%	+8.3	83,708
Hybrid	5,268	87.0%	83.3%	+3.7	43,305

Against rivals

E-Class against other executive cars

Cars registered 2014 to 2021, each against cars of the same age and mileage. The E-Class ranks 5 of 11.

Model	MOTs	Passed first time	Same age and mileage	Gap (pts)
1. BMW 5 Series	111,912	85.1%	75.4%	+9.7
2. BMW 3 Series	220,543	83.4%	76.2%	+7.2
3. VW Passat	86,106	79.6%	73.1%	+6.5
4. Jaguar XF	47,799	80.2%	74.1%	+6.1
5. Mercedes E-Class	140,596	81.9%	75.8%	+6.0
6. Mercedes C-Class	204,560	81.2%	76.0%	+5.2
7. Skoda Superb	49,005	80.1%	76.0%	+4.2
8. Jaguar XE	42,769	81.0%	77.2%	+3.8
9. Audi A4	117,487	79.1%	75.3%	+3.8
10. Tesla Model 3	67,557	84.1%	84.4%	−0.3
11. Vauxhall Insignia	110,320	70.7%	72.0%	−1.4

Check these before you buy a used E-Class

What testers most often noted as advisories on E-Classes in 2025: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for cars of the same age and mileage.

Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge17% (17%)
Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material8% (3%)
Brake pads: wearing thin7% (8%)
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened7% (9%)
Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive4% (5%)
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively4% (3%)
Ball joint: ball joint has slight play4% (2%)
Condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing4% (8%)

Questions about E-Class reliability

Is the Mercedes E-Class reliable?

At the MOT, 77.7% of 219,341 E-Class MOTs in 2025 passed first time, against 70.5% for cars of the same age and mileage. 2005 to 2021: ahead (+1.9 to +15.3 points). 2022: level (+0.7 points).

Which Mercedes E-Class years should I avoid?

None stand out: every registration year is within 1.5 points of cars of the same age and mileage, or ahead of them.

What is the most common MOT failure on a E-Class?

Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm: 2.5% of E-Class MOTs, against 2.6% for cars of the same age and mileage.

Is a diesel or petrol E-Class more reliable?

Petrol E-Classes passed 81.0% first time and diesels 76.8%. Against cars of the same age and mileage, petrols were 6.5 points above and diesels 7.4 points above.

Is the E-Class more reliable than the BMW 3 Series?

For cars registered 2014 to 2021, the BMW 3 Series passed 83.4% first time, +7.2 points against comparable cars. The E-Class passed 81.9%, +6.0 points.

How we measure

Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025 (31,475,521 first tests on cars first used 2005 to 2022), from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data. Retests are left out.

Passed first time. A car passed if its first test that year ended in a pass. Cars that failed and were fixed within the hour count as fails, as DVSA counts them.

Same age and mileage. We group every car by the year it was first used and its mileage (under 30k, 30–60k, 60–90k, 90–120k, over 120k). The comparison figure is what those groups scored, weighted to match the E-Class's mix of ages and mileages.

Model. Every car DVSA records as a Mercedes E-Class: 176 recorded model names, from "E" to trims such as "E 220 AMG LNE NGT ED PRM + D A".

The full method, including how each report-card dot and year group is decided.