In 2025, 344,498 Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 74% passed first time, compared with 70% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the C-Class better than average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 66 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 4 years old, 87% of C-Classs passed first time (all cars that age: 87%). By 20 years, that figure is 60% (all cars: 58%). It beats the average car at every age with enough data, from 7 to 18 years.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | C-Class passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 years | 1,720 | 87% | 87% | 35,485 |
| 5 years | 7,306 | 86% | 86% | 41,841 |
| 6 years | 24,029 | 86% | 84% | 49,302 |
| 7 years | 28,304 | 84% | 81% | 59,715 |
| 8 years | 39,484 | 82% | 78% | 69,216 |
| 9 years | 36,530 | 80% | 75% | 82,238 |
| 10 years | 33,991 | 78% | 72% | 92,801 |
| 11 years | 25,147 | 75% | 69% | 96,263 |
| 12 years | 23,378 | 70% | 66% | 102,253 |
| 13 years | 25,588 | 67% | 63% | 106,921 |
| 14 years | 18,710 | 68% | 61% | 112,186 |
| 15 years | 12,704 | 66% | 59% | 112,448 |
| 16 years | 12,424 | 64% | 58% | 120,058 |
| 17 years | 12,888 | 64% | 57% | 122,033 |
| 18 years | 11,252 | 62% | 57% | 119,573 |
| 19 years | 8,628 | 59% | 57% | 117,646 |
| 20 years | 7,168 | 60% | 58% | 119,282 |
What fails most on a Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The area that lets the C-Class down most, relative to other cars, is road wheels: 1.1% of tests failed on it, 8.9 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on body and structure and lights and electrics.
Share of C-Class tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 7.3% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 4.5% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 3.4% |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | Suspension | 3.4% |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | Suspension | 3.1% |
| A tyre seriously damaged | Tyres | 3.1% |
What to check when buying a used C-Class
Based on where the C-Class fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Road wheels: Look for damaged rims and missing wheel nuts. More
- Tyres: Check tread across the whole width (uneven wear hints at alignment or suspension faults), and look for cuts, bulges and mismatched brands. Repair guide
- Suspension: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, look for leaking shock absorbers, and check the car sits level. Ask whether springs, bushes or drop links have been replaced. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific C-Class
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a C-ClassFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
In 2025, 74% of Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars passed their MOT first time, across 344,498 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 70%.
What do Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (7.3% of tests); tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements (4.5% of tests); the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (3.4% of tests).
Other Mercedes-Benz models
Mercedes-Benz A-Class (77%), Mercedes-Benz E-Class (77%), Mercedes-Benz Vito (67%), Mercedes-Benz B-Class (72%), Mercedes-Benz Glc (85%), Mercedes-Benz Gla (80%). All Mercedes-Benz models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.