UK vehicle statistics / Mercedes

How many Mercedes R Class cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 1,409 licensed and 695 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Mercedes R Class generic-model group.

Looking at a R Class?

Population figures cannot tell you whether one particular car is taxed, MOT-valid or safe to buy.

Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. If the car is still worth pursuing, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.

Wondering whether one particular R Class is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the R Class disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 3,887 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 1,409 in 2026 Q1, down 64%. That is down 49% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 695 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 2,104 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

A falling population is worth knowing before you buy: it usually means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply, and it is why a good example of a scarce model can hold its price while a neglected one is hard to sell at any price.

R Class MOT pass rate

In 2024, 68% of 1,974 Mercedes R Class MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 71.1% of cars aged 10–14 years passed first time, against 65.2% aged 15–30 years.

  • Brake Performance — 7.5% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
  • Exhaust Emissions — 5.3% of tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
  • Transmission — 4.7% of tests. A fault with a driveshaft, gaiter or transmission component. Costs vary widely.
  • Position Lamps — 4.4% of tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.

Full age bands and failure notes are on the Mercedes R Class MOT pass rate page.

Before you buy

  • Brake Performance — 7.5% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
  • Exhaust Emissions — 5.3% of tests in 2024. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
  • Transmission — 4.7% of tests in 2024. A fault with a driveshaft, gaiter or transmission component. Costs vary widely.
  • Position Lamps — 4.4% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 2,104 R Class vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (695 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 64% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 3,887. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual R Class — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.

Quarterly licensed and SORN counts

Every quarter DfT has published for this model group, newest first.

QuarterLicensedSORN
2026 Q11,409695
2025 Q41,459679
2025 Q31,503670
2025 Q21,579651
2025 Q11,650652
2024 Q41,686652
2024 Q31,759646
2024 Q21,858603
2024 Q11,922601
2023 Q41,984581
2023 Q32,058546
2023 Q22,149540
2023 Q12,227514
2022 Q42,329497
2022 Q32,356482
2022 Q22,442469
2022 Q12,534441
2021 Q42,597415
2021 Q32,658398
2021 Q22,702383
2021 Q12,738384
2020 Q42,815375
2020 Q32,878337
2020 Q22,893345
2020 Q12,938323
2019 Q43,067253
2019 Q33,150222
2019 Q23,215206
2019 Q13,271184
2018 Q43,353175
2018 Q33,398148
2018 Q23,410144
2018 Q13,439135
2017 Q43,527107
2017 Q33,578101
2017 Q23,59790
2017 Q13,61291
2016 Q43,68379
2016 Q33,72063
2016 Q23,70855
2016 Q13,75052
2015 Q43,76751
2015 Q33,78546
2015 Q23,80840
2015 Q13,80032
2014 Q43,81837
2014 Q33,88733

Other Mercedes models

See how many of every Mercedes model are left

Common questions

How many Mercedes R Class cars are left in the UK?

1,409 were licensed and 695 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Mercedes R Class cars are SORN?

695 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 2,104 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the R Class disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 3,887 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 1,409 in 2026 Q1, down 64%. That is down 49% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 695 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 2,104 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the Mercedes R Class MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 68% of 1,974 Mercedes R Class MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.

What does the R Class fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are brake performance (7.5% of tests), exhaust emissions (5.3% of tests), transmission (4.7% of tests).

Does this say whether one R Class is a good buy?

No. These are population figures for the model group. Enter that vehicle's registration for its own free MOT, tax and mileage record.

Source and limitations

Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.

Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.