MOT pass rates / Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz S-class MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 23,346 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 82.3% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — above the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 91.7% of cars aged 3–5 years passed first time, against 73.4% aged 15–30 years.
Checking a Mercedes-Benz S-class?
Model-level statistics cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 2,461 | 91.7% |
| 6–9 years | 8,891 | 87.4% |
| 10–14 years | 5,198 | 80.9% |
| 15–30 years | 6,796 | 73.4% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Mercedes-Benz S-class to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Suspension Arms — 4% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Condition — 3.5% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Exhaust Emissions — 2.8% 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.
- Tread Depth — 2.3% of tests. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
- Brake Performance — 2% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Washers — 1.5% of tests. Empty or blocked washers. Trivial, but again a sign of the last owner's care.
What this does and does not tell you
A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.
Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.
How many Mercedes-Benz S-class are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 22,113 licensed and 8,999 SORN vehicles in the Mercedes-Benz S-class generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Mercedes-Benz S-class
Before you buy
- Suspension Arms — 4% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Condition — 3.5% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Exhaust Emissions — 2.8% 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.
- Tread Depth — 2.3% of tests in 2024. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
- Ask why it was off the road — Of the 31,112 S-class vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (8,999 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 29% from the 2017 Q2 peak of 31,145. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual S-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.
Other Mercedes-Benz models
- Mercedes-Benz C — 74.4% pass
- Mercedes-Benz A-class — 74.6% pass
- Mercedes-Benz E — 76.9% pass
- Mercedes-Benz A — 87.8% pass
- Mercedes-Benz Vito — 66.8% pass
- Mercedes-Benz GLC — 86.5% pass
See every Mercedes-Benz model MOT pass rate
Common questions
What is the Mercedes-Benz S-class MOT pass rate?
82.3% of 23,346 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz S-class passed first time in 2024 — above the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the S-class fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are suspension arms (4% of tests), condition (3.5% of tests), exhaust emissions (2.8% of tests), tread depth (2.3% of tests).
How many Mercedes-Benz S-class are left in the UK?
22,113 were licensed and 8,999 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular S-class is a good buy?
No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.