MOT Risk Index.co.uk

Mercedes C Class — MOT statistics 2024

All Mercedes C Class variants tested in Great Britain in 2024 — 646,907 MOT tests, every generation and engine together.

MOT risk index
83.6
100 = normal for its age

This car fails its MOT about 16% less often than expected for its age.

Rank 3 of 25 families published so far · margin of error ±1 points

What this means for buyers

Checklist when viewing a used C Class:
  1. Listen for knocks over bumps — worn suspension joints are common
  2. Check tyre tread depth across the full width
  3. Check wipers, washers and windscreen chips in the driver's view
  4. Ask the seller about: A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

Top specific failures

Exact defect wording from test records, per 100 tests.

What failedper 100
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn9.02
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated7.95
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements5.72
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view5.39
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc3.9
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened3.82
A tyre seriously damaged3.77
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded2.8
A tyre cords visible or damaged2.79
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction2.39

Failures by component area

Suspension 27.5 Brakes 14.1 Tyres 13.4 Lamps & electrical 12.7 Visibility 11.2 Emissions & leaks 4.4

Early warnings (advisories)

Advisories are wear the tester noted but didn't fail — what will need money soon.

Tyres 93.5 Brakes 80.3 Suspension 49.7 Non-component advisories 9.4 Emissions & leaks 8 Body & structure 5.1

How it ages

3579111315171946%car age, years

Takeaway: a 10-year-old C Class has roughly a 21% chance of failing its MOT.

Data table
AgeMercedes C ClassAll cars
310.0%10.9%
49.8%11.6%
510.8%13.5%
612.5%15.6%
714.6%18.2%
816.0%21.3%
918.7%24.4%
1020.5%27.7%
1126.9%30.6%
1228.7%33.4%
1329.2%36.0%
1431.6%38.6%
1533.3%39.9%
1634.5%41.5%
1737.2%41.5%
1840.5%42.4%
1941.3%42.2%
2036.9%37.5%

Petrol, diesel, hybrid — which ages best?

FuelTests% failing
Diesel393,07023.5%
Petrol224,25122.0%
Hybrid23,30912.8%
Electric-diesel6,16216.0%

Where they fail most

Every dot is a postcode area — size = how many were tested there, colour = share failing. Raw rates: coastal and rural areas run older fleets and salted roads.

Aberdeen (AB): 34.5% failing, 3,797 testsDundee (DD): 32.3% failing, 2,112 testsExeter (EX): 32% failing, 4,524 testsSalisbury (SP): 31.2% failing, 2,840 testsBath (BA): 30.8% failing, 3,611 testsKirkcaldy (KY): 30.8% failing, 2,219 testsTorquay (TQ): 29.7% failing, 2,003 testsCardiff (CF): 29.7% failing, 11,817 testsHull (HU): 29.4% failing, 3,871 testsTruro (TR): 29.1% failing, 2,858 testsBristol (BS): 29.1% failing, 10,010 testsInverness (IV): 28.6% failing, 1,226 testsLincoln (LN): 28.1% failing, 2,873 testsCambridge (CB): 28.1% failing, 3,982 testsPlymouth (PL): 27.9% failing, 4,840 testsEdinburgh (EH): 27.7% failing, 5,854 testsLlandudno (LL): 27.7% failing, 4,577 testsGloucester (GL): 27.6% failing, 5,612 testsSunderland (SR): 27.6% failing, 2,183 testsChester (CH): 27.5% failing, 5,867 testsBrighton (BN): 27.3% failing, 8,694 testsDorchester (DT): 27.3% failing, 2,198 testsBournemouth (BH): 27.3% failing, 7,283 testsTaunton (TA): 27.2% failing, 2,740 testsSwindon (SN): 27.1% failing, 4,461 testsHuddersfield (HD): 27.1% failing, 2,168 testsNorthampton (NN): 27% failing, 7,685 testsNorwich (NR): 26.7% failing, 6,895 testsIpswich (IP): 26.4% failing, 6,803 testsGuildford (GU): 26.2% failing, 7,384 testsSouthampton (SO): 26.1% failing, 7,332 testsPortsmouth (PO): 26% failing, 8,152 testsPerth (PH): 25.7% failing, 921 testsSwansea (SA): 25.5% failing, 6,651 testsNewport (NP): 25.5% failing, 4,580 testsWigan (WN): 25.1% failing, 2,984 testsLancaster (LA): 25.1% failing, 1,758 testsColchester (CO): 25.1% failing, 4,685 testsPaisley (PA): 24.8% failing, 1,853 testsCleveland (TS): 24.6% failing, 6,711 testsFalkirk (FK): 24.4% failing, 1,992 testsHereford (HR): 24.3% failing, 1,369 testsCanterbury (CT): 24.2% failing, 5,295 testsWorcester (WR): 24% failing, 2,543 testsMilton Keynes (MK): 24% failing, 7,644 testsRedhill (RH): 23.9% failing, 5,937 testsNottingham (NG): 23.8% failing, 11,000 testsYork (YO): 23.8% failing, 4,917 testsDumfries (DG): 23.8% failing, 873 testsDarlington (DL): 23.6% failing, 2,662 testsSt Albans (AL): 23.5% failing, 2,446 testsNewcastle (NE): 23.2% failing, 8,920 testsOxford (OX): 23.2% failing, 6,328 testsKilmarnock (KA): 22.9% failing, 3,434 testsWarrington (WA): 22.7% failing, 6,463 testsPreston (PR): 22.6% failing, 5,477 testsMedway (ME): 22.5% failing, 8,848 testsTonbridge (TN): 22.5% failing, 8,260 testsPeterborough (PE): 22.4% failing, 11,807 testsBlackpool (FY): 22.2% failing, 2,832 testsLondon SE (SE): 22.2% failing, 8,406 testsStevenage (SG): 22.2% failing, 4,254 testsDoncaster (DN): 22.1% failing, 8,195 testsWolverhampton (WV): 22.1% failing, 5,305 testsStoke-on-Trent (ST): 22.1% failing, 5,514 testsStockport (SK): 22% failing, 6,018 testsManchester (M): 22% failing, 13,417 testsLondon SW (SW): 22% failing, 3,364 testsWalsall (WS): 21.9% failing, 4,439 testsTelford (TF): 21.8% failing, 2,019 testsCarlisle (CA): 21.8% failing, 2,448 testsReading (RG): 21.5% failing, 10,263 testsHarrogate (HG): 21.5% failing, 1,649 testsDerby (DE): 21.3% failing, 7,849 testsWakefield (WF): 21% failing, 5,269 testsLuton (LU): 20.9% failing, 5,347 testsCrewe (CW): 20.7% failing, 2,773 testsGlasgow (G): 20.6% failing, 10,970 testsChelmsford (CM): 20.5% failing, 8,885 testsCroydon (CR): 20.5% failing, 5,590 testsLeicester (LE): 20.5% failing, 11,295 testsDartford (DA): 20.5% failing, 6,241 testsShrewsbury (SY): 20.5% failing, 2,511 testsHalifax (HX): 20.5% failing, 1,048 testsSouthend-on-Sea (SS): 20.2% failing, 7,269 testsWatford (WD): 20.1% failing, 3,159 testsLiverpool (L): 20% failing, 6,527 testsHemel Hempstead (HP): 19.9% failing, 9,016 testsKingston upon Thames (KT): 19.7% failing, 6,649 testsLeeds (LS): 19.6% failing, 6,472 testsMotherwell (ML): 19.6% failing, 3,219 testsLondon W (W): 19.4% failing, 2,650 testsDurham (DH): 19.3% failing, 2,627 testsHarrow (HA): 19.3% failing, 6,886 testsOldham (OL): 19.3% failing, 4,997 testsDudley (DY): 19% failing, 4,192 testsBolton (BL): 19% failing, 6,513 testsIlford (IG): 18.8% failing, 5,820 testsSutton (SM): 18.7% failing, 1,591 testsSheffield (S): 18.6% failing, 13,083 testsSlough (SL): 18.6% failing, 6,548 testsCoventry (CV): 18.3% failing, 10,706 testsBromley (BR): 18.1% failing, 2,163 testsLondon NW (NW): 18.1% failing, 9,588 testsBirmingham (B): 18% failing, 21,593 testsTwickenham (TW): 17.9% failing, 8,134 testsLondon N (N): 17.7% failing, 7,421 testsRomford (RM): 17.7% failing, 8,146 testsBradford (BD): 17.3% failing, 5,969 testsEnfield (EN): 16.8% failing, 7,162 testsBlackburn (BB): 16.5% failing, 6,252 testsUxbridge (UB): 16.1% failing, 9,661 testsLondon E (E): 15.9% failing, 11,035 tests % failing 18% 31%
Toughest areas% failing
Aberdeen (AB)34.47%
Dundee (DD)32.29%
Exeter (EX)31.96%
Salisbury (SP)31.2%
Bath (BA)30.82%
Easiest areas% failing
London E (E)15.91%
Uxbridge (UB)16.06%
Blackburn (BB)16.49%
Enfield (EN)16.77%
Bradford (BD)17.34%

Does the test month matter?

Takeaway: the spread between best and worst month is 2.8 percentage points — booking month barely matters for this family.

22.59% in month 1 J22.07% in month 2 F21.11% in month 3 M22.78% in month 4 A21.16% in month 5 M22.15% in month 6 J23.09% in month 7 J22.55% in month 8 A22.47% in month 9 S23.86% in month 10 O23.76% in month 11 N23.28% in month 12 D 29% 20%

bars: Mercedes C Class · dashed: all class-4 cars

Month-by-month table
MonthMercedes C ClassAll cars
Jan22.59%27.37%
Feb22.07%26.14%
Mar21.11%24.75%
Apr22.78%26.01%
May21.16%25.01%
Jun22.15%25.01%
Jul23.09%26.04%
Aug22.55%25.79%
Sep22.47%25.19%
Oct23.86%27.13%
Nov23.76%27.2%
Dec23.28%26.29%

Is the mileage normal?

A typical 8-year-old C Class has ~68,301 miles on the clock. Much more — ask why; much less — check for gaps in the MOT history.

369121518car age, years 156k mi 0

line: median · band: middle half of the fleet (p25–p75)

Mileage by age (p25 / median / p75)
Agep25Medianp75Tests
317,28824,57933,1083,446
421,53530,73542,73514,765
527,40337,73349,84447,662
634,73147,14062,47055,173
741,83756,74673,96676,338
851,27068,30188,87269,290
960,31179,717103,23460,915
1065,10685,445109,09045,816
1169,98591,474117,97841,462
1274,92097,936123,72146,853
1382,139105,953131,83433,769
1482,162107,100133,89822,551
1589,946115,902143,63822,240
1690,690118,147147,86523,698
1787,588115,086144,60319,896
1887,726113,737143,07915,461
1989,994118,152148,74113,822
20+80,771107,864137,84033,740

Quick answers

What most commonly fails on a Mercedes C Class MOT?
The most frequent specific failures in 2024 were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn; a suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated; tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
Is the Mercedes C Class reliable for its age?
Across 646,907 initial tests in 2024, it fails its MOT about 16% less often than expected for its age (MOT Risk Index 83.6, where 100 = normal for its age).
Are diesel C Classs worse than petrol at the MOT?
23.5% of diesel tests found a failing defect vs 22.0% of petrol.
What mileage is normal for a 8-year-old C Class?
The median is about 68,301 miles; the middle half of the fleet sits between 51,270 and 88,872.
How often are dangerous defects found on the Mercedes C Class?
About 16 dangerous defects were recorded per 100 initial tests in 2024 — with a dangerous defect the car legally cannot be driven away.

Compare with

Audi A3 · 82.1Toyota Yaris · 95.6BMW 3 Series · 75.6Mercedes A Class · 91.3

Data details & how to cite

Scope: class-4 vehicles (cars), initial tests only, outcomes pass / fail / fixed-on-the-spot at the station (PRS counts towards the failure rate — the defect was present at arrival). Index = observed initial failures ÷ failures expected for this fleet's exact age profile, ×100; margin of error is a 95% confidence interval. Covers ALL generations together — a 3-year-old and a 15-year-old are very different cars; a generation split is on the roadmap. Dataset release dvsa-2024-v1, frozen baseline. Full method: methodology.

Cite: MOT Risk Index (2026). Mercedes C Class MOT statistics 2024 (dvsa-2024-v1). https://motriskindex.co.uk/cars/mercedes-c-class/ · Published 2026-07-30.