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Mercedes-Benz GLS 2016: MOT failure rate for its age

13.3% of 2,569 MOT tests of the Mercedes-Benz GLS first registered in 2016 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 108.1 (95% CI 96.7–119.6; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2016 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age. This is a rough estimate from a smaller sample.

Mercedes-Benz GLS built in 2016 at a glance
MeasureValueUnitCompared withYearsTests
Failed first time13.3%all ages tested2019–20242569
Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 96.7–119.6)108.1index100 = normal for this model at that age2019–20242569
Rank among this model's 5 build years4of 51 = fails least for its age2019–20242569
Tested in 2024404testsmedian 70,031 miles2024404
line · Mercedes-Benz GLS built 2016 · first-time MOT failure share by age · built 2016 10.8% vs model normal 10.7% at age 3 · 2019–2024
Built 2016 against Mercedes-Benz GLS normal for the age: first-time MOT failure share at each age, age 3: 10.8% vs 10.7%; age 4: 14.4% vs 12.2%; age 5: 13.6% vs 12.9%; age 6: 14.5% vs 13.1%; age 7: 13.5% vs 12.4%; age 8: 13.4% vs 12.9%. Axis from 0% to 20%. DVSA MOT bulk data, 2019–2024.

Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).

How does the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLS fail at each age?

Cars built in 2016 were tested at ages 3 to 8 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.

Mercedes-Benz GLS built 2016: first-time MOT failure by age, against the model's normal rate at that age (2019–2024)
AgeTestsFailed, %95% intervalNormal for this model at that age, %Index (100 = normal)
3444 (rough estimate)10.88.3–1410.7100.8
4411 (rough estimate)14.411.3–18.112.2118
5448 (rough estimate)13.610.7–17.112.9105.6
6440 (rough estimate)14.511.6–18.113.1111.2
7422 (rough estimate)13.510.6–17.112.4109.1
8404 (rough estimate)13.410.4–1712.9103.5

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,569 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

What fails most on the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLS?

The most common failure group on cars built in 2016 is tyres: 11.3 items per 100 first tests, against 11.2 across all build years of the Mercedes-Benz GLS. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2016 were tested at ages 3 to 8.

Failure items per 100 first tests, Mercedes-Benz GLS built 2016 against the Mercedes-Benz GLS in all build years (2019–2024, not age-adjusted)
Failure groupBuilt 2016, per 100All build years, per 100Items
Tyres11.311.2291
Visibility4.63.6119
Brakes3.52.589
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment1.41.136
Body, chassis, structure1.42.735

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,569 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

How does 2016 compare with the years around it?

Among the 5 published build years of the Mercedes-Benz GLS, 2016 ranks 4 (1 = fails least for its age). 2017: index 97.6.

Mercedes-Benz GLS build years: index against the model at the same age (2019–2024)
Build yearIndex (100 = normal)95% intervalVerdictTests
2016108.196.7–119.6no different (rough estimate)2,569
201797.688.3–107.0no different (rough estimate)3,632
2018101.089.4–112.6no different (rough estimate)2,448
201989.974.3–105.6no different (rough estimate)1,258
2020122.098.8–145.2no different (rough estimate)817

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 10,724 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

How to cite this page

MOT Risk Index (2026). Mercedes-Benz GLS 2016 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/mercedes-gls/2016/

How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.

Other pages for this model

Mercedes-Benz GLS 2017 · Mercedes-Benz GLS 2018 · Mercedes-Benz GLS 2019 · Mercedes-Benz GLS 2020 · Mercedes-Benz GLS by postcode area · Mercedes-Benz GLS body, chassis and structure failures · Mercedes-Benz GLS brakes failures · Mercedes-Benz GLS vehicle identification failures · Mercedes-Benz GLS lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mercedes-Benz GLS noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mercedes-Benz GLS seat belts and airbags failures · Mercedes-Benz GLS suspension failures · Mercedes-Benz GLS tyres failures · Mercedes-Benz GLS visibility failures