Mercedes-Benz 220: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mercedes-Benz 220 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 1.8 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 778 individual Mercedes-Benz 220 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate74.9%
UK national average76.7%
Difference-1.8 points
Tests analysed778
Average mileage at test109,184 miles
Average year of manufacture2008
Reliability rank1,623 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 74.9% first-time pass rate means roughly 25 in every 100 Mercedes-Benz 220s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Mercedes-Benz 220 tested had covered 109,184 miles and was built around 2008.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Mercedes-Benz 220 bought as a repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Mercedes-Benz 220 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see what damaged Mercedes-Benz 220s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz 220

  1. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2.3% of tests (2.84x the national rate for this defect)
  2. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 1% of tests (2.37x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 3.1% of tests (1.88x the national rate for this defect)
  4. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.5% of tests (1.85x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 1.6% of tests (1.63x the national rate for this defect)
  6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 5.9% of tests (1.59x the national rate for this defect)
  7. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 1.4% of tests (1.53x the national rate for this defect)
  8. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.9% of tests (1.51x the national rate for this defect)
  9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.4% of tests (1.46x the national rate for this defect)
  10. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.6% of tests (1.27x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,450 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz 220 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.95% of these flagged Mercedes-Benz 220 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Other Mercedes-Benz models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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Mercedes-Benz 220 MOT pass rate badge: 74.9%

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate