Mercedes-Benz R-Class: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mercedes-Benz R-Class fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 3.1 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 2,094 individual Mercedes-Benz R-Class tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate73.6%
UK national average76.7%
Difference-3.1 points
Tests analysed2,094
Average mileage at test121,464 miles
Average year of manufacture2009
Reliability rank1,659 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 73.6% first-time pass rate means roughly 26 in every 100 Mercedes-Benz R-Class 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 R-Class tested had covered 121,464 miles and was built around 2009.

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 R-Class 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 R-Class 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 R-Class actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz R-Class

  1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 0.9% of tests (11.5x the national rate for this defect)
  2. Smoke opacity levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limit, 0.8% of tests (4.01x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 3.3% of tests (2.98x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value, 0.8% of tests (2.75x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2.1% of tests (2.5x the national rate for this defect)
  6. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.4% of tests (2.43x the national rate for this defect)
  7. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.7% of tests (1.51x the national rate for this defect)
  8. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.2% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this defect)
  9. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.9% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this defect)
  10. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.8% of tests

From 4,461 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz R-Class tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.67% of these flagged Mercedes-Benz R-Class defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Mercedes-Benz R-Class pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Mercedes-Benz R-Class year:

Other Mercedes-Benz models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate