2012 Mercedes-Benz R-Class: MOT pass rate and reliability

77.9% of 2012 Mercedes-Benz R-Class pass the MOT first time, measured across 276 DVSA tests on that model year alone. The average one had covered 109,827 miles.

How the 2012 compares

  • Against all Mercedes-Benz R-Class (74.7%, 2,063 tests): +3.2 points
  • Against all 2012 cars (70.8%): +7.1 points
  • National first-time pass rate, all cars and years: 77%

Every Mercedes-Benz R-Class model year

Pass rates fall as cars age, so the only fair comparison for a 2012 car is other cars of the same age. The full run for the Mercedes-Benz R-Class:

Year Pass rate Tests Avg mileage
2006 71.2% 302 127,298
2007 71.4% 315 129,216
2008 77% 265 125,691
2010 74.3% 222 125,720
2011 78.1% 343 120,125
2012 77.9% 276 109,827

What this means if you are buying a 2012 R-Class

The 2012 is one of the stronger years for this model, passing 3.2 points more often than the Mercedes-Benz R-Class average. That is a point in its favour, though condition and service history still matter more than the model year. Check the exact car with the free MOT history checker before you buy, and run its VIN and mileage through our free VIN decoder and clocking check.

What a 14-year-old car fails on

A 2012 car is 14 years old now, and age drives the failure mix more than the badge does. Across all cars tested, these are the categories that actually cause failures:

  • Lights and electrical: 10.36% of all cars tested
  • Suspension: 8.65% of all cars tested
  • Tyres: 6.23% of all cars tested
  • Brakes: 6.1% of all cars tested
  • Visibility: wipers, washers, glass: 4.65% of all cars tested
  • Body, chassis and structure: 3.18% of all cars tested

That is above average and into the range where cambelts and water pumps are due if they have not already been done, so ask for the service history rather than take the mileage on trust. On a 2012 Mercedes-Benz R-Class the average at test was 109,827 miles, so treat anything far above that as a car that has worked harder than its peers, and anything far below as one worth checking for the faults that come from standing still.

The strongest year for this model is 2011 at 78.1%, and the weakest in our data is 2006 at 71.2%. That 6.9 point spread across the model's life is why comparing a 2012 car against a newer one tells you very little.

Nearby model years

All Mercedes-Benz R-Class MOT data · Every model