Mercedes-Benz V: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mercedes-Benz V passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 5.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 10,832 individual Mercedes-Benz V tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate82.3%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+5.6 points
Tests analysed10,832
Average mileage at test102,175 miles
Average year of manufacture2017
Reliability rank1,363 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 82.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 18 in every 100 Mercedes-Benz Vs presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Mercedes-Benz V tested had covered 102,175 miles and was built around 2017.

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 V bought as a repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

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 V 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 Vs actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz V

  1. Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value, 0.6% of tests (2.26x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.6% of tests (1.36x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.1% of tests (1.3x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Parking brake inoperative on one side, 0.5% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this defect)
  5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 2% of tests
  6. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.7% of tests
  7. A tyre seriously damaged, 1.7% of tests
  8. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.1% of tests
  9. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 1% of tests
  10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.6% of tests

From 22,479 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz V tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 8.28% of these flagged Mercedes-Benz V defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Mercedes-Benz V 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 V year:

Mercedes-Benz V by fuel type

Diesel and petrol versions of the same car fail on different things, so the fuel type moves the number:

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 V MOT pass rate badge: 82.3%

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate