Mercedes-Benz Cls
From 41,925 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Clss fare better: 2021 models pass at 90.4% vs 76.8% for 2005.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a tyre seriously damaged, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn and tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a tyre seriously damaged, caused 1,206 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a tyre seriously damaged | 1,206 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 952 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 949 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 915 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 901 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 825 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 471 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 390 |
| any fracture or welding defect on a wheel | 333 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 289 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 16.8% of Cls failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 59% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £130.
Fuel type matters
Hybrid versions pass at 90.1% while Diesel versions pass at 81.3%, a 9 percentage point gap.
Mercedes-Benz Cls on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 969 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 3 newly registered, a net loss of 966. At this rate, roughly 25.4 years until none remain. Now at 84.5% of its peak (29,107 in 2019 Q2).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 20,398 | 4,188 | +2 | -232 | -230 |
| 2025 Q2 | 20,709 | 4,107 | +1 | -259 | -258 |
| 2025 Q1 | 21,010 | 4,064 | +0 | -255 | -255 |
| 2024 Q4 | 21,430 | 3,899 | +0 | -223 | -223 |
| 2024 Q3 | 21,858 | 3,694 | +0 | -311 | -311 |
| 2024 Q2 | 22,336 | 3,527 | +1 | -232 | -231 |
| 2024 Q1 | 22,653 | 3,441 | +0 | -354 | -354 |
| 2023 Q4 | 23,126 | 3,322 | +4 | -233 | -229 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cls 320 Cdi Auto | Petrol | 3,344 | 20% |
| Cls220 D Amgline Premium Auto | Diesel | 1,189 | 7% |
| Cls250 Cdi Amg Blue-Cy Sport A | Diesel | 1,097 | 7% |
| Cls220 D Amg Line Auto | Diesel | 962 | 6% |
| Cls350 D Amgline Pre Plus Auto | Diesel | 872 | 5% |
| Cls350 Cdi Blueeffic-Y Sport A | Diesel | 864 | 5% |
| Cls 350 D Amg Line Prem + 4M A | Diesel | 853 | 5% |
| Cls350 Cdi Amg Blue-Cy Sport A | Diesel | 747 | 5% |
| Cls350 D Amg Line Premium Auto | Diesel | 743 | 4% |
| Cls350 Grand Edit-N Cdi A | Diesel | 726 | 4% |
| Cls220 Amg Line Prem Bluetec A | Diesel | 690 | 4% |
| Cls350 Cdi Blueefficiency Auto | Diesel | 659 | 4% |
| Cls250 Cdi Amg Blueeffi-Y Sp A | Diesel | 628 | 4% |
| Cls350 Cdi Amg Blueeffi-Y Sp A | Diesel | 593 | 4% |
| Cls220 Amg Line Bluetec Auto | Diesel | 519 | 3% |
| Cls250 Cdi Blueefficiency Auto | Diesel | 509 | 3% |
| Cls350 Cdi Auto | Diesel | 432 | 3% |
| Cls 350 Auto | Petrol | 416 | 3% |
| Cls 500 Auto | Petrol | 414 | 2% |
| Cls250 Cdi Blueeffic-Y Sport A | Diesel | 323 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 90.4% | any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2020 | 86.4% | a tyre seriously damaged, any fracture or welding defect on a wheel |
| 2019 | 87.7% | a tyre seriously damaged, any fracture or welding defect on a wheel |
| 2018 | 87.6% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
13 earlier years
| 2017 | 84% | a tyre seriously damaged, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2016 | 86% | a tyre seriously damaged, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2015 | 85% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2014 | 83.5% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2013 | 82.1% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 82.2% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2011 | 80.9% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2010 | 75.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2009 | 73% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2008 | 71.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2007 | 73.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2006 | 78.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2005 | 76.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
Typical mileage
Half of all Clss tested had between 61,906 and 107,456 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 80,930 median miles, the Cls has 0.023 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Mercedes-Benz models
Common questions
What is the Mercedes-Benz Cls MOT pass rate?
The Mercedes-Benz Cls has a 81.4% MOT pass rate based on 41,925 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz Cls?
The most common MOT failure on the Mercedes-Benz Cls is a tyre seriously damaged, which caused 1,206 failures. Other common issues include a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn.
How many Mercedes-Benz Clss are on UK roads?
There are 20,398 Mercedes-Benz Clss currently licensed on UK roads, with 4,188 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mercedes-Benz Cls at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mercedes-Benz Cls is 80,930 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 61,906 and 107,456 miles.
Buying a used Cls?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 81.4% pass rate and an average repair bill of £130 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.