Mercedes-Benz G MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Mercedes-Benz G MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Mercedes-Benz G passed on its first attempt in 89.1%, and its overall record sits +8.8 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz G in the 2023–2025 data: 836 tests across 4 model years (2011–2022). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Mercedes-Benz G MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mercedes-Benz G, the Tyres section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Mercedes-Benz G's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Mercedes-Benz G DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz G, each with how many of the model's 836 tests it was noted on.

• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 19 Mercedes-Benz G tests, 2.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (Major) — noted on about 14 Mercedes-Benz G tests, 1.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick" (Major) — noted on about 9 Mercedes-Benz G tests, 1.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Has ply or cords exposed" (Major) — noted on about 7 Mercedes-Benz G tests, 0.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Major) — noted on about 6 Mercedes-Benz G tests, 0.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 6 Mercedes-Benz G tests, 0.7% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz G Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Mercedes-Benz G model year on record is 2021 (92.6% across 380 tests), and the weakest is 2012 (83.4%). The gap between them is 9.2 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Mercedes-Benz G reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 2.2 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Mercedes-Benz G Owners

These checks follow this Mercedes-Benz G's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mercedes-Benz G.

• the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”

  Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.

• the brakes — “brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick”

  Look through the spokes of each wheel at the pad — less than 3mm of friction material, or a lip on the disc edge, is the usual failure. Check the handbrake holds on a slope with a few clicks, not at the top of its travel.

• the wipers and washers — “wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively”

  Run the wipers with the screen wet: they should clear it in one sweep without smearing or juddering. Top the washer bottle up and check both jets hit the screen.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Mercedes-Benz G. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz G MOT & Reliability