Mercedes-Benz R-Class MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

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

The Mercedes-Benz R-Class passed on its first attempt in 76.2%, and its overall record sits −1.0 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz R-Class in the 2023–2025 data: 7,435 tests across 8 model years (2006–2013). 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 R-Class MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mercedes-Benz R-Class, the Body, chassis, structure 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 R-Class's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

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

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz R-Class, each with how many of the model's 7,435 tests it was noted on.

• "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 895 Mercedes-Benz R-Class tests, 12.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 297 Mercedes-Benz R-Class tests, 4.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 258 Mercedes-Benz R-Class tests, 3.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 189 Mercedes-Benz R-Class tests, 2.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 175 Mercedes-Benz R-Class tests, 2.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (Major) — noted on about 168 Mercedes-Benz R-Class tests, 2.3% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz R-Class Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Mercedes-Benz R-Class model year on record is 2013 (83.5% across 544 tests), and the weakest is 2007 (76.8%). The gap between them is 6.7 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Mercedes-Benz R-Class reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 0.8 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 R-Class Owners

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

• 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 lights — “position lamp not working”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

• the brake pipes — “rigid brake pipes excessively corroded”

  Brake pipes run under the car, usually in front of the rear wheels. Flaking or crusty metal is what fails; a light dusting of surface rust does not. Worth asking a garage to look while it is on a ramp.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz R-Class MOT & Reliability