Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 MOT pass rate: 80.3% (1,583 tests, 2025)

The Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 passed 80.3% of its 1,583 MOT tests in 2025 — 2.8 points above the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 20 years old with 94,485 miles on the clock.

80.3%Pass rate (2025)

1,583MOT tests analysed

94,485 miMedian mileage at test

20 yrsMedian age at test

How the Cl 500 compares

Mercedes-Benz Cl 500

80.3%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Mercedes-Benz average (all models)

80.7%

What fails most on the Mercedes-Benz Cl 500

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the Cl 500:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	214	31.8%
2	Brakes	209	31.1%
3	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	164	24.4%
4	Tyres	85	12.6%

Pre-MOT checklist for Cl 500 owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

Check a specific Cl 500 before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Mercedes-Benz models

C78.2% pass rate · 343,551 tests A-Class77.8% pass rate · 232,671 tests E79.7% pass rate · 215,896 tests A89.1% pass rate · 93,733 tests Vito73.4% pass rate · 81,263 tests GLC87.2% pass rate · 65,847 tests GLA83.1% pass rate · 64,404 tests CLA82.7% pass rate · 62,279 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Mercedes-Benz Cl 500?

In 2025, 80.3% of 1,583 first MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the Cl 500 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is suspension (31.8% of its recorded defects), followed by brakes.

Is the Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 80.3% it performs above the national average at a median age of 20 years and 94,485 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.