13,198 tests in 2025
Mercedes-Benz V-Class reliability and MOT pass rate
84.6% passed first time. The 15.4% fail rate is 7.2 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 7 years old with 86,945 miles.
MOT pass rates / Mercedes-Benz
Pass rate
84.6%
22.6% of all cars failed; 15.4% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2.6%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
86,945 mi
7 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 1,964 | 14.6% |
| 6-9 years | 8,635 | 15.7% |
| 10-13 years | 1,050 | 16.9% |
| 14+ years | 531 | 29.4% |
What the V-Class fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension37 dangerous42.5%
- Tyres838 dangerous38%
- Brakes303 dangerous23.5%
- Visibility10.2%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment8.8%
- Noise, emissions and leaks3 dangerous7.9%
- Body, chassis, structure15 dangerous6.5%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems3.9%
Is the V-Class getting worse?
The fail rate rose 0.8 points to 15.9% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 10,609 | 5 | 15.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 11,266 | — | 15.3% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 10,272 | — | 16.4% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 11,400 | — | 15.9% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical V-Class at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a V-Class in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken390 tests
- 2Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn277 tests
- 3Condition: has ply or cords exposed261 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm222 tests
- 5Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords172 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick137 tests
- 7Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively127 tests
- 8Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction122 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical V-Class collects 2.14 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,853 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened675 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick666 tests
- 4Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn534 tests
- 5Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak515 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm319 tests
- 7Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn275 tests
- 8Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure202 tests
Questions
What is the Mercedes-Benz V-Class MOT pass rate?
84.6% of the 13,198 Mercedes-Benz V-Class first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 15.4% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 2.6% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Mercedes-Benz V-Class usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 390 failed tests, followed by "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn" and "Condition: has ply or cords exposed". By section, suspension appears in 42.5% of failures, tyres appears in 38% of failures, brakes appears in 23.5% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 14.6%; at 14+ years it was 29.4%. The median Mercedes-Benz V-Class tested in 2025 was 7 years old with 86,945 miles.
Is the Mercedes-Benz V-Class getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 0.8 points to 15.9% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every V-Class trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 38 safety recalls naming the Mercedes-Benz V-Class: Mercedes-Benz V-Class recalls.
Other Mercedes-Benz models
Checking a particular V-Class?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.