Audi A4 vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has the better MOT record of the two — 16.4% fail rate versus 18.7% for the Audi A4 across comparable years. The biggest single difference is lighting & signalling, where the A4 records failures noticeably more often.
18.7%
A4 fail rate
16.4%
E-Class fail rate
2.25pp
Difference
Side by side
| Metric | Audi A4 | Mercedes-Benz E-Class |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests analysed | 1,591,058 | 1,416,902 |
| Pass rate | 81.3% | 83.6% |
| Fail rate | 18.7% | 16.4% |
Where they differ
| Category | A4 | E-Class |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting & signalling | 7.6% | 3.8% |
| Body, structure & corrosion | 3.3% | 0.0% |
| Emissions & environmental | 0.0% | 2.2% |
| Suspension | 7.5% | 5.7% |
| Tyres | 6.4% | 7.0% |
| Brakes | 4.6% | 4.7% |
Methodology & source. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.