BMW 5 Series vs Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The BMW 5 Series has the better MOT record of the two — 15.7% fail rate versus 17.9% for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class across comparable years. The biggest single difference is emissions & environmental, where the C-Class records failures noticeably more often.
15.7%
5 Series fail rate
17.9%
C-Class fail rate
2.17pp
Difference
Side by side
| Metric | BMW 5 Series | Mercedes-Benz C-Class |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests analysed | 1,245,662 | 2,277,625 |
| Pass rate | 84.3% | 82.1% |
| Fail rate | 15.7% | 17.9% |
Where they differ
| Category | 5 Series | C-Class |
|---|---|---|
| Emissions & environmental | 0.0% | 2.9% |
| Visibility | 2.6% | 0.0% |
| Suspension | 5.5% | 8.1% |
| Brakes | 3.4% | 5.4% |
| Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 5.5% |
| Tyres | 6.2% | 6.4% |
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.