2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class passed 88.9% of its 37,263 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.3 percentage points worse than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 9.9%. Failures cluster in tyres, road wheels and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 8.0% of tests against 2.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and ball joint — tread depth alone was recorded 769 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 E-Class fails 10.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.4% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.3 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 11.1% of the time against 11.8% for hybrid.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 16.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 6.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 8.0% | 2,962 |
| 2 | Road wheels | 2.6% | 975 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 369 |
| 4 | Suspension | 0.8% | 308 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.8% | 301 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.6% | 222 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 769 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 370 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 348 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 193 |
| 5 | Wipers | 188 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 188 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 16.9% | 6,306 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.0% | 2,627 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.5% | 1,310 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.2% | 1,178 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 950 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 1.0% | 381 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 14,510 | 10.7% |
| 30-60k | 15,575 | 12.4% |
| 60-90k | 4,569 | 10.1% |
| 90-120k | 1,556 | 8.1% |
| 120-150k | 626 | 6.4% |
| 150k+ | 426 | 9.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 30,565 | 11.1% |
| Petrol | 3,674 | 11.1% |
| Hybrid | 3,021 | 11.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 330 | 6.4% |
| 2022 | 1,310 | 4.7% |
| 2023 | 12,110 | 11.7% |
| 2024 | 11,930 | 11.4% |
| 2025 | 11,583 | 11.2% |
What to check before buying a 2020 E-Class
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 8.0% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (8.0% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Road wheels (2.6% of tests): Damaged or corroded wheels, missing/loose fixings — generally a moderate fix. Typical repair: £80–£250.
- Lighting & signalling (1.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Classs pass their MOT?
88.9% of the 37,263 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class?
Tyres, recorded in 8.0% of tests, followed by road wheels (2.6%).
Does the 2020 E-Class get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.7% in the 0-30k band to 9.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 37,263 MOT tests. 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.