Mercedes-Benz CLS MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a Mercedes-Benz CLS in Great Britain in 2025 — 22,423 tests. Figures cover every CLS first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the CLS ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
74.6%
2.3 points above the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
22,423
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
10.3%
of CLS first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
86,250
middle half: 66,250–106,250 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many Mercedes-Benz CLS cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 25,277 Mercedes-Benz CLS cars that were taxed or on SORN: 20,814 taxed and 4,463 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — kept, but declared off the road by the keeper). The MOT figures above count tests; these count cars, across the whole United Kingdom, cars only. Mercedes-Benz CLS vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
20,814
82.3% of the 25,277 CLS cars taxed or on SORN; 54 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
4,463
declared off the road by their keepers — 17.7% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed CLS cars peaked at 28,144 at the end of 2017 and has since fallen by 7,330 (26.0%) to 20,814 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 750 at the end of 2014 to 4,463 at the end of 2025, up 495.1%. A car leaves the taxed count when it is scrapped, exported or declared off the road; the year-end counts do not say which.

Taxed CLS cars, year by year

Cars of this model taxed and on the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025.

010k20k30k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed CLS cars, year 2014: 23kTaxed CLS cars, year 2015: 26kTaxed CLS cars, year 2016: 28kTaxed CLS cars, year 2017: 28kTaxed CLS cars, year 2018: 28kTaxed CLS cars, year 2019: 28kTaxed CLS cars, year 2020: 27kTaxed CLS cars, year 2021: 26kTaxed CLS cars, year 2022: 25kTaxed CLS cars, year 2023: 24kTaxed CLS cars, year 2024: 22kTaxed CLS cars, year 2025: 21k21k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed CLS cars
201423,239
201525,979
201627,790
201728,144
201827,943
201927,592
202027,009
202126,408
202225,390
202323,895
202422,128
202520,814

CLS cars on SORN, year by year

Cars of this model declared off the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025. Its own scale — SORN counts are a fraction of the taxed count.

01k2k3k4k5k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)CLS cars on SORN, year 2014: 750CLS cars on SORN, year 2015: 828CLS cars on SORN, year 2016: 973CLS cars on SORN, year 2017: 1kCLS cars on SORN, year 2018: 1kCLS cars on SORN, year 2019: 2kCLS cars on SORN, year 2020: 2kCLS cars on SORN, year 2021: 3kCLS cars on SORN, year 2022: 3kCLS cars on SORN, year 2023: 3kCLS cars on SORN, year 2024: 4kCLS cars on SORN, year 2025: 4k4k
View this chart as a table
YearCLS cars on SORN
2014750
2015828
2016973
20171,224
20181,498
20191,912
20202,349
20212,596
20222,965
20233,428
20244,036
20254,463

Which model years survive

Taxed CLS cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 20,814 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. 1 taxed CLS car has no recorded year of manufacture and is not in the table, so the rows add up to 20,813. A build year's count depends on how many were sold that year as well as how many have lasted.

Year of manufacture Taxed, end of 2025Share of taxed CLS cars
20212521.2%
20202991.4%
20199964.8%
20188704.2%
20171,4517.0%
20162,0049.6%
20152,71813.1%
20141,6407.9%
20132,77513.3%
20129854.7%
20119784.7%
20108614.1%
20098424.0%
20081,0395.0%
20071,2816.2%
20069984.8%
20057323.5%
All other build years (five years, each under 1%)920.4%

Population source: Department for Transport / DVLA vehicle licensing statistics, table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026; counts of the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, United Kingdom, cars only, excluding cars recorded with no model name. SortedCars groups DVLA's model name CLS CLASS under this model. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DVLA or the Department for Transport.

How the CLS ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, CLS vs all cars, 2025.

Mercedes-Benz CLSAll cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 6: 82.8%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 7: 82.3%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 8: 79.9%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 9: 79.6%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 10: 78.6%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 11: 74.7%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 12: 72.1%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 13: 73.8%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 14: 73.9%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 15: 66%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 16: 66.5%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 17: 68.8%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 18: 67.7%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 19: 70.5%Mercedes-Benz CLS, vehicle age 20: 71.3%All cars, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All cars, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All cars, vehicle age 5: 86%All cars, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All cars, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All cars, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All cars, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All cars, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All cars, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All cars, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All cars, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All cars, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All cars, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All cars, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All cars, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All cars, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All cars, vehicle age 19: 57%All cars, vehicle age 20: 57.6%Mercedes-Benz CLS 71.3%All cars 57.6%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)CLS testsCLS pass rateAll cars
61,07382.8%83.5%
794882.3%80.9%
81,46579.9%78.2%
92,08779.6%74.9%
102,85678.6%71.9%
111,72974.7%68.6%
122,96272.1%65.8%
131,06373.8%63.5%
141,09473.9%61.2%
1598066.0%59.3%
1694966.5%58.3%
171,16968.8%57.2%
181,44467.7%57.4%
191,14470.5%57.0%
2082971.3%57.6%

Better or worse than the average car?

The CLS's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the CLS beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

CLS aheadCLS behind
-14-7+0+7+14Age 6: -0.7 points vs the average carAge 7: +1.4 points vs the average car7Age 8: +1.7 points vs the average carAge 9: +4.7 points vs the average car9Age 10: +6.7 points vs the average carAge 11: +6.1 points vs the average car11Age 12: +6.3 points vs the average carAge 13: +10.3 points vs the average car13Age 14: +12.7 points vs the average carAge 15: +6.7 points vs the average car15Age 16: +8.2 points vs the average carAge 17: +11.6 points vs the average car17Age 18: +10.3 points vs the average carAge 19: +13.5 points vs the average car19Age 20: +13.7 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
6-0.7
7+1.4
8+1.7
9+4.7
10+6.7
11+6.1
12+6.3
13+10.3
14+12.7
15+6.7
16+8.2
17+11.6
18+10.3
19+13.5
20+13.7

The CLS fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the CLS fleet still in use.

07501k2k3kAge 6: 1k6Age 7: 948Age 8: 1k8Age 9: 2kAge 10: 2k10Age 11: 1kAge 12: 2k12Age 13: 1kAge 14: 1k14Age 15: 980Age 16: 94916Age 17: 1kAge 18: 1k18Age 19: 1kAge 20: 82920Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
61,073
7948
81,465
92,087
102,856
111,729
122,962
131,063
141,094
15980
16949
171,169
181,444
191,144
20829

What a CLS fails on

Where the failure items land when a CLS fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Tyres24.9%
Suspension23.0%
Brakes18.1%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment12.9%
Noise, emissions and leaks5.9%
Road Wheels4.2%
Visibility4.0%
Steering2.5%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (95.5% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a CLS, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Brakes: 36.2% of advisories36.2%Tyres: 28.4% of advisories28.4%Suspension: 18.4% of advisories18.4%Noise, emissions and leaks: 5.3% of advisoriesNon-component advisories: 3.9% of advisoriesBody, chassis, structure: 2.5% of advisories
BrakesTyresSuspensionNoise, emissions and leaksNon-component advisoriesBody, chassis, structure
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Brakes36.2%
Tyres28.4%
Suspension18.4%
Noise, emissions and leaks5.3%
Non-component advisories3.9%
Body, chassis, structure2.5%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid CLS?

First-time pass rate for the two most-tested CLS fuel types, 2025, against the all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Diesel: 74.2% of 19,754 tests74.2%Diesel19,754 testsPetrol: 77.0% of 2,436 tests77.0%Petrol2,436 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Diesel19,75474.2%
Petrol2,43677.0%

What mileage is normal for a CLS?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) CLS; the shaded band holds the middle half. A car far outside the band, in either direction, is worth questions the recorded history can answer.

Typical CLS (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k150k68101214161820Vehicle age (years)Age 6: typical 48,750 miles (middle half 33,750–63,750)Age 7: typical 53,750 miles (middle half 41,250–71,250)Age 8: typical 63,750 miles (middle half 48,750–83,750)Age 9: typical 73,750 miles (middle half 58,750–93,750)Age 10: typical 86,250 miles (middle half 66,250–106,250)Age 11: typical 91,250 miles (middle half 68,750–111,250)Age 12: typical 98,750 miles (middle half 78,750–126,250)Age 13: typical 101,250 miles (middle half 78,750–123,750)Age 14: typical 103,750 miles (middle half 78,750–131,250)Age 15: typical 113,750 miles (middle half 91,250–141,250)Age 16: typical 113,750 miles (middle half 93,750–138,750)Age 17: typical 121,250 miles (middle half 96,250–146,250)Age 18: typical 121,250 miles (middle half 96,250–148,750)Age 19: typical 116,250 miles (middle half 88,750–146,250)Age 20: typical 106,250 miles (middle half 81,250–131,250)106k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
633,75048,75063,750
741,25053,75071,250
848,75063,75083,750
958,75073,75093,750
1066,25086,250106,250
1168,75091,250111,250
1278,75098,750126,250
1378,750101,250123,750
1478,750103,750131,250
1591,250113,750141,250
1693,750113,750138,750
1796,250121,250146,250
1896,250121,250148,750
1988,750116,250146,250
2081,250106,250131,250

What fails at each age

The CLS's failure mix by age band, 2025 — each band's top categories at their true share of that band's failure items; the pale remainder is everything else. How the mix shifts with age is the point of the chart.

TyresRoad WheelsSuspensionVisibilityBrakesNoise, emissions and leaksLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentSteeringEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres46.1%
3-5 yrsRoad Wheels34.6%
3-5 yrsSuspension5.8%
3-5 yrsVisibility3.7%
3-5 yrsBrakes3.1%
3-5 yrsEverything else6.7%
6-9 yrsTyres44.0%
6-9 yrsSuspension17.5%
6-9 yrsBrakes11.4%
6-9 yrsRoad Wheels8.7%
6-9 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks6.2%
6-9 yrsEverything else12.2%
10-13 yrsTyres29.7%
10-13 yrsSuspension27.3%
10-13 yrsBrakes22.6%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment5.4%
10-13 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks5.3%
10-13 yrsEverything else9.7%
14+ yrsSuspension25.7%
14+ yrsBrakes19.8%
14+ yrsTyres17.7%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment15.1%
14+ yrsSteering5.3%
14+ yrsEverything else16.4%

More vehicles we've checked

How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, and all trims and variants of a model are grouped under one model name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. The taxed and SORN counts on this page are the one exception: they are not computed from MOT records but taken from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics (DfT/DVLA table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0), which count the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, UK-wide, cars only. They describe a model as a whole, grouped under SortedCars' model names, and say nothing about any one car. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.