Used car guide · 2016–2023

Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213: best and worst years, and what goes wrong

How every year of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 did at its MOT in 2025 compared with other cars the same age, the weak spots that keep coming up, and what to check before you buy one. From 90,034 MOT tests.

2017best year: 83% pass first time, 5 points above all 2017 cars
2019weakest year: 85% pass first time, 1 points above all 2019 cars
Ball jointthe weak spot that shows up in 5 different years

Year by year

First-time MOT pass rate for each year of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213, against all cars registered the same year. Older cars fail more, so the comparison with cars the same age is what matters.

60%80%100%2016: 81% pass first time (all 2016 cars: 75%) 81% 2016*2017: 83% pass first time (all 2017 cars: 78%) 83% 20172018: 84% pass first time (all 2018 cars: 81%) 84% 20182019: 85% pass first time (all 2019 cars: 84%) 85% 20192020: 87% pass first time (all 2020 cars: 86%) 87% 20202021: 88% pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%) 88% 2021
This model, first-time pass rate All cars registered that year · * changeover year: some cars are the previous or next generation
YearPass first timeAll cars that yearStands outMOT tests
2016*81%75% +6Wheel bearings 4.7× usual19,952
201783%78% +5Ball joint 4.2× usual21,802
201884%81% +3Ball joint 6.2× usual20,762
201985%84% +1Ball joint 7.4× usual18,768
202087%86% +1Ball joint 8.7× usual6,560
202188%87% +1Ball joint 6.5× usual2,190

Weak spots across the Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year of this generation. Repeat findings like these are much less likely to be chance.

  • Ball jointup to 8.7× usual

    Stands out in 5 years: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Wheelsup to 4.7× usual

    Stands out in 5 years: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting each car's main test of the year (not retests). A weak spot needs at least 30 cars flagged and must stay 1.5× the usual rate even at the cautious end of a 95% confidence range. Generation years are approximate: cars registered in a changeover year (*) can be either generation. How we score

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