Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz C-Class build years & generations

Coverage 2000-present4 named generationsSaloonPETROL / DIESEL / HYBRID ELECTRIC / UNKNOWN

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class spans several build years and named generations (2000-present). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Newest Mercedes-Benz C-Class generation shown; older shapes are pictured on the cards below.

Which year is which

Build years & generations, side by side

Find the build years you're looking at and see which generation they are. You'll also see which group of build years the MOT figures come from.

Built 2000-2004
Generation
W203/S203
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
Built 2005-2006
Generation
W203/S203
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted together with W203/S203 and W204/S204/C204 cars built in the same years.
Built 2007-2008
Generation
W204/S204/C204
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted together with W203/S203 and W204/S204/C204 cars built in the same years.
Built 2009-2012
Generation
W204/S204/C204
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2013
Generation
W204/S204/C204
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted together with W204/S204/C204 and W205/S205/C205/A205 cars built in the same years.
Built 2014-2016
Generation
W205/S205/C205/A205
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted together with W204/S204/C204 and W205/S205/C205/A205 cars built in the same years.
Built 2017-2020
Generation
W205/S205/C205/A205
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2021+
Generation
W206/S206
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted with every car built from 2021.

Build years	Generation	Figures from cars built	What to know
2000-2004	W203/S203	Before 2005	Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
2005-2006	W203/S203	2005-2008	Counted together with W203/S203 and W204/S204/C204 cars built in the same years.
2007-2008	W204/S204/C204	2005-2008	Counted together with W203/S203 and W204/S204/C204 cars built in the same years.
2009-2012	W204/S204/C204	2009-2012	Counted with this generation only.
2013	W204/S204/C204	2013-2016	Counted together with W204/S204/C204 and W205/S205/C205/A205 cars built in the same years.
2014-2016	W205/S205/C205/A205	2013-2016	Counted together with W204/S204/C204 and W205/S205/C205/A205 cars built in the same years.
2017-2020	W205/S205/C205/A205	2017-2020	Counted with this generation only.
2021+	W206/S206	2021 onwards	Counted with every car built from 2021.

“Figures from cars built” is the group of build years behind each row's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

“Figures from” is the group of build years behind each card's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

By build-year group

How each group of build years performs

Each card shows MOT results for one group of Mercedes-Benz C-Class build years. “Age” means the car's age on the day of its MOT, not its build year. “25+” groups every test on cars aged 25 or older.

Built

2021 onwards

W206/S206 only

All W206/S206 cars built from 2021. Newer cars join this group until there is enough MOT history to split it.

Fail rate at 4 years old (latest age)

13.0%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 8 (12.5%)

Ages with data

3 to 4 years old

MOT tests counted

2,558

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

3 years

6737.9%

4 years

1,88513.0%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 4 years old.

Built

2017-2020

W205/S205/C205/A205 only

These build years are all W205/S205/C205/A205, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 7 years old

14.8%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 6 (17.1%)

Ages with data

4 to 8 years old

MOT tests counted

115,558

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

4 years

2,69011.5%

5 years

15,00212.3%

6 years

29,99613.1%

7 years

38,29014.8%

8 years

29,58015.9%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 8 years old.

Built

2013-2016

A mix of W204/S204/C204 and W205/S205/C205/A205

These build years include both W204/S204/C204 and W205/S205/C205/A205 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 12 years old (latest age)

23.9%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (25.9%)

Ages with data

8 to 12 years old

MOT tests counted

147,319

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

8 years

18,90616.4%

9 years

40,59917.3%

10 years

39,59318.7%

11 years

29,83022.2%

12 years

18,39123.9%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 12 years old.

Built

2009-2012

W204/S204/C204 only

These build years are all W204/S204/C204, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

26.9%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30%)

Ages with data

12 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

91,642

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

12 years

15,12025.7%

13 years

29,73625.4%

14 years

21,19825.7%

15 years

17,16226.8%

16 years

8,42626.9%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 16 years old.

Built

2005-2008

A mix of W203/S203 and W204/S204/C204

These build years include both W203/S203 and W204/S204/C204 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

30.1%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30.3%)

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

53,535

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

16 years

7,04328.1%

17 years

16,88127.8%

18 years

13,77230.0%

19 years

11,08629.9%

20 years

4,75330.1%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 20 years old.

Built

Before 2005

W203/S203 only

Counts every car built before 2005, so older cars with the same model name can be included as well as the W203/S203.

Fail rate at 25+ years old

24.0%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (23%)

Ages with data

20 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

20,134

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

20 years

3,42031.0%

21 years

6,10931.4%

22 years

3,59629.4%

23 years

2,01228.3%

24 years

91727.2%

25+ years

4,08024.0%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 21 years old.