Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz SLK build years & generations

Coverage 1996-20204 named generationsConvertiblePETROL / DIESEL

The Mercedes-Benz SLK spans several build years and named generations (1996-2020). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Newest Mercedes-Benz SLK 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 1996-2003
Generation
R170 (1st gen)
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted together with R170 (1st gen) and R171 (2nd gen) cars built in the same years.
Built 2004
Generation
R171 (2nd gen)
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted together with R170 (1st gen) and R171 (2nd gen) cars built in the same years.
Built 2005-2008
Generation
R171 (2nd gen)
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2009-2010
Generation
R171 (2nd gen)
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted together with R171 (2nd gen) and R172 (3rd gen) cars built in the same years.
Built 2011-2012
Generation
R172 (3rd gen)
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted together with R171 (2nd gen) and R172 (3rd gen) cars built in the same years.
Built 2013-2016
Generation
R172 (3rd gen)
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted together with R172 (3rd gen) and R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK) cars built in the same years.
Built 2016
Generation
R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK)
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted together with R172 (3rd gen) and R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK) cars built in the same years.
Built 2017-2020
Generation
R172 (3rd gen)
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with R172 (3rd gen) and R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK) cars built in the same years.
Built 2017-2020
Generation
R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK)
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with R172 (3rd gen) and R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK) cars built in the same years.

Build years	Generation	Figures from cars built	What to know
1996-2003	R170 (1st gen)	Before 2005	Counted together with R170 (1st gen) and R171 (2nd gen) cars built in the same years.
2004	R171 (2nd gen)	Before 2005	Counted together with R170 (1st gen) and R171 (2nd gen) cars built in the same years.
2005-2008	R171 (2nd gen)	2005-2008	Counted with this generation only.
2009-2010	R171 (2nd gen)	2009-2012	Counted together with R171 (2nd gen) and R172 (3rd gen) cars built in the same years.
2011-2012	R172 (3rd gen)	2009-2012	Counted together with R171 (2nd gen) and R172 (3rd gen) cars built in the same years.
2013-2016	R172 (3rd gen)	2013-2016	Counted together with R172 (3rd gen) and R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK) cars built in the same years.
2016	R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK)	2013-2016	Counted together with R172 (3rd gen) and R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK) cars built in the same years.
2017-2020	R172 (3rd gen)	2017-2020	Counted together with R172 (3rd gen) and R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK) cars built in the same years.
2017-2020	R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK)	2017-2020	Counted together with R172 (3rd gen) and R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK) cars built in the same years.

“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 SLK 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

2013-2016

A mix of R172 (3rd gen) and R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK)

These build years include both R172 (3rd gen) and R172 (facelift, renamed from SLK) cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 12 years old (latest age)

20.0%

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

Ages with data

8 to 12 years old

MOT tests counted

18,831

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

25810.5%

9 years

3,43916.5%

10 years

5,86117.6%

11 years

5,87820.2%

12 years

3,39520.0%

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 11 years old.

Built

2009-2012

A mix of R171 (2nd gen) and R172 (3rd gen)

These build years include both R171 (2nd gen) and R172 (3rd gen) cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

23.5%

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

Ages with data

12 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

15,625

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

3,37021.8%

13 years

5,30320.5%

14 years

2,44921.7%

15 years

2,89224.2%

16 years

1,61123.5%

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 15 years old.

Built

2005-2008

R171 (2nd gen) only

These build years are all R171 (2nd gen), so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

26.0%

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

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

18,301

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

1,73826.1%

17 years

4,29125.1%

18 years

4,26625.5%

19 years

4,83125.3%

20 years

3,17526.0%

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 16 years old.

Built

Before 2005

A mix of R170 (1st gen) and R171 (2nd gen)

These build years include both R170 (1st gen) and R171 (2nd gen) cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 25+ years old

23.9%

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

Ages with data

20 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

15,032

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

2,12926.9%

21 years

2,21525.7%

22 years

2,03723.8%

23 years

2,07723.6%

24 years

2,36724.2%

25+ years

4,20723.9%

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 20 years old.