1996 Mercedes E 220 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

63.0%

Latest Pass Rate

4,195

Total Tests (All Years)

129,868 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1996 Mercedes E 220 as it ages.

13 yrs61.3%

→ ↓2.5%

14 yrs58.8%

→ ↑1.4%

15 yrs60.2%

→ ↑1.3%

16 yrs61.5%

→ ↓2.7%

17 yrs58.8%

→ ↑3.1%

18 yrs61.9%

→ ↓1.7%

19 yrs60.2%

→ ↑7.0%

20 yrs67.2%

→ ↑3.4%

21 yrs70.6%

→ ↓6.4%

22 yrs64.2%

→ ↑5.5%

23 yrs69.7%

→ ↓6.7%

24 yrs63.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	61.3%	610
14 yrs	58.8%	560
15 yrs	60.2%	500
16 yrs	61.5%	449
17 yrs	58.8%	413
18 yrs	61.9%	370
19 yrs	60.2%	342
20 yrs	67.2%	326
21 yrs	70.6%	221
22 yrs	64.2%	137
23 yrs	69.7%	132
24 yrs	63.0%	135

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 Mercedes E 220 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (24 yrs)	63%	135
2019 (23 yrs)	69.7%	132
2018 (22 yrs)	64.2%	137
2017 (21 yrs)	70.6%	221
2016 (20 yrs)	67.2%	326
2015 (19 yrs)	60.2%	342
2014 (18 yrs)	61.9%	370
2013 (17 yrs)	58.8%	413
2012 (16 yrs)	61.5%	449
2011 (15 yrs)	60.2%	500
2010 (14 yrs)	58.8%	560
2009 (13 yrs)	61.3%	610

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

61.3%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 610Avg Mileage 119,000Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.5%

2010High Fail Rate

58.8%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 560Avg Mileage 123,625Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.3%

2011High Fail Rate

60.2%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 500Avg Mileage 122,675Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.4%

2012High Fail Rate

61.5%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 449Avg Mileage 123,912Top Failure Brakes — 18.9%

2013High Fail Rate

58.8%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 413Avg Mileage 126,618Top Failure Brakes — 61.5%

2014High Fail Rate

61.9%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 370Avg Mileage 125,687Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.6%

2015High Fail Rate

60.2%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 342Avg Mileage 126,049Top Failure Brakes — 52.3%

2016

67.2%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 326Avg Mileage 125,135Top Failure Suspension — 35.6%

2017

70.6%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 221Avg Mileage 134,598Top Failure Brakes — 37.6%

2018High Fail Rate

64.2%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 137Avg Mileage 137,004Top Failure Brakes — 46.0%

2019

69.7%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 132Avg Mileage 133,535Top Failure Suspension — 42.4%

2020High Fail Rate

63.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 135Avg Mileage 129,868Top Failure Brakes — 46.7%

MOT results for 1996 Mercedes E 220 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	61.3%	610	119,000	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.5%
2010	14	58.8%	560	123,625	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.3%
2011	15	60.2%	500	122,675	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.4%
2012	16	61.5%	449	123,912	Brakes — 18.9%
2013	17	58.8%	413	126,618	Brakes — 61.5%
2014	18	61.9%	370	125,687	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.6%
2015	19	60.2%	342	126,049	Brakes — 52.3%
2016	20	67.2%	326	125,135	Suspension — 35.6%
2017	21	70.6%	221	134,598	Brakes — 37.6%
2018	22	64.2%	137	137,004	Brakes — 46.0%
2019	23	69.7%	132	133,535	Suspension — 42.4%
2020	24	63.0%	135	129,868	Brakes — 46.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 Mercedes E 220, with age trends.

Brakes

36.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

33.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

32.2%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

29.2%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

22.0%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	18.0% (13 yrs)	46.7% (24 yrs)	+28.7%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	12.0% (13 yrs)	31.1% (24 yrs)	+19.1%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes E 220 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes E 220 cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 4,195 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.