Mercedes Benz B Class (2018)

3,875 real MOT outcomes analysed • 89.9% first-time pass rate

2018 Mercedes Benz B Class

CarHunch analysed 3,875 real MOT records for the 2018 Mercedes Benz B Class. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

The 2018 Mercedes-Benz B-Class passes its MOT at 89.9%, well above the UK average of 80%, which is genuinely solid—but 23.4% of these vehicles have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, a red flag worth investigating on any used example you're considering. Petrol models perform better (91.3% pass rate) than their diesel counterparts (88.6%), so fuel type does matter for this generation.

These cars are running relatively low mileage for their age at a median of 32,567 miles, suggesting they've been treated as cherished family runabouts rather than workhorses. The average vehicle racks up 0.68 failures and 4.1 advisories per test, which points to minor wear rather than systematic problems—so get a pre-purchase inspection done and focus on brake and suspension components, which typically dominate that advisory count.

Average reliability 9.9% above UK average
89.9%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
32,567
typical mileage
23,660–43,403 middle half
23.4%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
0.68
avg MOT failures per car
over 5.8 tests on record

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 2.7 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

91.3%
Petrol
1,933 vehicles
88.6%
Diesel
1,940 vehicles

What to check before buying a 2018 Mercedes Benz B Class

Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.

  • 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
  • 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
  • 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
  • ⚠️ 23.4% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
  • 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.

Before you buy a Mercedes Benz B Class

MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.

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Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type Vehicles Pass rate Avg failures
Diesel (50%) 1,940 88.6% 0.78
Petrol (50%) 1,933 91.3% 0.57
Electric (0%) 1 83.3% 1
Other (0%) 1 100% 0

Mileage Distribution

Most 2018 Mercedes Benz B Class vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

23,660
low mileage
32,567
typical
43,403
high mileage

Half of all 2018 Mercedes Benz B Class vehicles fall between 23,660 and 43,403 miles.

2018 Mercedes Benz B Class — Still on the Road

Strong survival — 3,785 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 99% of the peak.

3,806 3,785 2021 2025

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2021–2025.

MOT History Averages

5.8
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
0.68
Avg failures per vehicle
4.1
Avg advisories per vehicle

Most Common MOT Issues — 2018 Mercedes Benz B Class

Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.

  • 34.3%
    Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
  • 33.4%
    Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
  • 26.9%
    Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing
  • 25.4%
    Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing
  • 23.4%
    Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin
  • 12.1%
    Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()
  • 11.3%
    COVID-19 6 MONTH EXTENSION
  • 11%
    Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2018. Counts include advisories and failures.

Found a specific Mercedes Benz B Class?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.

UK

Other model years — Mercedes Benz B Class:

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2019