Mercedes Benz

Mercedes Benz Cls (2020)

279 real MOT outcomes analysed • 85.5% first-time pass rate

2020 Mercedes Benz Cls

CarHunch analysed 279 real MOT records for the 2020 Mercedes Benz Cls. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLS passes its MOT first time at 85.5%, which is comfortably above the UK average of 80%, suggesting solid baseline reliability—but the uncomfortable truth is that 40.9% of these cars have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, which is well above typical and should give serious pause to any buyer. The diesel-dominated fleet (227 of 279 vehicles) achieves an 84.8% pass rate, indicating the engine choice is handling age and mileage reasonably well.

At just over 31,000 miles median, these four-year-olds are running lower than expected, which means many haven't yet accumulated the stress that reveals hidden problems. The 0.66 average failures and 2.0 advisories per vehicle suggest wear is emerging in areas like suspension and brake components rather than catastrophic mechanical breakdown, so have a pre-purchase inspection focus on those systems and dig into the full MOT history for any pattern of dangerous defects before committing.

We have limited data for the 2020 Mercedes Benz Cls — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.
First-time pass
85.5%
UK average ~80%
Around average
Dangerous (ever)
40.9%
At least once in MOT history
Check this vehicle
Avg failures / car
0.66
Over 3.7 tests on record
Moderate
Typical mileage
31k
Middle half: 25k–45k
For context

These stats describe 279 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Watch for defects — worth knowing

What tends to go wrong

Across 279 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Brake wear 17%
Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · …
Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.
Tyre wear 16.2%
Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · …
Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.
Suspension & steering 7.7%
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play · Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play
Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.
Other issues 7%
Nearside Front Road wheel fractured · Offside Front Road wheel fractured · Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt · …

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2020.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 279 Mercedes Benz Cls cars.

UK

Before you buy a 2020 Mercedes Benz Cls

Based on MOT data from 279 vehicles — here's what to check.

  • 📋 Check the full MOT history. 40.9% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
    Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
  • 🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection ClickMechanic
  • 📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History carVertical Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type Vehicles Pass rate Avg failures
Diesel (81%) 227 84.8% 0.7

Colour Breakdown

Based on 34,383 Mercedes Benz Cls vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 37.2%
12,798
Silver 32.2%
11,069
Grey 14.8%
5,086
White 6.7%
2,306
Blue 4.8%
1,635
Red 3.4%
1,184
Beige 0.3%
118
Green 0.2%
55
Gold 0.1%
49
Brown 0.1%
47
Maroon 0.1%
23
Bronze 0%
13

Mileage Distribution

Most 2020 Mercedes Benz Cls vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

31,465
typical
25,168
low mileage
44,998
high mileage

Half of all 2020 Mercedes Benz Cls vehicles fall between 25,168 and 44,998 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?
Under 25,168 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.
25,168–44,998 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2020 Mercedes Benz Clss sit.
Over 60,747 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2020 Mercedes Benz Cls — Still on the Road

Almost all 2020 Mercedes Benz Clss are still on the road.

Strong survival — 262 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 98% of the peak.

268 262 2023 2025

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2023–2025.

MOT History Averages

3.7
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
0.66
Avg failures per vehicle
2
Avg advisories per vehicle
Other model years — Mercedes Benz Cls: All Cls years → Which year to buy? →
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

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Compare with another model

See how the 2020 Mercedes Benz Cls stacks up against a rival.

Watch for defects — worth knowing