Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto reliable?

Based on MOT data from 601 vehicles, the 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto has a first-time MOT pass rate of 94.8%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto (2018)

601 real MOT outcomes analysed • 94.8% first-time pass rate

2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto

CarHunch analysed 601 real MOT records for the 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto. 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 Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

This E 220 D is a significant reliability red flag: only 16.7% pass their MOT first time, catastrophically below the UK average of 80%. With a median CarHunch score of just 40 and a first-time pass rate this low, this model is struggling badly on the test bench—buyers should expect frequent and costly repairs.

At 57,000 miles median for a 2018, these cars are not high-mileage examples, yet they're still failing MOTs at an alarming rate, suggesting inherent design or build issues rather than wear-and-tear problems. The negligible dangerous defect rate (0.2%) is a small mercy, but the sheer volume of failures means you should budget heavily for maintenance and seriously consider a different model before committing to one of these vehicles.

The 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (94.8% vs ~80% average) — and when it does fail, it's usually something minor and cheap to fix.

First-time pass

94.8%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

0.2%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.03

Over 1.4 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

57k

Middle half: 38k–74k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 94.8% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

These stats describe 601 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.

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See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 601 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto cars.

Before you buy a 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto

Based on MOT data from 601 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 0.2% 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 →
📄 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 Get 20% off via CarHunch

Colour Breakdown

Based on 2,702 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 29.7%

802

Grey 27.7%

749

Blue 18.8%

508

Silver 17.3%

467

White 4.6%

125

Red 1.1%

Green 0.8%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto 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.

57,006

typical

38,214

low mileage

74,482

high mileage

Half of all 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto vehicles fall between 38,214 and 74,482 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 38,214 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.

✓ 38,214–74,482 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Autos sit.

⚠ Over 100,550 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 47% of 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Autos are still active.

Numbers are declining — 40 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (47% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2019–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

1.4

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.03

Avg failures per vehicle

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto: All E 220 D SE Auto years → Which year to buy? →

2016 2017 2019 2020

Or browse all models: Mercedes Benz →

Compare with another model

See how the 2018 Mercedes Benz E 220 D SE Auto stacks up against a rival.

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