Mercedes Benz E (2013)
2013 Mercedes Benz E
CarHunch analysed 24,210 real MOT records for the 2013 Mercedes Benz E. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
The 2013 Mercedes-Benz E passes its MOT 84.7% of the time on the first attempt, which is solid against the UK average of 80%, but the troubling figure here is that 43.8% of these vehicles have recorded a dangerous defect at some point—well above acceptable thresholds for a buyer's peace of mind. Petrol variants perform slightly better at 87.7% pass rate versus 84.5% for diesel, though the diesel cohort dominates the sample size at 21,723 vehicles.
At nearly 75,000 miles on average for an eleven-year-old car, these E-Class examples show fairly typical mileage wear, but the real issue is the average of 1.84 failures per vehicle and a notably high 12.3 advisories—suggesting these are cars that rack up incremental problems as they age. Before buying, have an independent pre-purchase inspection focus specifically on the cooling system, suspension, and brake components, where the high dangerous-defect rate typically clusters on this generation.
Petrol vs Diesel
Pass rate difference of 3.2 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.
What to check before buying a 2013 Mercedes Benz E
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.
- ⚠️ 43.8% 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 E
MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.
CarHunch may earn a small commission if you buy via these links — at no extra cost to you.
Pass Rate by Fuel Type
| Fuel type | Vehicles | Pass rate | Avg failures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel (90%) | 21,723 | 84.5% | 1.88 |
| Electric Diesel (5%) | 1,261 | 85.4% | 1.66 |
| Petrol (5%) | 1,141 | 87.7% | 1.37 |
| Hybrid Electric (Clean) (0%) | 40 | 82.9% | 2.33 |
| Electric (0%) | 28 | 87.8% | 1.54 |
| Other (0%) | 15 | 86.2% | 1.33 |
| Fuel Cells (0%) | 1 | 100% | 0 |
| Gas Bi-Fuel (0%) | 1 | 50% | 1 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 2013 Mercedes Benz E 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.
Half of all 2013 Mercedes Benz E vehicles fall between 51,417 and 90,354 miles.
2013 Mercedes Benz E — Still on the Road
16,854 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 75% of the peak remain.
Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2015–2025.
MOT History Averages
Most Common MOT Issues — 2013 Mercedes Benz E
Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.
-
43.7%
Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
-
43.1%
Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
-
31.6%
Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
-
29.8%
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
-
29%
Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin
-
23.1%
Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin
-
22.1%
Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play
-
21.3%
Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play
Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2013. Counts include advisories and failures.
Found a specific Mercedes Benz E?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.