Mercedes-Benz

Which year Mercedes-Benz Ml is most reliable?

Based on 79,883 vehicles (1998–2015) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"
These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 Ml at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 Ml at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."
Years to look for
2012–2015
Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other Mls
Below model average
1998–2005
Lower pass rate than other Mls — worth checking the MOT history before buying
See common failures for 1998 →
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Dataset
79,883
vehicles · 1998–2015 · millions of MOT records
CarHunch sweet spot — 2006–2012
These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 79.5–86.1% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year Pass rate Vehicles
2015
88.2%
3,477 Best year
2014
87.6%
4,437 Recommended
2013
87.9%
5,041 Recommended
2012
86.1%
2,819 Recommended
2011
82.3%
3,256
2010
80.5%
3,614
2009
79.9%
3,088
2008
79.9%
3,986
2007
80.1%
4,647
2006
79.5%
5,322
2005
73.1%
3,229 Below avg
2004
70.4%
5,440 Below avg
2003
70.6%
5,891 Below avg
2002
72.4%
7,422 Below avg
2001
71.6%
6,410 Below avg
2000
70.9%
7,009 Below avg
1999
71.2%
4,064 Below avg
1998
69.2%
731 Worst year

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

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At high mileage (110k–+), the 2015 models maintain a 81% pass rate — 17 points higher than 1998 models at the same mileage.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

What next?
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