Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI?

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 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI?

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 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI?

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.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI?

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 Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI (2020)

Q: Is the 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI reliable?

Based on MOT data from 2,775 vehicles, the 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI has a first-time MOT pass rate of 85.5%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

2,775 real MOT outcomes analysed • 85.5% first-time pass rate

2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI

CarHunch analysed 2,775 real MOT records for the 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI. 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 Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

This Sprinter 315 CDI passes its MOT on the first attempt 84% of the time, which is a solid 4 percentage points above the UK average of 80%, suggesting it's a reasonably reliable workhorse for a commercial vehicle of this age. However, 16.4% of these vans have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, which is worth factoring into your safety assessment during a pre-purchase inspection.

These vehicles are running at 99,664 miles on average—fairly typical for a 2020 commercial van given its working life—and they average 0.61 failures and 2.6 advisories per test, indicating that when problems do emerge they're usually minor or wear-related rather than catastrophic. If you're considering buying one, get a full history check and have a trusted mechanic specifically inspect the braking and lighting systems, since those are the defect categories most commonly flagged.

The 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (85.5%) — solid but worth checking this vehicle's history carefully.

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 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)

16.4%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.61

Over 3.3 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

88k

Middle half: 64k–123k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 85.5% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 2.6 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 2,775 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.

Average reliability — agree?

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 2,775 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI cars.

Before you buy a 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI

Based on MOT data from 2,775 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 16.4% 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

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Diesel (100%)	2,772	85.5%	0.61

Colour Breakdown

Based on 41,767 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

White 86.4%

36,082

Silver 3.3%

1,371

Grey 3.2%

1,327

Green 2.6%

1,090

Blue 1.6%

674

Black 1.2%

513

Yellow 1%

398

Red 0.5%

193

Brown 0.1%

Beige 0.1%

Multi-colour 0.1%

Orange 0.1%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI 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.

87,978

typical

64,402

low mileage

123,359

high mileage

Half of all 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI vehicles fall between 64,402 and 123,359 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 64,402 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.

✓ 64,402–123,359 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDIs sit.

⚠ Over 166,534 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 Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI — Still on the Road

Almost all 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDIs are still on the road.

Strong survival — 2,362 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 94% of the peak.

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

3.3

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.61

Avg failures per vehicle

2.6

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI: All Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI years → Which year to buy? →

2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

Or browse all models: Mercedes Benz →

Compare with another model

See how the 2020 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive CDI stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?