Car statistics
Mercedes-Benz 300 statistics
How many Mercedes-Benz 300s are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, how new registrations have changed and which fuels they use. Built from DVLA licensing records.
- Licensed in Great Britain 3,943 −2.3% on a year earlier
- Declared SORN 7,124 Off the road, not taxed
- Rank by number licensed No. 463 of 1,159 models we cover
- Licensed in 1994 39,990 when this data begins
- New registrations in 2025 14 registered for the first time
- Most common fuel Petrol 88.5% of those licensed
How many Mercedes-Benz 300s are left in Great Britain?
There were 3,943 Mercedes-Benz 300s licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 7,124 declared off the road (SORN). That is 90.1% fewer than the 39,990 licensed in 1994, when this data begins.
Mercedes-Benz 300s licensed in Great Britain
The count was highest in 1994, when this data begins.
| Year | Licensed |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 39,990 |
| 1995 | 37,910 |
| 1996 | 37,435 |
| 1997 | 36,779 |
| 1998 | 36,084 |
| 1999 | 35,615 |
| 2000 | 34,087 |
| 2001 | 32,888 |
| 2002 | 31,211 |
| 2003 | 29,361 |
| 2004 | 27,510 |
| 2005 | 24,685 |
| 2006 | 21,439 |
| 2007 | 18,627 |
| 2008 | 15,416 |
| 2009 | 13,400 |
| 2010 | 11,437 |
| 2011 | 9,926 |
| 2012 | 8,779 |
| 2013 | 7,789 |
| 2014 | 7,138 |
| 2015 | 6,678 |
| 2016 | 6,249 |
| 2017 | 5,859 |
| 2018 | 5,498 |
| 2019 | 5,110 |
| 2020 | 4,751 |
| 2021 | 4,752 |
| 2022 | 4,503 |
| 2023 | 4,205 |
| 2024 | 4,102 |
| 2025 | 3,978 |
| 2026 | 3,943 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Fuel type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Mercedes-Benz 300 versions
7 versions of the Mercedes-Benz 300 have their own page. The figures above include every version; each version page covers only the cars DVLA records under that version’s name.
| Version | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL | 981 | 1,489 |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 350 SL | 738 | 525 |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 380 SL | 449 | 396 |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL-24 | 152 | 463 |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 380 SLC | 68 | 84 |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 320 CE Cabriolet | 40 | 75 |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 GDS | 42 | 68 |
Mercedes-Benz 300 MOT reliability
We do not show MOT figures for the Mercedes-Benz 300. 20% of those on the DVLA record are vans, and DVSA’s MOT results do not separate car and van tests of the same model, so the figures would not describe the car. How we work out MOT figures.
Mercedes-Benz 300 registrations over time
Registrations of Mercedes-Benz 300s for the first time in Great Britain peaked at 371 in 2002. In 2025, 14 were registered.
Registered for the first time, by year
| Year | First registrations |
|---|---|
| ’01 | 182 |
| ’02 | 371 |
| ’03 | 180 |
| ’04 | 315 |
| ’05 | 88 |
| ’06 | 40 |
| ’07 | 47 |
| ’08 | 36 |
| ’09 | 23 |
| ’10 | 17 |
| ’11 | 17 |
| ’12 | 16 |
| ’13 | 11 |
| ’14 | 11 |
| ’15 | 23 |
| ’16 | 34 |
| ’17 | 32 |
| ’18 | 37 |
| ’19 | 27 |
| ’20 | 17 |
| ’21 | 22 |
| ’22 | 20 |
| ’23 | 19 |
| ’24 | 15 |
| ’25 | 14 |
Source:DfT / DVLA 2001 to 2025 Updated
Mercedes-Benz 300 engine sizes and fuel types
Of the 4,035 Mercedes-Benz 300s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 58.4% have an engine of 2,901cc to 3,000cc, and 18.6% have an engine of 3,401cc to 3,500cc. The share with an engine of 2,901cc to 3,000cc has fallen from 73.6% in 2014 to 58.4%. Petrols made up 80.8% of those licensed in 2014 and 88.1% in 2025.
Engine sizes, end of 2025
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
| Engine size | Share of those licensed |
|---|---|
| 2,901cc to 3,000cc 2,358 licensed | 58.4% |
| 3,401cc to 3,500cc 752 licensed | 18.6% |
| 3,801cc to 3,900cc 567 licensed | 14.1% |
| 3,101cc to 3,200cc 111 licensed | 2.8% |
| 3,001cc to 3,100cc 77 licensed | 1.9% |
| Other sizes 170 licensed | 4.2% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
| Engine size | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,901–3,000cc | Petrol | 1,939 | 48.1% |
| 3,401–3,500cc | Petrol | 748 | 18.5% |
| 3,801–3,900cc | Petrol | 566 | 14.0% |
| 2,901–3,000cc | Diesel | 413 | 10.2% |
| 3,101–3,200cc | Petrol | 111 | 2.8% |
| 3,701–3,800cc | Petrol | 43 | 1.1% |
| 3,001–3,100cc | Petrol | 42 | 1.0% |
Engine sizes, 2014 to 2025
Share of those licensed at the end of each year, for the most common sizes.
| Year | 2,901–3,000cc | 3,401–3,500cc | 3,801–3,900cc | 3,101–3,200cc |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 73.6% | 7.7% | 6.6% | 5.3% |
| 2015 | 73.0% | 8.2% | 6.9% | 4.9% |
| 2016 | 72.2% | 8.7% | 7.2% | 5.1% |
| 2017 | 71.8% | 9.0% | 7.5% | 4.8% |
| 2018 | 70.7% | 10.5% | 7.5% | 4.4% |
| 2019 | 69.3% | 12.2% | 7.6% | 4.1% |
| 2020 | 67.1% | 14.2% | 7.9% | 3.8% |
| 2021 | 65.7% | 16.1% | 8.1% | 3.5% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | 17.5% | 9.2% | 3.2% |
| 2023 | 60.8% | 18.1% | 11.2% | 3.1% |
| 2024 | 59.4% | 19.2% | 12.4% | 2.9% |
| 2025 | 58.4% | 18.6% | 14.1% | 2.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
Fuel type, 2014 to 2025
Share of those licensed at the end of each year.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 80.8% | 19.0% |
| 2015 | 81.6% | 18.2% |
| 2016 | 82.6% | 17.2% |
| 2017 | 83.1% | 16.7% |
| 2018 | 84.0% | 15.8% |
| 2019 | 85.1% | 14.7% |
| 2020 | 86.0% | 13.8% |
| 2021 | 86.9% | 12.9% |
| 2022 | 87.5% | 12.3% |
| 2023 | 87.7% | 12.1% |
| 2024 | 87.8% | 12.0% |
| 2025 | 88.1% | 11.7% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page. How we use engine sizes.
Mercedes-Benz 300 safety recalls
We found no recalls for the Mercedes-Benz 300 in DVSA’s records since 1992. That does not mean none apply: DVSA sometimes records a recall under a range or chassis name we cannot match to a model. Check a specific car on GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check.
A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every Mercedes-Benz 300. The details come from manufacturers through DVSA, which says they may be delayed or incomplete. To check a specific car, use GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check or ask the manufacturer or a dealer. How we match recalls to models.
Compare the Mercedes-Benz 300 with other Mercedes-Benz models
| Model | Licensed | Change on a year | SORN | Rank | Main fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz 300 | 3,943 | −2.3% | 7,124 | 463 | Petrol |
| Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 378,826 | +0.7% | 13,892 | 16 | Diesel |
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 326,200 | −4.5% | 46,533 | 20 | Diesel |
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 203,182 | −4.2% | 40,576 | 39 | Diesel |
| Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class | 112,497 | +14.1% | 2,288 | 84 | Petrol |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed and SORN counts | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 11,067 300 records (licensed and SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
| Registered for the first time | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | 2001 to 2025 | – | 15 September 2026 |
- Figures cover Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Northern Ireland is not included.
- Licensed counts are vehicles with a current tax or exemption at the end of each year (or the latest quarter). SORN counts are shown separately.
- First registrations count vehicles registered in Great Britain for the first time, including used imports.
- Models are grouped by DVLA’s generic model name, so every generation and trim counts together.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.