Car statistics by year

1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars first registered in 1995: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 1995, so like is set against like.

A year of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. “1995” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
669 MOT tests of 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 72.5% All 1995 cars 71.5%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 129,000 miles; all 1995 cars 96,400
  • Left at the end of 2025 1,654 58.9% of the 2,809 at the end of 2014
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 3.6% All 1995 cars 5.3%
  • Tests with an advisory 54.6% All 1995 cars 52.6%
  • MOT tests in 2025 669 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Classes do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 30 years old, 72.5% of 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class MOT tests were passed first time, against 71.5% for all cars first registered in 1995. 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Classes did better than average for their age, by 1.0 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 70.6% of the time (all 1995 cars 70.2%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs all cars

Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Mercedes-Benz E-Class bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, Mercedes-Benz E-Class compared with all cars
First registered Mercedes-Benz E-ClassAll cars
’94 77.2%73.1%
’95 72.5%71.5%
’01 66.0%61.5%
’02 67.1%59.7%
’03 68.2%58.9%
’04 68.4%57.9%
’05 66.2%57.7%
’06 68.8%56.9%
’07 71.0%57.3%
’08 69.9%57.0%
’09 70.0%58.2%
’10 69.0%59.3%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Catalyst emissions: lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits was the most common single reason a 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class failed, on 14.1% of about 200 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (42.9% of failed tests; all 1995 cars 42.7%). 3.6% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 5.3% for all cars first registered in 1995. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.

Most common reasons for failure

Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.

Most common specific MOT defects on failed 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Catalyst emissions: lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks 14.1%
Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks 13.0%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility 11.4%
Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 9.2%
Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks 7.6%
Component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Suspension 7.1%
Rear fog lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 7.1%
Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits Noise, emissions and leaks 5.4%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs all 1995 cars

The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.

Share of failed 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 1995 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 42.9%
Noise, emissions and leaks 34.2%
Suspension 26.6%
Visibility 20.1%
Body, chassis, structure 19.0%
Brakes 17.9%
Tyres 7.1%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 6.0%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 54.6% of 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class tests had at least one (all 1995 cars 52.6%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks 16.9%
Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes 14.1%
Coil spring: corroded Suspension 9.0%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 8.5%
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 8.1%
Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure 5.4%
Transmission oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks 5.4%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 4.0%
Wheel bearings: slight play Suspension 4.0%
Flexible brake hoses: slightly deteriorated Brakes 3.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

Half of the 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Classes tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 129,000 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 93,300 and a quarter more than 165,800. For all cars first registered in 1995, the middle figure was 96,400 miles, so 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Classes have been driven 33.8% further than average.

Mileage at the 2025 MOT

Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.

Odometer readings at the 2025 MOT, 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and all 1995 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 67,100 93,300 129,000 165,800 199,600 635
All 1995 cars 40,600 65,000 96,400 133,700 171,700 13,873
miles

Half of the 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Classes tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 129,000 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Classes are left?

At the end of 2014, 2,809 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Classes were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 1,654 were: 465 licensed and 1,189 declared off the road (SORN). That is 58.9% still on the record, against 45.6% for all cars first registered in 1995.

Share still on the record since 2014

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Classes on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2014, compared with all 1995 cars
Year end 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-ClassAll 1995 cars
2014 100.0%100.0%
2015 92.3%86.3%
2016 86.9%76.2%
2017 81.7%68.3%
2018 77.5%62.2%
2019 72.8%58.0%
2020 70.2%55.3%
2021 67.1%52.7%
2022 64.7%50.7%
2023 63.2%49.2%
2024 60.6%46.8%
2025 58.9%45.6%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 1995

2 of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class’s 139 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 1995. 8 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.

The 1995 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 1995 may have been built in 1994, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class recalls whose build dates include 1995
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
8 May 2001 Unintentional deployment of air bag 1 Sept 1995 to 31 Dec 1996 7,041 (all models)
13 Oct 2000 Potential loss of pas oil 1 Jan 1994 to 31 Dec 1997 15,047

Every Mercedes-Benz E-Class recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls

Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated

Other years of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class

24 years of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2007 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (71.0% passed first time) and the 2022 cars worst (88.3%).

Mercedes-Benz E-Classes by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
1994 1,518 77.2% 73.1%
1995 1,654 72.5% 71.5%
2001 1,857 66.0% 61.5%
2002 2,059 67.1% 59.7%
2003 4,389 68.2% 58.9%
2004 5,200 68.4% 57.9%
2005 4,871 66.2% 57.7%
2006 4,135 68.8% 56.9%
2007 5,936 71.0% 57.3%
2008 4,553 69.9% 57.0%
2009 7,012 70.0% 58.2%
2010 11,747 69.0% 59.3%
2011 13,739 69.6% 61.5%
2012 15,024 68.9% 63.6%
2013 19,471 70.9% 66.0%
2014 27,161 20,451 75.2% 69.1%
2015 24,338 20,676 77.8% 72.6%
2016 24,081 19,786 81.0% 75.6%
2017 23,545 20,463 83.0% 79.1%
2018 21,558 18,938 83.8% 81.8%
2019 19,273 17,783 85.6% 84.4%
2020 9,820 9,030 86.3% 86.9%
2021 6,450 5,658 87.8% 88.4%
2022 3,262 2,951 88.3% 89.4%

Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 669 MOT tests of 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 1,654 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars first registered in 1995; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 1995.
  • Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
  • Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
  • Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
  • Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
  • DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.