Car statistics by year

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class cars first registered in 2021: 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 2021, so like is set against like.

A year of the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class. “2021” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
6,536 MOT tests of 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 90.7% All 2021 cars 88.4%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 36,400 miles; all 2021 cars 30,700
  • Left at the end of 2025 6,097 91.8% of the 6,644 at the end of 2021
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 3.4% All 2021 cars 3.8%
  • Tests with an advisory 30.8% All 2021 cars 33.1%
  • MOT tests in 2025 6,536 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Classes do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 4 years old, 90.7% of 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class MOT tests were passed first time, against 88.4% for all cars first registered in 2021. 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Classes did better than average for their age, by 2.3 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 91.0% of the time (all 2021 cars 88.7%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Mercedes-Benz GLC-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 GLC-Class bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class compared with all cars
First registered Mercedes-Benz GLC-ClassAll cars
’15 82.9%72.6%
’16 82.8%75.6%
’17 84.0%79.1%
’18 84.1%81.8%
’19 86.6%84.4%
’20 89.7%86.9%
’21 90.7%88.4%
’22 91.1%89.4%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords was the most common single reason a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class failed, on 29.2% of about 600 failed tests. By area of the car, tyres failed most often (58.9% of failed tests; all 2021 cars 41.9%). 3.4% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 3.8% for all cars first registered in 2021. 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 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 29.2%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 15.1%
Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres 12.5%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes 7.6%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility 6.7%
Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension 5.9%
Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 4.9%
Brake pads: worn down to wear indicator Brakes 4.8%
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility 3.9%
Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 3.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class vs all 2021 cars

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

Share of failed 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2021 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Tyres 58.9%
Visibility 13.8%
Brakes 13.3%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 10.7%
Suspension 6.9%
Identification of the vehicle 2.6%
Noise, emissions and leaks 2.6%
Body, chassis, structure 1.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 30.8% of 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class tests had at least one (all 2021 cars 33.1%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 17.6%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 5.7%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 3.9%
Nail in tyre Non-component advisories 2.5%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 2.3%
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories 2.2%
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes 2.1%
Suspension arms: ball joint has slight play Suspension 2.1%
Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 1.8%
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle 0.5%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class?

Half of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Classes tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 36,400 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 27,500 and a quarter more than 47,100. For all cars first registered in 2021, the middle figure was 30,700 miles, so 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Classes have been driven 18.6% 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, 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class and all 2021 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class 20,200 27,500 36,400 47,100 59,900 6,227
All 2021 cars 14,300 21,300 30,700 42,500 56,500 1,457,950
miles

Half of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Classes tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 36,400 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Classes are left?

At the end of 2021, 6,644 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Classes were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 6,097 were: 5,919 licensed and 178 declared off the road (SORN). That is 91.8% still on the record, against 96.0% for all cars first registered in 2021.

Share still on the record since 2021

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2021. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Classes on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2021, compared with all 2021 cars
Year end 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-ClassAll 2021 cars
2021 100.0%100.0%
2022 97.3%98.4%
2023 95.2%97.6%
2024 93.5%94.7%
2025 91.8%96.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2021

19 of the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class’s 70 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2021. 3 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.

The 2021 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2021 may have been built in 2020, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class recalls whose build dates include 2021
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
4 Dec 2024 SRPC2419 Misfire Detection M264 15 Feb 2021 to 2 Apr 2023 1,638
29 Aug 2023 On affected vehicles the fuel pump impeller might not meet specifications and may deform. 9 Aug 2021 to 21 Dec 2022 2,225
16 Aug 2022 The routing of the transmission wiring harness might not meet specifications 27 May 2019 to 4 Jun 2021 1,482 (all models)
25 May 2022 Certain mode 2 charging cables for charging at a hiousehold power socket might not meet specifications 12 Aug 2021 to 29 Sept 2021 95 (all models)
21 Jan 2022 Coolant pump might have a leakage between the vacuum system and the coolant circuit 4 Apr 2017 to 12 Oct 2021 35,624 (all models)
1 Dec 2021 The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 21 (all models)
1 Dec 2021 The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 6 (all models)
1 Dec 2021 The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 23 (all models)
29 Nov 2021 The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 50,390 (all models)
23 Sept 2021 The belt tensioner arm may have been manufactured with borderline tolerance 9 Jan 2019 to 17 Mar 2021 427 (all models)
13 May 2021 The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 108,971 (all models)
11 May 2021 The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 86,604 (all models)
10 May 2021 The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 90,716 (all models)
5 May 2021 The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 162,581 (all models)
5 May 2021 The emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 106,665 (all models)
5 May 2021 The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 10,410 (all models)
5 May 2021 The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 81,267 (all models)
5 May 2021 The emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 6 (all models)
5 May 2021 The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications 4 Jan 2016 to 29 Jan 2021 7 (all models)

Every Mercedes-Benz GLC-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 GLC-Class

8 years of the Mercedes-Benz GLC-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 2015 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (82.9% passed first time) and the 2022 cars worst (91.1%).

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Classes by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
2015 1,524 1,314 82.9% 72.6%
2016 10,629 9,025 82.8% 75.6%
2017 13,565 12,083 84.0% 79.1%
2018 20,275 18,172 84.1% 81.8%
2019 17,688 16,280 86.6% 84.4%
2020 11,780 10,850 89.7% 86.9%
2021 6,644 6,097 90.7% 88.4%
2022 6,590 6,173 91.1% 89.4%

Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered. 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 6,536 MOT tests of 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 6,097 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class cars first registered in 2021; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2021.
  • 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.