MOT comparison

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W204 vs Audi A4 B8

How the Mercedes-Benz C-Class W204 (3rd Gen) (2007–2014) and the Audi A4 B8 (2008–2016) do at their MOTs, compared at the same mileage so a high-mileage car is never measured against a low-mileage one.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W204 (3rd Gen)

1,990,516

MOT tests compared · built 2007–2014

Passes more often in 0 of 16 mileage bands

Audi A4 B8

1,599,600

MOT tests compared · built 2008–2016

Passes more often in 15 of 16 mileage bands

MOT pass rate by mileage

Share of MOTs passed first time, at the mileage recorded at the test.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W204 Audi A4 B8

Under 10,000 miles 93.2% vs 94.5%

9,799 and 3,692 MOTs

10,000–20,000 miles 91.3% vs 92.0%

60,061 and 26,075 MOTs

20,000–30,000 miles 88.8% vs 90.3%

138,404 and 75,449 MOTs

30,000–40,000 miles 86.5% vs 88.8%

179,846 and 112,903 MOTs

40,000–50,000 miles 83.6% vs 86.7%

192,884 and 130,997 MOTs

50,000–60,000 miles 80.4% vs 84.3%

193,948 and 139,891 MOTs

60,000–70,000 miles 77.9% vs 81.8%

188,528 and 142,293 MOTs

70,000–80,000 miles 75.3% vs 79.3%

178,366 and 141,004 MOTs

80,000–90,000 miles 73.0% vs 76.9%

163,087 and 134,748 MOTs

90,000–100,000 miles 70.7% vs 75.4%

144,984 and 124,418 MOTs

100,000–125,000 miles 67.8% vs 72.8%

267,630 and 249,948 MOTs

125,000–150,000 miles 64.9% vs 70.7%

152,716 and 162,856 MOTs

150,000–175,000 miles 62.8% vs 68.9%

71,819 and 88,749 MOTs

175,000–200,000 miles 61.4% vs 67.7%

29,549 and 41,292 MOTs

200,000–250,000 miles 59.7% vs 66.5%

15,899 and 22,201 MOTs

250,000–300,000 miles 59.0% vs 65.8%

2,996 and 3,084 MOTs

Parts that fail more often

Only differences that hold across at least half of the mileage bands we could compare, and that are far too large to be chance, are listed. How we decide

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W204 fails more often on

Parking brake

Fails about 20 times as often as the Audi A4 B8: 3.4% of MOTs against 0.16%.

In 12 of 16 mileage bands · Braking System
Front ball joint

Fails over 20 times as often as the Audi A4 B8: 2.8% of MOTs against 0.19%.

In 11 of 16 mileage bands · Suspension & Joints
Front lower suspension arm

Fails about 3 times as often as the Audi A4 B8: 2.7% of MOTs against 0.90%.

In 11 of 16 mileage bands · Suspension & Joints

Audi A4 B8 fails more often on

Rear coil spring

Fails about 8 times as often as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class W204: 1.7% of MOTs against 0.23%.

In 12 of 16 mileage bands · Springs & Shocks
Front drive shaft

Fails over 20 times as often as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class W204: 2.5% of MOTs against 0.00%.

In 10 of 16 mileage bands

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These are differences in real MOT results, not engineering verdicts. Owner mix differs between models (some are more often taxis, first cars or rural cars), which is why every figure compares cars at the same mileage. How we compare cars.

MOT records: DVSA MOT history, which contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. See this the other way round.