Mercedes-Benz represents a luxury giant among foreign automotive brands, but are Mercedes cars reliable? Read on to find out more about Mercedes’ reliability.
9 minutes
01.18.2024
The history of Mercedes-Benz begins with innovation, a dash of dare-devil, and the determination to pave the way for future generations. Karl Benz’s Motorwagen in 1886 imprinted the brand into the history books, but his wife, Bertha, took the car for its first long-distance drive.
The company gained enormous ground as the 20th century waxed and waned, and today, Mercedes-Benz sources its inventive spirit once more to approach electrification and autonomy. While Mercedes-Benz may not always be the most reliable brand in the stable, it’s undoubtedly a forerunner in developing the automotive industry.
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Mercedes-Benz cars uphold a particular reputation among luxury brands, one that balances cutting-edge technology with high-quality materials and powerful engines. More affordable brands, such as Toyota and Honda, rank higher in their reliability ratings, but there’s no mistaking the value and status of a Mercedes. Like any vehicle, a new or used Mercedes-Benz is good if you care for it well.
Reliability often summarizes how a vehicle performs in several arenas. In addition, perfect scores aren’t required to gain a reliable reputation among consumers. Potential buyers often look for cars that perform well based on the features they prioritize, so a jack-of-all-trades model usually fares better than a model that dominates in one area.
Below are the areas in which you can evaluate Mercedes-Benz’s reliability:
As a luxury brand, Mercedes may follow industry trends in its performance in safety and fuel efficiency ratings, average repair costs, dependability, and cost of ownership. Read on to learn more about how Mercedes stacks up to the competition in these areas.
You can use the same resources below to determine the reliability of practically any brand. For example, determining Volkswagen versus Tesla reliability requires reviewing how each brand performs in the following areas.
KBB awarded the following Mercedes cars for low cost of ownership over five years:
Owning a Mercedes can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 or more, depending on your chosen model.
While it ranks 27th out of 32 car brands, Mercedes-Benz did receive a three out of five rating from RepairPal. The luxury brand costs $908 yearly on average to repair. Visits to the shop number 0.7 annually and have a 13% probability of being severe. Mercedes also has 441 known recalls, the most common of which is the emergency call system transmitting the incorrect location in an emergency.
The NHTSA and IIHS award Mercedes with top marks on the following models:
Rest assured, your Mercedes car can keep you safe in an accident.
J.D. Power awarded the 2022 Mercedes EQS for best performance in the large premium car segment. The 2022 Mercedes GLA also won for best performance as a small premium SUV. The 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA also won for the most dependable small premium SUV in 2021.
Despite their robust power plants and rapid acceleration, Mercedes-Benz cars perform respectably well in terms of how many miles a gallon of gas lasts you:
Considering many of these power plants are turbocharged engines, it’s fair to say that you can affordably fuel a Mercedes and still have fun driving it.
Luxury vehicles tend to be more temperamental than most. Below are common Mercedes-Benz problems you may or may not encounter during ownership.
Several sources cited Mercedes-Benz owners who reported oil leaks from their engines. These leaks can stem from a poorly sealed drain plug or point to a more significant underlying issue. A lack of oil in the engine can quickly lead to premature failure if left unchecked.
Mercedes customers have reported that several internal engine components can prematurely fail. RepairPal lists the camshaft adjuster solenoid failure, crankshaft position sensor failure, and no start due to the inability to recognize the keys as engine-related problems. Misfires can happen, and the engine mounts can also erode over time.
Timing chains outlast timing belts but are still prone to wear. Mercedes owners have reported premature wear among several models. Timing chains are critical to engine health, as wear can influence how the engine performs, and loss of timing can cause catastrophic failure.
Although Mercedes prides itself on a comfortable ride, the air suspension responsible for providing it can often experience issues. Owners have reported failures from the early 2000s on. Repairs can range from replacing the shock absorber tubings to paying for a new air compressor. That’s German for quite a hefty repair bill.
The same thread of luxury runs through all Mercedes-Benz models. However, the following variants represent the most reliable vehicles among the Mercedes lineup.
This class of sedans ranks as one of the more reliable variants in the Mercedes stable. These luxury sedans earn high safety ratings and cost less than the brand overall annually to repair. RepairPal estimates the cost of repairs to be around $788, with 0.6 visits to the shop every year. Highly ranked years include 2008, 2009, and 2012.
Technically classified as a midsize sedan, the Mercedes-Benz C-class lineup handles well and boasts the standard suite of safety features the brand is known for. Models from the early 2000s are sought after, in addition to those from 2012 to 2015 and 2019 to 2021.
The smaller of Mercedes’ SUVs, the GLA brings a sense of luxury to the compact SUV world. Models from 2014 to 2020 rank high in reliability. If you’re looking for an entry-level luxury SUV to test-drive, the GLA gives you a sneak peek of what the larger Mercedes SUVs offer.
Mercedes cars cost $908 on average annually to repair, which can make you wonder how leasing a car works or if you can pay your car payment with a credit card. However, Mercedes ranks among luxury brands as having an average ownership cost, given the features it offers. While the 13% severity of repairs may seem high, it’s only 12% for all car brands.
Mercedes vehicles are about as reliable as the next car, especially among luxury brands. Compared to affordable imports, Mercedes loses out to simplicity. However, it outranks many brands (foreign and domestic) in style, power, and prestige.
Mercedes may not always be the most reliable choice among all car brands, but it certainly upholds a reputation for luxury and style. Read on to learn more about Mercedes car reliability.
Yes, Mercedes-Benz offers warranty coverage for its vehicles. The basic warranty extends for four years or 50,000 miles. Plug-in hybrid models come with a six-year/62,000-mile high voltage battery limited warranty. The German brand also offers several other emissions-related warranties that last from a few years to up to 150,000 miles.
Mercedes cars can be long-lasting if you take care of them. Spending extra to care for your new Mercedes-Benz can help increase its longevity and protect your investment for years.
Comparing BMW to Mercedes represents a German rivalry like none other. BMWs tend to take the sporty route in putting power to the ground, but Mercedes is no slouch either. If you’re looking for sophistication and luxurious creature comforts, Mercedes wins out every time.
Mercedes-Benz ranks about average among luxury brands in terms of cost of ownership. Spending nearly $1,000 annually on repairs may seem like a budget-breaking repair bill, but it's to be expected considering the German engineering evident in almost every aspect of these vehicles. Luxury brands like Lexus, Audi, and Cadillac may cost less in annual repairs, but Land Rover costs $1,174 on average to repair.
