Mercedes CLS vs Volkswagen Beetle

Both are coupés & GTs. First-time MOT failure at age 7, and what each one is known to fail on.

The Mercedes CLS is the more reliable of the two. It fails its first MOT at age 7 18.2% of the time, against 25.8% for the Volkswagen Beetle.

Mercedes CLS

18.2%

fail at age 7

Rank 115 of 239 · 64k miles at 7 · 17,327 tests

Volkswagen Beetle

25.8%

fail at age 7

Rank 198 of 239 · 45k miles at 7 · 21,836 tests

What each one fails on

Measured

The faults each records most at ages 6 to 9. Same figures as each full report.

A wheel bearing with excessive playAdvisory4.7%

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively wornAdvisory4.0%

A suspension joint dust cover severely deterioratedMinor3.0%

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakenedFail2.6%

A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mountingAdvisory1.8%

Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunctionFail1.7%

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively wornAdvisory11.9%

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively wornFail8.6%

An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source mFail6.5%

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakenedFail5.2%

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakenedAdvisory5.2%

A suspension component excessively damaged or corrodedAdvisory3.5%