Mercedes Benz have built a name for themselves for reliability and longevity over their 141 years making cars, so you would assume they are a sure bet for a reliable used vehicle.  

However, even the best manufacturers have good and bad years, in this blog we take a look at the 9 most reliable used Mercedes-Benz cars on the UK market, and explain a little bit about what you get for your money. 

Most Reliable Mercedes SUVs 

Mercedes GL350 CDI 2006 - 2012 

Considered a full size SUV, the GL class Mercedes was their flagship luxury SUV. All models feature a 7 speed automatic transmission and 4MATIC 4 wheel drive. We’d recommend the 3.0 V6 diesel engine for its durability and efficiency. 

If more power is what you require, a 4.0 twin turbo diesel or a 4.7 Litre petrol engine are available, but only opt for these if you can live with sub 20 MPG figures! 2010 era GL350’s can be bought for around £7,000 mark. 

Mercedes ML350 CDI 2006 - 2011

Despite sharing a platform and engine with the GL350 above, the M class is a good bit smaller, allowing for slightly easier parking and better fuel economy. Confusingly the modern M class is renamed as the GLE after 2011 after a legal dispute with BMW. 

Ranging from £3,500 for a leggy 2007 model, to over £10,000 for a 2012 onwards car. Whilst there isn’t much mechanically to differentiate between a post 2007 car has the newer facelifted bumpers. 

Mercedes G350 CDI 1992 - 2022 

If you’re looking for a vehicle that is luxurious, on trend and good off-road, the G Wagon is probably your best bet. Considering it’s main rivals are probably products from Land Rover, the G wagon’s strong suit is its ruggedness and reliability.  

This reliability does come at a cost, though. For a mid 2010’s car - any older than 2008 and they are rather more utilitarian than luxurious - expect to pay in the region of £40,000 to £50,000. For a reliable powertrain we suggest the 3.0 Diesel V6 again, with the 7 speed G-Tronic gearbox. 

H2 Most Reliable Mercedes Saloon Cars 

Mercedes E-Class E220 CDI 2003 - 2009

Somewhat the gold standard for a full size luxury saloon car, the E-Class has been around since 1993, it is mentioned in nearly all saloon car reviews as being the benchmark for comfort, practicality and reliability.  

It’s no wonder then that it makes our list of most reliable Mercedes Saloons, in particular we’d recommended the E220 from 2008. This generation has the updated styling, more powerful 2.1 diesel engine, but the reliable 5 speed gearbox. An E-Class on less than 125,000 miles can be bought for a shade under £4,500. 

Mercedes C-Class C220 CDI 2007-2014

If you're wanting the Mercedes feel, style and reliability but in a smaller package, the C class is perfect for you. It combines sharp styling with the bulletproof reliability found in the above-mentioned E-Class. 

Again, our pick is the 2.1 diesel engine, it’s track record for reliability and efficiency figures cannot be ignored, even if the larger 6 cylinder engines are slightly more refined. Surprisingly good condition C-Class’ are around the same price as the E-Class; a 2008 C-Class with the 7 speed auto box can be found on forecourts for £4,300. 

Most Reliable Mercedes Hatchback and Estates 

Mercedes A-Class A200 2012 - 2018

In a drastic design and styling change from the first generation, the W176 (second generation)  A-Class released in 2012 was a massive success with consumers. It’s modern proportions and styling made it a hit with younger drivers, as did the range of economical small engines making it a reliable choice. 

Whilst the smaller Renault supplied diesel engine is a good unit, we’d suggest the 1.6 petrol as it’s better suited to the car, giving it a more refined driving experience and a good bit more ‘poke’. Good examples of the Mercedes A200 from 2014 can be found for around £7,500. 

Mercedes C-Class Estate C220 2008 - 2014

Need more boot space for the family pet, camping trips or tip runs? Mercedes makes their formidable E and C class saloons in estate versions too. The C-Class estate is a great pick, with later model years (2012 onwards) looking extremely stylish, even compared to modern estate cars. 

The same choice of engines is available as with the saloon, if you need efficiency on long drives, we’d say go for the C220 CDI again, if you don’t, or live inside the ULEZ, the C220 2.1 petrol is a brilliant engine. Again £3,000 - £4,500 gets you a tidy 2009 reg, that’s covered less than 100,000 miles. 

Most Reliable Mercedes Sports Cars 

Mercedes A45 AMG 2013 - 2018

Given the vehicles we’ve covered above, you wouldn’t immediately think Mercedes was a big producer of sporty cars, but their AMG division is one of the most revered tuning departments in the world. In 2013 AMG turned their hand to the A-Class creating the A45 AMG. 

With 335hp it was more powerful than all of the competition at the time, and with 4 wheel drive and Mercedes’ excellent automatic gearbox it is an extremely capable hot hatch. Early 2014 Mercedes A45 cars with less than 90,000 miles on can be bought for around £12,000. 

Mercedes SL Class SL350 2011 - 2020

If you’d prefer a sports car to be the traditional low slung, 2 seater rear wheel drive setup, then the SL Class may be for you, the name SL is a throwback to the gorgeous Mercedes Benz 300 SL originally made in the 1950’s. The first car to feature Gullwing doors.  

Thankfully the SL class from 2003 to 2011 is much more reasonably priced at under £12,000 for the 3.5L 7 speed automatic convertible. With 315bhp from the silky smooth V6 and some great luxury features such as the heated air scarf to keep you warm even with the top down. 

Service and Repair Your Mercedes Benz With Bumper 

As a consequence of their excellent engineering and reliability, Mercedes are generally more expensive to repair and service than other marques. To help ease this, Bumper offers zero-percent finance on car repairs through our hundreds of partners nationwide. 

Author - Joseph Law

Joseph has been writing about cars for over seven years and writing for Bumper for over two, blending his passion for automobiles with a talent for storytelling.

Joseph has written about engineering and cars for Autozilla, Komaspec, and several engineering manufacturers. When he's not writing or tinkering with one of his five cars, Joseph dreams of owning an Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.