Used car guide

2021 Mercedes-Benz EQC: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Mercedes-Benz EQC first registered in 2021: we looked at the 7,604 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

7,604MOTs of 2021 cars, done in 2023–2025
84%pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%)
9,400typical miles a year
1.6×the usual rate for tread depth

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQC?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQC than on all cars registered in 2021.

  • Tread depth1.6× usual
    Mercedes-Benz EQC
    23.3% All 2021 cars
    14.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.5%, against 1.3% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Ball joint9.2× usual
    Mercedes-Benz EQC
    4.6% All 2021 cars
    0.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.5%, against 0.1% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

Better than most

Brake pads: 1% here, against 6.1% of all 2021 cars. Brake discs: 2.5% here, against 6.1% of all 2021 cars.

Common 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQC MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQC MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    33% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    5% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    5% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Brakes
    4% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

  • Lights and electrics
    2% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQC

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the tread depth? (Flagged at MOT 1.6× as often on the 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQC as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the ball joint? (Flagged at MOT 9.2× as often on the 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQC as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Mercedes-Benz EQC?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Mercedes-Benz EQC compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023169Tyres 31%
20225,274Tyres 36%
20207,703Tyres 34%
2019170Tyres 30%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Mercedes-Benz EQC cars first registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score