BMW 5 Series vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class: which is the better used buy?

On the MOT measure, the BMW 5 Series: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 3.0 percentage points ahead of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class on first-time MOT passes, across 44,742 DVSA-recorded tests covering every generation on the road. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict.

82.9% of BMW 5 Series pass their MOT first time (20,829 tests in DVSA's records) and 80.2% of Mercedes-Benz E-Class pass their MOT first time (23,913 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the BMW 5 Series's age average 76.7% and cars of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class's age 77.0% — so the BMW 5 Series runs 6.2 points better than its age group and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class runs 3.2 points better than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

BMW 5 Series: Chain stretch on early B47 diesels is the most discussed issue on owner forums and can be expensive when it happens. Frequency is unknown to us — we hold no recall or failure count for it — so treat it as a reason to check the service history and listen to a cold start, rather than as a fault every early car has. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2017 and 2018 registrations above all cars registered those years, so they are not named as years to avoid. Judge a 5 Series by its registration, service history and the checks below rather than by year. Mercedes-Benz E-Class: The earliest cars carry the generation's safety recalls: R/2018/327 (the fuel feed hose may chafe and leak; E-Class built October 2015 to November 2017) and R/2016/255 (the rear seat frame can foul the fuel pump wiring so the engine may cut out; built October 2015 to August 2016). Owners also report gearbox harshness before the 2019 software update. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2016 and 2017 registrations above all cars registered those years, so they are not named as years to avoid. Judge a E-Class by its registration, service history and the checks below rather than by year.

On fuel the two are too close to call: the most economical versions return up to 51 mpg (BMW 5 Series) and 50 mpg (Mercedes-Benz E-Class), on the figures in our model guides. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any BMW 5 Series or Mercedes-Benz E-Class registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.