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2021 Mercedes-benz C-class Phev
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
14 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 21, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Complaints are still coming in strong late in this car's life, a chronic-problem pattern, not early teething.
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#29 of 456Among the 2021 models with a matured record, the 2021 Mercedes-benz C-class Phev ranks #29, scoring higher than 92% of them. See the 2021 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 4 DR RWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 11%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2021 Mercedes-benz C-class Phev, plotted where owners report it happening.
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Engine
50%7 complaints · typically near 42k mi · 4 in the last 2 years
“2021 Mercedes-Benz C300 with M254 2.0L turbo engine experienced sudden cylinder head failure at 44,000 miles due to manufacturing porosity in the cylinder head and cam…”
Fuel system
21%3 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“While driving car on Sunday 10/5, it suddenly failed to respond to gas pedal pressure. The car stopped accelerating and rather slowed to 15 MPH, almost causing a car f…”
Transmission & drivetrain
14%2 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“Driving and something came from underneath the vehicle and cause me to swerve in all the airbags deployed”
Airbags
14%2 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Driving and something came from underneath the vehicle and cause me to swerve in all the airbags deployed”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 1 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Mercedes-benz before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 42k miles). Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident, and can you share a title history and any service records you have?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2021 Mercedes-benz C-CLASS PHEV beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2021? See how every C-class Phev model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2021 Mercedes-benz C-class Phev against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.