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2021 Mercedes-benz S-class Phev
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
33 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 20, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Electrical system problems dominate (30% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#213 of 456Among the 2021 models with a matured record, the 2021 Mercedes-benz S-class Phev ranks #213, scoring higher than 52% 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.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
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 S-class Phev, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (10) · Wheels (6) · Driver assistance (5) · Engine & cooling (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Electrical system
30%10 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“False warning message for right taillights/brake lights/signal light in rear lamp.”
Wheels
18%6 complaints · 4 in the last 2 years
“Excessive Tire failure on "AMG" 21 inch wheel and tires. Pirelli tires have replaced 4 tires in four months. cracks in side wall bubbling.”
Driver assistance
15%5 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“While on the freeway, going approximately 70 mph, the vehicles onboard cameras all failed and I got a warning that said “camera dirty/unavailable/traffic sign assist c…”
Engine & cooling
15%5 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz S580. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V704000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the part to do …”
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.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 33 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 4 crash/fire/injury reports →
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 electrical system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report wheels problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any wheels symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- 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 S-CLASS PHEV beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2021? See how every S-class Phev model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2021 Mercedes-benz S-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.