Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs Tesla Model 3
A side-by-side comparison of the used Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Tesla Model 3 — price, real monthly finance, running costs and MOT reliability, all from live UK stock.
Reviewed by the Motoring Today Editorial team · methodology in our editorial standards.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class or Tesla Model 3 — which should I buy?
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class starts cheaper (Mercedes-Benz C-Class from £6,997, Tesla Model 3 from £14,500), with illustrative finance from £327/mo and £324/mo respectively. On MOT reliability they score 63% and 43% first-time passes. The full spec, running-cost and deal breakdown is below.
- C-Class from
- £6,997
- Model 3 from
- £14,500
- In stock
- 6 vs 7
| From live stock | Mercedes-Benz C-Class 6 in stock · from £6,997 | Tesla Model 3 7 in stock · from £14,500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest in stock | £6,997★ lowest | £14,500 |
| Median price | £15,500★ lower | £21,250 |
| From (per month)Illustrative, from live stock | £327/mo (HP, 60 months, 13.4% APR) | £324/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR)★ lower |
| Road tax (VED)Typical car in stock | £200/yr | £200/yr |
| Median mileage | 52,089 mi | 32,000 mi★ lower |
| Median year | 2017 | 2023★ newer |
| Median CO₂ | 130 g/km | — |
| Typical power | 204 bhp | 301 bhp★ more |
| Most common fuel | Diesel | Electric |
| Most common gearbox | Automatic | Automatic |
| MOT first-time passDVSA history | 63%★ more reliable | 43% |
| Great/good deals in stockMotoring Today price rating | 2 / 6★ more | 2 / 7 |
| View all 6 C-Class → | View all 7 Model 3 → |
Motoring Today score
Our 0–100 vehicle-intelligence score: reliability is from real DVSA MOT pass rates, the rest from manufacturer specs (MPG/CO₂, insurance group, Euro NCAP, dimensions). Higher is better — the stronger side is highlighted.
| Score | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | Tesla Model 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 59/100 | 58/100 |
| Reliability | 48 | 50 |
| Running costs | 75 | 71 |
| Safety | 55 | — |
| Family & practicality | 77 | 85 |
| Insurance | 36 | 20 |
A guide, not a guarantee — based on the sample of stock and MOT/spec records we hold for each model.
Specs, side by side
Manufacturer specifications across the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Tesla Model 3 trim range. The stronger figure is highlighted where there's a clear better/worse direction (dimensions are shown for reference only).
| Spec | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | Tesla Model 3 |
|---|---|---|
| MPG (combined) | 23–78 mpg | — |
| CO₂ emissions | 12–288 g/km | 0 g/km |
| Insurance group1 (cheapest) – 50 | Group 23–50 | Group 41–50 |
| Euro NCAP safety | 67% pillar avg | 5 stars (2019) |
| 0–60mph | 3.8s | 2.9s |
| Power | 134–509 bhp | 241–453 bhp |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Length | 4686 mm | 4694 mm |
| Width | 2016 mm | 2088 mm |
| Height | 1442 mm | 1443 mm |
How we compare. The “best value overall” column and the cells marked ★ are chosen from live market data, running costs, DVSA MOT history and manufacturer specs — the side that wins the most comparable rows leads. Deal ratings come from the Motoring Today price model. Our methodology →
About the finance figures
Monthly payments shown are illustrative examples drawn from real quotes on cars currently in stock — the exact rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check. They are not an offer of finance and are not a representative example of the total cost of credit.
Motoring Today is a trading style of Motor Genius Group Ltd (FRN 960504), an appointed representative of The Compliance Guys Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 941360).
Motoring Today is a credit broker, not a lender.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class or the Tesla Model 3 cheaper to buy?
- In current stock the Mercedes-Benz C-Class starts lower: the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is available from £6,997 (median £15,500) and the Tesla Model 3 from £14,500 (median £21,250).
- What are the monthly finance payments on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs the Tesla Model 3?
- Illustrative finance starts from £327/mo (HP, 60 months, 13.4% APR) on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and £324/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR) on the Tesla Model 3. These are examples from cars currently in stock, not offers of finance — the actual rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check.
- Which is cheaper to tax, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class or the Tesla Model 3?
- The most common annual road tax (VED) across Mercedes-Benz C-Class stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the Tesla Model 3 — so the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is generally cheaper to tax.
- Which is more reliable at MOT, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class or the Tesla Model 3?
- Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class averages a 63% first-time pass rate and the Tesla Model 3 43% — the Mercedes-Benz C-Class edges it on this measure.