MERCEDES · MERCEDES R CLASS · Cars
MERCEDES R CLASS Uncommon
As of 2026 Q1, 2,102 MERCEDES R CLASSs remain registered in the UK — an increasingly uncommon sight on today's roads. That's down from a peak of 3,917 in 2014 Q3 — only 54% of the high-water mark, a loss of about 1,815 cars. They're disappearing at roughly 215 a year (10.2% of what's left), a pace that would halve the survivors by around 2032 if it held — though in practice the last, most-cherished examples tend to linger far longer.
Survivors over time
How rare is it?
Uncommon — a few thousand still about (2,102).
Rarer than 27% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
📉 Rate of decline
Disappearing at about 215 a year (10.2% of survivors). At that pace roughly 1,226 would remain in 5 years, and half the current fleet is gone by around ~2032.
About the R CLASS
The Mercedes-Benz R-Class is a mid-size luxury MPV introduced by Mercedes-Benz in 2005 for the 2006 model year. Following the success of the smaller A- and B-Class MPVs, Mercedes in collaboration with coachbuilder Stola presented a concept vehicle, Vision GST (Grand Sports Tourer), at the 2002 Detroit Auto Show and a second one, Vision R presented at the 2004 Detroit Auto Show, subsequently introducing the production version at 2005 New York International Auto Show. The R-Class was manufactured in Vance, Alabama until 2015 when its production was shifted to Mishawaka, Indiana for a smaller volume...
MERCEDES R CLASS — questions & answers
How many MERCEDES R CLASS are left in the UK?
As of 2026 Q1, 2,102 MERCEDES R CLASS were still registered in the UK — 1,407 licensed and on the road, plus 695 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the MERCEDES R CLASS rare?
The MERCEDES R CLASS is uncommon, with 2,102 still about, making it rarer than 27% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Is the MERCEDES R CLASS increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of MERCEDES R CLASS on UK roads fell by 197 (8.6%). At the current rate of decline, roughly 1,226 would remain in 5 years.
What fuel do most MERCEDES R CLASS use?
Most MERCEDES R CLASS run on diesel — about 93% of those still registered, with the rest split across petrol.
When did the MERCEDES R CLASS peak?
The MERCEDES R CLASS peaked at 3,917 registered in 2014 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.