The Lemon Index
Mercedes-Benz's 3.0 L turbo, 48-volt mild hybrid inline-6 in the AMG GT 43 4matic Plus / AMG GT 53 4matic Plus, model years 2019–2025. YouTube likes the 2021 best.
A safer bet: YouTube owner tone 56/100, #21 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the top third); no engine-related recall on record.
Reliability by year
Not enough complaints to chart. Owners filed 10 complaints with the government that we can tie to this engine's cars, 2019–2025, about any part of the car. Supercars sell in small numbers, so we show YouTube, recalls and the automaker's repair notes instead.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2021 (59) and least about the 2025 (52); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | AMG GT 43 4matic Plus / AMG GT 53 4matic Plus | 3 | 55 (64 videos) | 0 |
| 2020 | AMG GT 43 4matic Plus / AMG GT 53 4matic Plus | 1 | 55 (67 videos) | 0 |
| 2021 | AMG GT 43 4matic Plus / AMG GT 53 4matic Plus | 1 | 59 (97 videos) | 0 |
| 2022 | AMG GT 43 4matic Plus / AMG GT 53 4matic Plus | 2 | 58 (98 videos) | 0 |
| 2023 | AMG GT 43 4matic Plus / AMG GT 53 4matic Plus | 2 | 58 (81 videos) | 0 |
| 2024 | AMG GT 43 4matic Plus / AMG GT 53 4matic Plus | 1 | 56 (81 videos) | 0 |
| 2025 | AMG GT 43 4matic Plus / AMG GT 53 4matic Plus | 0 | 52 (61 videos) | 0 |
Recalls on cars with this engine
No NHTSA recalls we can tie to this engine's cars.
Engine problems Mercedes-Benz told dealers about
Mercedes-Benz sent dealers 43 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- Combustion engine could no longer be started, only electric driving possible
- Check engine light illuminated Fault code present in MRG3 control unit P22C900 - The valve of the exhaust gas…
- No cooling output, compressor inoperative
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-AMG GT AMG GT 43 4matic Plus, AMG GT 53 4matic Plus | 2019–25 |
Engine codes: M256 (GT 43, GT 53). Power: 362–429 hp, factory figures (engine only). Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Mercedes-Benz M256 engine · Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé.
Quick answers
What cars have the Mercedes M256 engine?
In the US: the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 43 4matic Plus / AMG GT 53 4matic Plus, model years 2019–2025. See the version table for each one.
Is the Mercedes M256 reliable?
Mostly yes. YouTube owner tone 56/100, #21 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the top third); no engine-related recall on record. Not enough owner complaints to judge it per car: supercars sell in small numbers. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Mercedes M256 make?
362–429 hp in factory figures, depending on the car (engine only).