The Mercedes-Benz R is no longer on the new-car list, so in Singapore it is a used buy. Its three versions on our quote form all have engines of 2,995cc or more, which shapes the road tax. This guide looks at the R 280, the version most insurers quote, and sets out what it costs each year. The headline: for the driver priced here, it is cheaper to insure than all six similar cars on its price page.
The insurance prices are examples for one stated driver, read on 20 October 2026. They help you compare. They are not a quote.
Versions on our form
The new-car list has no R on sale now. So there is no list price, power figure or body type here.
Our quote form lists three versions:
- R 280: 2,995cc
- R 300L (A): 2,996cc
- R 350: 3,498cc
The figures below are for the R 280. The R 350 has a larger engine and pays more road tax.
COE
The R 280's 2,995cc engine is above 1,600cc, so it needs a Category B COE. Category B closed at S$130,100 in the October 2026 1st round.
An R on sale today may be on a renewed COE. Ask when it ends. The COE page has later results.
Road tax
LTA's formula gives the 2,995cc engine S$2,379.24 a year, before any age surcharge.
An R on sale now may well be past 10 years old, so the surcharge matters:
- Over 10 years: +10%
- Over 11 years: +20%
- Over 12 years: +30%
- Over 13 years: +40%
- Over 14 years: +50%
At the top step, the yearly bill is half as much again as the base. Check the registration date and see the road tax page for the formula.
Insurance for the example driver
The Mercedes-Benz R price page prices this example:
- Car: R 280, registered 3 years ago, private use, comprehensive cover
- Driver: aged 40, married, office job, driving 10 to 19 years
- Record: 50% no-claim discount (NCD), no claims
- Repairs: authorised workshop, no options
The example uses a 3-year-old car, as every price page does. The R you are looking at will likely be older, so get a quote for the real car.
9 insurers price the example. The lowest premium is S$886.61 a year. The insurer whose lowest plan is dearest asks at least S$2,430.32. That is S$1,543.71 more, or 174% on top. All prices include 9% GST.
Seven insurers on our panel do not price this model online. Some prices shown are estimates.
Excess
Most plans here set S$600, including the lowest. Some set S$800, and one asks S$2,500. No plan on this page has a zero excess. You pay the excess first on any claim.
Plan levels
Several insurers list a basic plan and fuller ones. The fuller plans cost more and may add cover, such as a courtesy car while yours is repaired. Compare like with like. A basic plan set against another insurer's top plan tells you little.
Each price on the page also shows the date it was read. Some here are more than a week old, so they may have changed.
How the price moves
The lowest price with one change:
- No NCD (0%): S$1,234.40, S$347.79 more
- 20% NCD: S$1,234.40, S$347.79 more
- Driver aged 27, 3 years' driving, 30% NCD: S$1,234.40, S$347.79 more
- Driver aged 65, 20 or more years' driving: S$886.61, the same
- A new car, registered this year: S$931.07, S$44.46 more
- A car 8 years old: S$811.71, S$74.90 less
Without the NCD, the lowest price is 39% higher. The younger driver lands on the same figure. The older driver pays the same as the 40-year-old. An 8-year-old car is cheaper to insure. These are lowest prices only; other plans may move by different sums.
Cheaper to insure than its rivals
For the same driver and car age, the price page shows:
- Audi Q7: S$1,238.58
- Audi S4 Saloon: S$1,501.01
- Audi S5: S$1,238.58
- Audi S5 SPRTback: S$1,238.58
- Audi SQ5: S$1,210.01
- BMW 7 Series: S$1,030.55
Their average lowest price is S$1,242.89. The R is 29% below that, and none of the six is cheaper to insure. The Mercedes-Benz car insurance page links the other models.
Checks on an older R
- COE end date: it tells you how long the car can stay on the road.
- Engine: confirm it is the 2,995cc R 280. The R 350 pays more road tax.
- Surcharge step: it may rise while you own the car.
- Service records: ask what has been done and what is due next.
Costs that depend on you
- Parking: season parking at home and work, plus parking on outings. Check your own block's rates before you buy.
- Petrol: your distance and the pump price.
- ERP: your routes and timing.
- Repairs: tyres, brakes, a battery and other wear items on an older car.
- Depreciation: mainly a matter of COE years left.
The yearly figures
For the Mercedes-Benz R 280:
- Road tax: S$2,379.24 a year, before any age surcharge (LTA's formula, checked 2026-10-19)
- Insurance, example driver: from S$886.61 a year (20 October 2026)
- Insurance, no NCD: from S$1,234.40
- Insurance, car 8 years old: from S$811.71
For reference, a Category B COE closed at S$130,100 in the October 2026 1st round.
Before you buy: car insurance for the Mercedes-Benz R
Before you drive off, get your car insurance through Shenton Brokers. Compare car insurance for the Mercedes-Benz R to see today's prices from every insurer we compare and how they change with the driver and the car's age. Or get a quote with your own details.