MOT pass rates / BMW
BMW MOT pass rates and common failures
BMW cars passed 78.5% of their MOTs first time in 2024, across 1,544,333 class-4 initial tests and 95 model groups. That is above the 71.2% UK average, and ranks BMW 15th of 59 makes in the dataset.
Pass rates track age more strongly than badge: an older BMW is compared here against older cars of every other make, so read the age table below before drawing conclusions about the brand.
Checking a BMW?
Make-level pass rates cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
What BMW cars fail on
The items most often behind a first-test failure across BMW model groups, as a share of BMW tests. DVSA publishes each model group's six most common categories, so this ranks the biggest published causes rather than every possible one.
- Condition — 5.1% of BMW tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Headlamp Aim — 2.8% of BMW tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Tread Depth — 1.7% of BMW tests. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
- Shock Absorbers — 1.3% of BMW tests. Leaking or worn dampers. Replaced in pairs and noticeable in how the car rides.
- Brake Performance — 1.3% of BMW tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Washers — 1.2% of BMW tests. Empty or blocked washers. Trivial, but again a sign of the last owner's care.
- Position Lamps — 1.1% of BMW tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Exhaust Emissions — 1% of BMW tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
BMW MOT pass rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 300,569 | 87.9% |
| 6–9 years | 530,079 | 83.7% |
| 10–14 years | 411,839 | 73% |
| 15–30 years | 300,978 | 67.2% |
BMW models by MOT pass rate
| Model | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Series | 318,739 | 72.1% |
| 118 | 114,283 | 78% |
| 116 | 95,384 | 72.7% |
| X1 | 87,411 | 82.9% |
| X3 | 83,584 | 78.4% |
| X5 | 72,528 | 78.7% |
| 520 | 66,558 | 76.9% |
| 1 Series | 64,918 | 78.7% |
| 5 Series | 64,512 | 83.3% |
| 420 | 53,580 | 83.2% |
| 218 | 40,926 | 82.1% |
| 120 | 37,671 | 71.4% |
| 320 | 33,832 | 85.9% |
| Z4 | 30,311 | 77.1% |
| I3 | 21,977 | 87.1% |
| 530 | 20,951 | 75.5% |
| 2 Series | 17,494 | 85.7% |
| 330 | 14,247 | 85.8% |
| X4 | 13,591 | 84% |
| M3 | 13,223 | 85.7% |
| X6 | 12,786 | 82.1% |
| 525 | 11,989 | 70.5% |
| 430 | 11,978 | 83.8% |
| 435 | 11,929 | 84% |
| 220 | 11,797 | 81.5% |
| Z3 | 10,632 | 68.9% |
| M4 | 10,446 | 86.9% |
| 640 | 9,357 | 81.4% |
| 535 | 7,615 | 80.4% |
| 730 | 7,549 | 82.6% |
| 330e M Sport Auto | 7,452 | 83.8% |
| 316 | 7,432 | 69.8% |
| M135i Xdrive Auto | 7,380 | 89.8% |
| 318 | 7,157 | 83% |
| X2 | 7,062 | 84.8% |
| X3 Xdrive20d M Sport MHEV Auto | 6,270 | 89% |
| 218i M Sport Auto | 5,196 | 88.2% |
| 520d M Sport MHEV Auto | 4,761 | 87.9% |
| 6 Series | 4,583 | 84.3% |
| 320i M Sport Auto | 4,386 | 88.5% |
| 440 | 4,266 | 87.3% |
| X5 Xdrive45e M Sport Auto | 4,165 | 82.9% |
| 335 | 4,090 | 86.4% |
| 125 | 3,957 | 79.7% |
| 216 | 3,598 | 77.8% |
| M5 | 3,524 | 87.3% |
| 218i M Sport | 3,412 | 86.7% |
| 7 Series | 3,248 | 86% |
| M2 | 3,084 | 88% |
| 114 | 3,064 | 71% |
| 123 | 3,062 | 68.5% |
| 420i M Sport Auto | 2,817 | 88.8% |
| 740 | 2,774 | 87.1% |
| 330e SE PRO Auto | 2,607 | 84.7% |
| 630 | 2,539 | 71.5% |
| 428 | 2,419 | 81.7% |
| 320d M Sport MHEV Auto | 2,392 | 85.6% |
| 225 | 2,323 | 83.4% |
| X3 Xdrive30e M Sport Auto | 2,260 | 88.1% |
| 518 | 2,152 | 79.7% |
| 218i Sport | 2,001 | 87% |
| 523 | 1,982 | 68.4% |
| M340i Xdrive MHEV Auto | 1,871 | 88% |
| M235i Xdrive Auto | 1,865 | 89.9% |
| M340i Xdrive Auto | 1,739 | 87.9% |
| X2 Sdrive20i M Sport Auto | 1,688 | 85.8% |
| M340d Xdrive MHEV Auto | 1,653 | 87.4% |
| 528 | 1,625 | 75.6% |
| 840i Auto | 1,557 | 86.6% |
| 218i SE | 1,517 | 85.8% |
| I8 | 1,492 | 88.9% |
| X5 Xdrive30d M Sport MHEV Auto | 1,488 | 88.4% |
| 220d M Sport Auto | 1,468 | 86.7% |
| 8 Series | 1,466 | 86.1% |
| IX3 Premier Edition | 1,396 | 86.8% |
| X3 M Competition Auto | 1,396 | 89.9% |
| 645 | 1,372 | 72.4% |
| X4 Xdrive20d M Sport MHEV Auto | 1,364 | 89.3% |
| Alpina | 1,341 | 84.1% |
| 128ti Auto | 1,340 | 90.6% |
| 220i M Sport Auto | 1,313 | 87% |
| 635 | 1,307 | 76.7% |
| 330e Sport PRO Auto | 1,303 | 86.3% |
| X2 Xdrive20d M Sport Auto | 1,300 | 85.2% |
| 225xe M Sport Premium Auto | 1,212 | 88% |
| X1 Xdrive25e M Sport Auto | 1,181 | 90% |
| M6 | 1,167 | 87.3% |
| 330e Xdrive M Sport Auto | 1,147 | 83.9% |
| 650 | 1,122 | 74.1% |
| X2 Sdrive20i Sport Auto | 1,119 | 87% |
| M440i Xdrive MHEV Auto | 1,107 | 88% |
| 318i M Sport Auto | 1,101 | 86.7% |
| 218i Sport Auto | 1,059 | 87.2% |
| 4 Series | 1,034 | 80% |
| 218i SE Auto | 1,010 | 86.8% |
How many BMW vehicles are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 2,208,080 licensed and 323,492 SORN BMW vehicles across 65 published model groups.
Licensed and SORN counts for every BMW model
Before you buy
- Condition — 5.1% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Headlamp Aim — 2.8% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Tread Depth — 1.7% of tests in 2024. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
- Shock Absorbers — 1.3% of tests in 2024. Leaking or worn dampers. Replaced in pairs and noticeable in how the car rides.
- Check the actual BMW — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Common questions
What is the BMW MOT pass rate?
78.5% of 1,544,333 class-4 initial MOT tests on BMW cars passed first time in 2024 — above the 71.2% UK average across all published models.
Which BMW has the best MOT pass rate?
Of the BMW model groups with a substantial sample, the M135i Xdrive Auto has the highest initial pass rate at 89.8% across 7,380 tests. Pass rates track vehicle age closely, so newer model groups tend to sit higher.
Does a good BMW pass rate mean the car I am looking at is fine?
No. A model-level rate describes a population, not one vehicle. Enter the registration for that car's own MOT, tax and mileage record, and check for outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before you buy.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that BMW's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.