MOT statistics · BMW
BMW MOT failure rates by model, 2024–25
Our analysis of DVSA's anonymised MOT data covers 3,563,391 initial MOT tests on BMW vehicles in Great Britain in 2024 and 2025. 21.4% failed at the first attempt — 24% less often than vehicles of the same ages and fuel types, which failed 28.1%.
- initial tests analysed
- 3,563,391initial tests analysed
- failed at the first attempt
- 21.4%failed at the first attempt
- expected for the same age and fuel mix
- 28.1%expected for the same age and fuel mix
- typical age at the test
- 9 yrstypical age at the test
Fuel mix of the vehicles tested: 36% petrol, 58% diesel and 7% hybrid or electric. BMW is 3 of 34 makes with 100,000+ tests, ranked from least to most often failing against same-age vehicles — see the full table.
BMW MOT failure rate by age
Each age band compares BMW vehicles with all vehicles of exactly the same ages and fuel types, so the difference is not just a matter of how old they are. Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are left out.
BMWCars of the same age and fuel (all makes)
| Age | Tests | Bars | BMW | Same age & fuel | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 755,293 | 12.1% | 14.4% | 15% lower | |
| 6–9 years | 1,205,629 | 16.9% | 23.3% | 27% lower | |
| 10–14 years | 944,726 | 27.4% | 35.8% | 23% lower | |
| 15–19 years | 465,256 | 32.5% | 42.8% | 24% lower | |
| 20–40 years | 192,487 | 31.0% | 38.3% | 18% lower |
What BMW vehicles fail on
The share of initial tests that failed in each defect category, against what vehicles of the same ages and fuel types would show. BMW vehicles failed noticeably more often on wheels & tyres and plates & VIN.
BMWCars of the same age and fuel (all makes)
| Category | Bars | BMW | Same age & fuel | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheels & tyres | 7.6% | 6.8% | 12% higher | |
| Lights & electrics | 6.9% | 10.6% | 34% lower | |
| Suspension & axles | 5.3% | 9.0% | 41% lower | |
| Brakes | 4.4% | 6.7% | 34% lower | |
| Visibility, glass & wipers | 3.2% | 4.4% | 27% lower | |
| Emissions, noise & leaks | 2.0% | 3.1% | 35% lower | |
| Body, structure & corrosion | 1.1% | 3.4% | 69% lower | |
| Seat belts & other equipment | 0.8% | 1.0% | 22% lower | |
| Steering | 0.6% | 2.0% | 72% lower | |
| Plates & VIN | 0.4% | 0.4% | 11% higher |
Categories are our grouping of DVSA's defect sections. A dash means too few failures in that category to compare.
BMW MOT failure rates by model
Every BMW model with at least 1,000 initial tests for a fuel type, most-tested first. “Same age & fuel” is the rate vehicles of the same ages and fuel types failed at; “Difference” is how far the model is from it.
| Model | Tests | Typical age | Failure rate | Same age & fuel | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 SeriesCommon problems & recalls | 946,818 | 11 yrs | 24.8% | 31.4% | 21% lower |
| 1 SeriesCommon problems & recalls | 768,163 | 9 yrs | 24.3% | 28.9% | 16% lower |
| 5 Series | 405,990 | 10 yrs | 20.8% | 29.8% | 30% lower |
| 2 Series | 243,979 | 6 yrs | 16.5% | 20.2% | 18% lower |
| 4 Series | 207,486 | 7 yrs | 16.6% | 22.9% | 27% lower |
| X1Common problems & recalls | 207,295 | 7 yrs | 17.9% | 24.4% | 26% lower |
| X3 | 198,728 | 8 yrs | 20.3% | 26.2% | 22% lower |
| X5 | 172,734 | 9 yrs | 20.5% | 29.6% | 30% lower |
| Z4 | 68,909 | 15 yrs | 22.9% | 35.5% | 35% lower |
| i3 | 45,065 | 5 yrs | 13.1% | 15.4% | 13% lower |
| 6 Series | 44,181 | 11 yrs | 20.5% | 32.3% | 35% lower |
| X2 | 35,713 | 5 yrs | 14.5% | 15.9% | 7% lower |
| 7 Series | 34,749 | 9 yrs | 15.9% | 28.8% | 43% lower |
| X4 | 33,866 | 6 yrs | 15.5% | 20.9% | 24% lower |
| M3 | 31,066 | 16 yrs | 13.9% | 34.9% | 59% lower |
| X6 | 30,264 | 8 yrs | 17.0% | 27.5% | 37% lower |
| M4 | 24,337 | 7 yrs | 12.8% | 19.9% | 34% lower |
| Z3 | 22,863 | 25 yrs | 30.5% | 35.8% | 13% lower |
| 8 Series | 10,336 | 4 yrs | 14.7% | 16.9% | 9% lower |
| M5 | 7,739 | 12 yrs | 12.5% | 33.6% | 61% lower |
| M2 | 7,597 | 7 yrs | 11.5% | 19.2% | 36% lower |
| i8 | 4,319 | 8 yrs | 10.6% | 18.0% | 36% lower |
| Alpina | 3,061 | 15 yrs | 16.4% | 34.3% | 48% lower |
| X7 | 2,762 | 4 yrs | 14.0% | 15.4% | About the same |
| M6 | 2,538 | 10 yrs | 12.4% | 30.6% | 55% lower |
| iX | 1,814 | 3 yrs | 12.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| i4 | 1,019 | 3 yrs | 13.4% | 11.6% | About the same |
Model names are as recorded at the MOT, grouped by us; a few are conversions built on a BMW base vehicle. “Typical age” is the median age of the vehicles tested.
How to read these figures
- They are MOT outcomes, not a reliability rating, and describe groups of vehicles — never one car.
- How vehicles are used and maintained shows up as much as how they were built: vans, taxis and high-mileage fleet vehicles fail more often than second cars.
- The comparison is with vehicles of the same age and fuel type, not the same mileage.
- Differences are the conservative end of a 95% confidence interval. Full methodology.
Looking at one BMW?
A model's average says nothing certain about one vehicle. Its own MOT history shows every test, the mileage at each and the faults found — free, from the registration.
More on BMW
MOT failure rates for other makes
Common questions
What percentage of BMW vehicles fail their MOT?
In our analysis of DVSA's anonymised MOT data for 2024 and 2025, 21.4% of 3,563,391 initial MOT tests on BMW vehicles failed at the first attempt — 24% less often than vehicles of the same ages and fuel types, which failed 28.1%. Because failure rates rise steeply with age, we compare with vehicles of the same age and fuel rather than with the overall average.
Which BMW models fail their MOT least and most often?
Among BMW models with at least 20,000 initial tests, and against vehicles of the same age and fuel: the M3 failed 59% less often (13.9% of 31,066 tests). These are MOT outcomes, which reflect how vehicles are used and maintained as well as how they are built — not a reliability rating.
How do I check a specific BMW's MOT history?
These figures describe groups of vehicles, never one car. Our free MOT history check shows every MOT test on record for a registration, with the mileage at each test and the faults and advisories found.
Cite this data
Free to quote and reuse with a link back to this page. Please describe the figures as our analysis of DVSA's anonymised MOT data, not as DVSA figures.
FindServiceHistory (2026). BMW MOT failure rates by model, 2024–25: an analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test data. https://www.findservicehistory.com/mot-statistics/bmw
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source data: the DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results dataset. The analysis, groupings and comparisons are FindServiceHistory's own and are not endorsed by DVSA.