BMW MOT pass rates and used models
BMW cars passed 79.3% of their initial MOT tests in 2025, 7 percentage points above the 72.3% UK average and 18th of 63 makes. Among the most-tested models, the M4 scored highest at 87.8% and the Z3 lowest at 70.3%.
Looking at a specific BMW? Run a BMW history check on its registration, or a free MOT history check to see its own tests.
Every BMW model ranked
First-time MOT pass rates from 2025, highest first. Each model links to its buying guide and full MOT record.
| Model | Pass rate | vs BMW | Tests | Avg age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X3 M | 90.7% | 11.4 pts above | 1,749 | 4.7 yrs |
| i8 | 89.8% | 10.5 pts above | 2,142 | 8.5 yrs |
| M2 | 88.5% | 9.2 pts above | 3,837 | 7.4 yrs |
| M4 | 87.8% | 8.4 pts above | 13,620 | 7 yrs |
| M5 | 87.6% | 8.3 pts above | 3,829 | 15.7 yrs |
| i3 | 86.9% | 7.6 pts above | 26,186 | 6.3 yrs |
| M3 | 86.8% | 7.5 pts above | 16,383 | 16 yrs |
| X2 | 86% | 6.7 pts above | 21,329 | 5.3 yrs |
| iX | 85.9% | 6.6 pts above | 5,728 | 3 yrs |
| X7 | 85.9% | 6.5 pts above | 2,621 | 4.3 yrs |
| iX3 | 85.4% | 6.1 pts above | 9,598 | 3.3 yrs |
| 8 Series | 84.7% | 5.4 pts above | 6,794 | 7.4 yrs |
| X4 | 84.6% | 5.2 pts above | 17,930 | 6.9 yrs |
| 7 Series | 84.5% | 5.2 pts above | 18,601 | 11.8 yrs |
| i4 | 84% | 4.7 pts above | 6,958 | 2.9 yrs |
| 2 Series | 83.8% | 4.4 pts above | 135,776 | 7 yrs |
| Alpina | 83.7% | 4.4 pts above | 1,564 | 15 yrs |
| 4 Series | 83.6% | 4.2 pts above | 111,945 | 7.8 yrs |
| X6 | 83.2% | 3.9 pts above | 15,752 | 9.3 yrs |
| X1 | 82.4% | 3 pts above | 112,492 | 8.3 yrs |
| X3 | 80.8% | 1.4 pts above | 106,828 | 8.9 yrs |
| X5 | 80.3% | 0.9 pts above | 92,142 | 10.5 yrs |
| 5 Series | 79.7% | Level | 205,807 | 11.2 yrs |
| 6 Series | 79.6% | Level | 21,670 | 13.1 yrs |
| Z4 | 77.7% | 1.6 pts below | 35,179 | 14.4 yrs |
| 1 Series | 76.4% | 2.9 pts below | 395,011 | 10.2 yrs |
| 3 Series | 76% | 3.4 pts below | 478,900 | 12.3 yrs |
| Z3 | 70.3% | 9 pts below | 11,195 | 25.6 yrs |
Among models with at least 10,000 tests, the M4 and Z3 are 17.4 percentage points apart. Part of that gap is age: models that left sale years ago are tested as older cars, and older cars fail more often.
Compare MOT pass rates for every make or browse used cars by make.
BMW pass rate by age
Every BMW tested in 2025, split by the car's age at test.
| Age at test | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 years | 351,102 | 88.3% |
| 6 to 10 years | 744,683 | 82.7% |
| 11 years and over | 704,568 | 70.3% |
BMW pass rates fall by 18 percentage points between the youngest and oldest groups, so compare a model with others of a similar age rather than with the headline figure.
BMW head-to-head comparisons
Popular rivals compared on the same DVSA data.
Checking a used BMW
Model averages describe the range, not the car in front of you. The BMW history check covers finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper records for one registration. To confirm a car's identity, see what a BMW VIN should look like.
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Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.