BMW X3, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
123,755 BMW X3s are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 80.8% of initial MOT tests, 8.5 points above the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific X3? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
BMW X3 at the MOT
80.8% of 106,828 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the X3 187th of 575 models. BMW X3s aged 3 to 5 years passed 88.7% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 69.8%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
BMW X3 tests in 2025.
Where X3s fail
Share of all failure items recorded on BMW X3 tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were condition has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (7.2%), coil spring fractured or broken (6.8%) and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (6.4%).
The MOT page lists every common X3 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The X3's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.26.2% of X3 failure items
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Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.22.1% of X3 failure items
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Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.16.8% of X3 failure items
BMW X3s in the UK
123,755 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has grown 138% since the end of 2014.
- Change since 2014
- +138%from 52,040 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2018half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2018 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 8,858against 15,475 in 2019
- Declared off the road
- 5,6464.4% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed BMW X3s since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 52,040 |
| End of 2015 | 58,489 |
| End of 2016 | 67,311 |
| End of 2017 | 74,223 |
| End of 2018 | 80,440 |
| End of 2019 | 92,997 |
| End of 2020 | 98,608 |
| End of 2021 | 106,638 |
| End of 2022 | 111,466 |
| End of 2023 | 113,948 |
| End of 2024 | 116,171 |
| End of 2025 | 121,439 |
| End of June 2026 | 123,755 |
How old they are
Licensed BMW X3s by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 3,059 were first used before 2006.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8,233 | 8,858 |
| 2024 | 6,166 | 6,262 |
| 2023 | 5,902 | 6,020 |
| 2022 | 6,788 | 7,128 |
| 2021 | 10,097 | 10,498 |
| 2020 | 7,383 | 7,567 |
| 2019 | 15,226 | 15,475 |
| 2018 | 7,904 | 8,587 |
| 2017 | 7,967 | 8,581 |
| 2016 | 8,885 | 9,665 |
| 2015 | 6,842 | 7,595 |
| 2014 | 5,913 | |
| 2013 | 6,792 | |
| 2012 | 6,461 | |
| 2011 | 3,607 | |
| 2010 | 754 | |
| 2009 | 1,047 | |
| 2008 | 1,047 | |
| 2007 | 1,434 | |
| 2006 | 1,914 |
6,842 X3s first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 90% of the 7,595 first registered that year.
X3 engines and fuel
2.0 litre engines made up 76% of BMW X3 MOT tests in 2025, followed by 3.0 litre at 22%. Diesel accounts for 58% of licensed X3s and hybrid electric for 24%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 106,823 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed X3s
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 10,948 | 9% |
| Diesel | 72,213 | 58% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 11,172 | 9% |
| Hybrid electric | 29,410 | 24% |
| Gas | 12 | <0.1% |
BMW X3 recalls
50 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the BMW X3. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every X3 is affected.
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Mar 2026 R/2026/054
Replace the Engine Starter Motor
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The Safety Recall relates to the engine starter motor. The fault relates to the RSW22 starter RWT (reinforced water tightness). It was found that with RWT starters an increased abrasion of the magnetic contact can cause the growth of deposits at the lowest point of the relay interior. This in turn may increase the relay contact resistance resulting in false starts or even causing short circuits and possibly a thermal reaction. In case of a short circuit the possibility of a thermal event cannot be excluded. This may happen while attempting to start the vehicle or while driving due to vibrations causing a short circuit due to moving deposits.
- Remedy
- On the affected vehicles the starter motor will be replaced with a variant by another supplier with a different design. Until the repair has been completed it is recommended to not leave the vehicle running unattended after starting the engine.
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Jan 2026 R/2025/327
Replace the Driver's Airbag - Takata PSDI-5
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may be fitted with a drivers airbag which may deploy with too much explosive force causing sharp metal fragments to be released into the cabin. It has the potential to fatally or seriously injure vehicle occupants.
- Remedy
- Affected vehicles will have the airbag replaced.
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Dec 2025 R/2025/349
Takata Driver and/or Passenger Airbag Recall (Global VINs)
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles are already included in Safety Recalls within the markets they have previously resided in. The vehicles may be fitted with a driver and/or passenger airbag/s which if deployed may do so with excessive force causing sharp metal fragments to be released this may cause serious injury which could prove fatal to people in the vicinity.
- Remedy
- Vehicles will have the affected airbags checked and if necessary replaced.
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Dec 2025 R/2025/535
Programming Control Units (Steering Gear)
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- A quality check has revealed a potential issue with the steering gear software program which monitors the function of two sensors and compares the signals. In the vehicles concerned due to an error in the software the failure of a sensor may not always be detected correctly. When a failure has been detected correctly the driver is notified of it by a Check Control message on the Central Display and minimal change to steering feel.
- Remedy
- To ensure your vehicle is in perfect working order we would like to program the vehicles control units. This work will be free of charge.
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Oct 2025 R/2025/405
Replace the Engine Starter Motor
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- For affected vehicles there is a concern involving water ingress and corrosion to the starter motor for where a short circuit cannot be ruled out. It is strongly recommended to park the vehicle outdoors and not in the immediate vicinity of buildings until the repair has been carried out.
- Remedy
- Replacement of the starter motor.
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Sep 2025 R/2025/279
Replacing the Head Rest (2nd seat row)
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the outer headrests of the second row of seats may not have been manufactured correctly. In case of a collision or an accident they may not provide the necessary protection increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- On the affected vehicles the headrest of the second row seats will be replaced.
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Jun 2025 R/2025/186
Rework/Replace the Starter Generator (SGR)
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the screw connection of the positive battery cable onto the starter generator may not have been performed to specification.
- Remedy
- On affected vehicles the starter generator will be replaced and positive cable will be reworked / replaced if required.
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Mar 2025 R/2025/135
Replace Rear Brake Hose G45
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the rear brake hoses may not have been crimped correctly during production.
- Remedy
- Affected vehicles will have the brake hoses replaced.
X3 vs similar cars
Head-to-head comparisons on the same 2025 DVSA data.
Other BMW models
The most-tested BMW models in 2025, against the X3's 80.8% MOT pass rate.
BMW X3 FAQs
How many BMW X3s are there in the UK?
123,755 BMW X3s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 5,646 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the BMW X3 reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is an 80.8% first-time pass rate for the BMW X3 across 106,828 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the BMW X3 had any recalls?
50 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the BMW X3. The most recent was published in March 2026. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used BMW X3?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, tyres and suspension. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a BMW X3's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found an X3?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,389 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the BMW history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the BMW VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to July 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.