BMW 118
378k MOT tests in age band · 87.4% pass rate
87.4%
Failure breakdown (public summary)
- Owner neglect
- Wear & tear
- Systemic
- Other
BMW MOT pass rates and common failures
BMW 1 Series, X1 and 3 Series fill UK used shortlists. Compare MOT pass rates and defect-note mix at 5–10 years before you treat one clean pass as the whole story.
MOT pass rate is not a reliability rating — it is the share of recorded DVSA tests that passed for each make and model in this age band. Use Compare for two models, or browse BMW MOT reports.
3.9 million BMW vehicles in the UK MOT source dataset (all registration years). In the 5–10 years old (registration era) age band: 3.8M MOT tests across all models — the same metric shown in the brand matrix drawer. Model cards below are per-model totals in that band.
Data created
Top BMW models by MOT test volume
The four models with the most MOT tests in our BMW lineup at 5–10 years. Pass rate and failure category split are public; defect codes and severity detail require credits.
BMW X1
340k MOT tests in age band · 89.1% pass rate
89.1%
Failure breakdown (public summary)
- Owner neglect
- Wear & tear
- Systemic
- Other
BMW 3 Series
274k MOT tests in age band · 87.6% pass rate
87.6%
Failure breakdown (public summary)
- Owner neglect
- Wear & tear
- Systemic
- Other
BMW 5 Series
250k MOT tests in age band · 88.7% pass rate
88.7%
Failure breakdown (public summary)
- Owner neglect
- Wear & tear
- Systemic
- Other
What a full BMW 118 report looks like
Vehicle age: 5–10 years old (registration era). Pass rate and category split above are live age-band aggregates; the sections below show the report layout subscribers unlock.
Pass rate
87.4%
Live age-band stat
Maintenance compliance
74 / 100
Mileage-normalised score
Defects per 1k miles
7.1
vs age-band percentile
Common systemic components
- Suspension arm bush worn excessively (1.1.11 (c))
- Coil spring fractured or broken (1.1.2 (a))
- Brake disc worn, pitted or scored (1.1.14 (a) (ii))
- Excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.1.3 (b))
Unlock DVSA-coded defects, severity splits, first-MOT patterns, and year-on-year trends for BMW 118
More brand research
BMW MOT data — common questions
Does a good BMW MOT pass rate mean the car is reliable?
- No. MOT pass rate is not a reliability rating. It is the share of recorded DVSA tests that passed for that BMW model in this 5–10 year band. It does not prove breakdowns, repair cost, or the condition of one seller’s car.
Which BMW models have the most MOT tests on this page?
- The four highest-volume models in this age band are 118 (87.4% pass rate, 378k tests); X1 (89.1% pass rate, 340k tests); 3 Series (87.6% pass rate, 274k tests); 5 Series (88.7% pass rate, 250k tests). Pass rate is a test outcome, not a ranking of the most reliable car.
Is this BMW page a registration MOT check?
- No. This is make and model research from aggregated DVSA tests. For one vehicle, use GOV.UK MOT history. Use Compare to put two models on the same age band.