CarCostCheck

BMW

Running costs, reliability, and MOT data for 329 models from 4,035,075 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included).

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GB

Free instant check using official DVSA and DVLA data

Avg Pass Rate

88%

Total Tests

4,035,075

Models

329

Years Covered

1990-2024

Most Reliable

M3 Competition Auto

98% pass rate

Least Reliable

735

75% pass rate

Most Popular

3 Series

806,092 tests

About BMW Cars

BMW ranks joint 20th out of 70 car makes in our data (those with at least 1,000 MOT tests) by average MOT pass rate, at 88%. That's slightly above the 85% average across all models in our data, putting BMW in solid middle ground for reliability.

With 329 models across 35 years of data (1990 to 2024), there's a wide spread of 23 percentage points between the most and least reliable models. Choosing the right model matters significantly with BMW.

Most and Least Reliable BMW Models

The M3 Competition Auto leads the range with a 98% average pass rate from 1,821 tests. At the other end, the 735 has the lowest at 75%. Overall, more than half of BMW's models have a pass rate of 85% or more, which is a good sign for the brand.

BMW Fuel Types

BMW models in our data come in 129 petrol, 82 diesel, 105 hybrid, 13 electric variants (each model counted once, under the fuel type recorded for most of its tests). BMW is among the manufacturers offering electric options in the UK market.

Estimated Running Costs

Fuel (Diesel, 1995cc)
£1,397
Road Tax
£200
MOT Test
£55
Predicted Repairs
£200
Total per year£1,852
Per month£154/mo

Based on most recent year, 7,400 miles/year and average pump prices of 174.57p petrol and 199.33p diesel (GOV.UK weekly road fuel prices, week of 19 October 2026). Insurance not included.

Full details

How reliable is BMW?

Brand rankingjoint 20th out of 70 car makes
vs average of all models+3 points (85% avg)
Models with 85%+ pass rate298 of 329
Reliability spread (best to worst)23 percentage points

All BMW Models

Click any model to see detailed year-by-year reliability data, running costs, and comparisons.

ModelYearsPass RateTestsFuel
3 Series32 yrs83%806,092Diesel, Petrol
11820 yrs84%298,463Diesel, Petrol
11619 yrs83%212,923Diesel, Petrol
X522 yrs85%206,935Petrol, Diesel, Hybrid
X114 yrs87%200,387Diesel, Petrol
X318 yrs85%197,060Petrol, Diesel
1 Series18 yrs85%181,456Petrol, Diesel
5 Series30 yrs84%155,556Petrol, Hybrid, Diesel
52031 yrs80%152,076Diesel, Petrol
4209 yrs89%141,320Diesel, Petrol
2188 yrs90%92,197Petrol
12018 yrs84%86,600Petrol, Diesel
32021 yrs86%79,319Diesel, Petrol
Z419 yrs87%77,384Petrol, Diesel
2 Series8 yrs92%53,471Diesel, Petrol
53023 yrs85%46,923Diesel, Petrol, Hybrid
i310 yrs91%44,266Electric, Hybrid
33019 yrs85%44,227Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol
M327 yrs91%39,015Petrol
M47 yrs93%37,912Petrol
X48 yrs91%36,284Petrol, Diesel
X612 yrs88%35,320Diesel, Petrol
4358 yrs91%33,241Petrol, Diesel
4309 yrs90%30,874Petrol, Diesel
Z39 yrs78%30,418Petrol
2207 yrs89%30,381Diesel
52527 yrs80%28,126Diesel, Petrol
6408 yrs89%25,607Diesel
M135I Xdrive Auto4 yrs95%22,270Petrol
73025 yrs86%21,980Diesel, Petrol
31627 yrs80%21,165Petrol, Diesel
53522 yrs86%18,351Petrol, Diesel
X25 yrs92%17,521Diesel, Petrol
31819 yrs83%16,763Petrol, Diesel
330E M Sport Auto3 yrs90%15,912Hybrid
218I M Sport Auto5 yrs93%15,789Petrol
X3 XDRIVE20D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs94%14,087Diesel, Diesel hybrid
6 Series15 yrs87%11,832Petrol, Diesel
33513 yrs90%11,782Diesel, Petrol, Hybrid
4406 yrs91%11,425Petrol
X5 XDRIVE45E M Sport Auto4 yrs89%11,235Hybrid
520D M Sport MHEV Auto5 yrs92%10,984Diesel, Diesel hybrid
M25 yrs93%10,403Petrol
M527 yrs93%9,944Petrol
12512 yrs88%9,829Petrol, Diesel
320I M Sport Auto3 yrs94%9,678Petrol
7 Series21 yrs88%8,633Hybrid, Diesel, Petrol
74024 yrs88%8,356Diesel, Petrol, Hybrid
420I M Sport Auto3 yrs95%8,054Petrol
2164 yrs87%8,030Diesel
218I M Sport5 yrs92%7,748Petrol
1237 yrs82%7,518Diesel
1144 yrs85%6,931Petrol, Diesel
i87 yrs94%6,589Hybrid
6308 yrs85%6,451Petrol, Diesel
4284 yrs88%6,199Petrol
X5 XDRIVE30D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs93%6,176Diesel hybrid
M235I Xdrive Auto3 yrs95%5,909Petrol
8 Series5 yrs93%5,690Diesel, Petrol
320D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs92%5,520Diesel hybrid
X3 M Competition Auto4 yrs97%5,518Petrol
52315 yrs80%5,500Petrol, Diesel, LPG
840I Auto3 yrs89%5,276Petrol
M340I Xdrive MHEV Auto3 yrs95%5,239Hybrid
M340I Xdrive Auto3 yrs95%5,033Petrol
330E SE Pro Auto4 yrs90%5,026Hybrid
2256 yrs89%4,932Diesel, Petrol, Hybrid
M340D Xdrive MHEV Auto3 yrs92%4,912Diesel hybrid
X3 XDRIVE30E M Sport Auto3 yrs94%4,909Hybrid
52813 yrs83%4,388Petrol
840I M Sport Auto3 yrs93%4,208Petrol
5189 yrs78%3,951Diesel, Petrol
218I Sport4 yrs91%3,940Petrol
6355 yrs84%3,897Diesel, Petrol
220D M Sport Auto5 yrs91%3,749Diesel
X2 SDRIVE20I Sport Auto5 yrs94%3,727Petrol
128TI Auto3 yrs95%3,705Petrol
6453 yrs85%3,651Petrol
M440I Xdrive MHEV Auto3 yrs94%3,628Hybrid
X2 SDRIVE20I M Sport Auto4 yrs91%3,563Petrol
220I M Sport Auto5 yrs92%3,548Petrol
M612 yrs91%3,538Petrol
X73 yrs90%3,433Diesel
Alpina25 yrs90%3,398Diesel, Petrol
X4 XDRIVE20D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs94%3,357Diesel hybrid
4 Series7 yrs90%3,242Petrol, Diesel
218I SE4 yrs91%3,210Petrol
X2 XDRIVE20D M Sport Auto4 yrs91%2,988Diesel
X1 XDRIVE25E M Sport Auto3 yrs94%2,924Hybrid
iX3 Premier Edition2 yrs92%2,902Electric
530D Xdrive M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs90%2,901Diesel hybrid
318I M Sport Auto3 yrs94%2,862Petrol
65012 yrs85%2,830Petrol
X4 M Competition Auto4 yrs97%2,743Petrol
13510 yrs90%2,729Petrol
330E Xdrive M Sport Auto3 yrs92%2,680Hybrid
330E Sport Pro Auto3 yrs91%2,646Hybrid
420D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs95%2,589Diesel hybrid
M4 Competition Auto2 yrs96%2,492Petrol
225XE M Sport Premium Auto3 yrs89%2,256Hybrid
520D Xdrive M Sport MHEV Auto4 yrs92%2,234Diesel hybrid
8407 yrs86%2,177Petrol, Diesel
218I Sport Auto4 yrs91%2,111Petrol
4184 yrs89%2,094Diesel
X5 XDRIVE40D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs93%2,014Diesel hybrid
220I Luxury Auto4 yrs91%2,014Petrol
330E M Sport Pro Edition Auto3 yrs91%1,990Hybrid
X2 XDRIVE20D M Sport X Auto3 yrs89%1,900Diesel
340I6 yrs91%1,888Petrol
7286 yrs83%1,866Petrol, LPG
218I SE Auto4 yrs93%1,845Petrol
M3 Competition Auto1 yr98%1,821Petrol
iX3 Premier Edition Pro2 yrs93%1,789Electric
X5 M Competition Auto3 yrs94%1,745Petrol
75016 yrs87%1,694Petrol, LPG
X6 XDRIVE30D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs89%1,690Diesel hybrid
430I M Sport Auto3 yrs97%1,684Petrol
1305 yrs85%1,672Petrol
M8 Competition Auto3 yrs97%1,650Petrol
54014 yrs80%1,645Petrol
330I M Sport Auto2 yrs95%1,607Petrol
320I Xdrive M Sport Auto2 yrs95%1,502Petrol
X7 XDRIVE40D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs94%1,500Diesel hybrid
X6 XDRIVE30D M Sport Auto3 yrs89%1,477Diesel
218D M Sport Auto5 yrs92%1,474Diesel
218I Luxury Auto4 yrs90%1,469Petrol
320I Sport Auto2 yrs90%1,456Petrol
X2 SDRIVE20I M Sport X Auto4 yrs92%1,351Petrol
X1 XDRIVE25E Xline Auto3 yrs94%1,341Hybrid
520I M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs93%1,275Hybrid
X1 XDRIVE25E Sport Auto3 yrs89%1,272Hybrid
2283 yrs89%1,241Petrol
X3 XDRIVE30D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs96%1,231Diesel hybrid
218I Luxury4 yrs91%1,227Petrol
X2 XDRIVE25E M Sport Auto2 yrs91%1,213Hybrid
420D Xdrive M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs94%1,210Diesel hybrid, Diesel
220D Xdrive Luxury Auto4 yrs93%1,205Diesel
530E Xdrive M Sport Auto4 yrs88%1,188Hybrid
318D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs91%1,034Diesel hybrid
M2 Competition3 yrs94%1,033Petrol
225XE Sport Auto4 yrs94%1,024Hybrid
73510 yrs75%1,022Petrol
X5 XDRIVE45E Xline Auto3 yrs91%1,001Hybrid
220I SE Auto3 yrs93%955Petrol
M4 Competition M Xdrive Auto2 yrs96%954Petrol
225XE M Sport Auto4 yrs90%954Hybrid
220I Sport Auto3 yrs93%930Petrol
X5 M50I Auto4 yrs92%916Petrol
X6 XDRIVE40D M Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs94%908Diesel hybrid
X6 XDRIVE40I M Sport Auto3 yrs89%888Petrol
X2 SDRIVE20I SE Auto4 yrs93%884Petrol
330E Xdrive M Sport Pro Ed A2 yrs91%865Hybrid
X2 XDRIVE20D Sport Auto3 yrs92%857Diesel
320D Xdrive M Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs93%836Diesel hybrid
X2 SDRIVE18D M Sport Auto4 yrs92%821Diesel
X3 XDRIVE30E Xline Auto2 yrs89%775Hybrid
520D SE MHEV Auto3 yrs93%766Diesel hybrid
iX3 M Sport Pro2 yrs96%765Electric
420I M Sport Pro Edition Auto3 yrs91%758Petrol
M3 Competition M Xdrive Auto2 yrs99%757Petrol
X5 XDRIVE40I M Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs95%756Hybrid
X6 M50D Auto3 yrs91%712Diesel
120D M Sport Auto2 yrs92%709Diesel
X2 XDRIVE25E M Sport X Auto3 yrs95%701Hybrid
X4 XDRIVE30D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs94%692Diesel hybrid
225XE Sport Premium Auto3 yrs88%689Hybrid
X3 M40D MHEV Auto3 yrs94%685Diesel hybrid
iX XDRIVE40 M Sport2 yrs90%671Electric
3259 yrs85%670Petrol, Diesel, LPG
218D M Sport3 yrs90%647Diesel
730D M Sport MHEV Auto3 yrs96%645Diesel hybrid
330D Xdrive M Sport + Ed Auto2 yrs94%631Diesel
330D M Sport MHEV Auto1 yr90%616Diesel hybrid
225XE Luxury Auto4 yrs90%613Hybrid
M440D Xdrive MHEV Auto2 yrs95%603Diesel hybrid
840D Xdrive M Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs90%585Diesel hybrid
220D Xdrive M Sport Auto4 yrs88%575Diesel
X2 XDRIVE25E Sport Auto3 yrs87%569Hybrid
X6 M Competition Auto2 yrs92%552Petrol
X3 XDRIVE20I M Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs94%546Petrol, Hybrid
216D SE Auto3 yrs88%518Diesel
320I M Sport + Edition Auto2 yrs90%516Petrol
5453 yrs80%515Petrol
330E M Sport + Edition Auto2 yrs85%513Hybrid
X2 SDRIVE18D SE3 yrs88%512Diesel
8506 yrs87%506Petrol
220D Xdrive Sport Auto3 yrs93%505Diesel
X2 XDRIVE18D M Sport4 yrs89%505Diesel
318I Sport Auto2 yrs91%492Petrol
5506 yrs91%486Petrol
4253 yrs89%485Diesel
220D Sport Auto3 yrs92%484Diesel
X2 SDRIVE18D M Sport4 yrs93%467Diesel
530D Xdrive M Sport Ed MHEV A2 yrs89%460Diesel hybrid
7453 yrs80%453Petrol
330D Xdrive M Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs93%448Diesel hybrid
iX3 M Sport2 yrs89%448Electric
320D M Sport + Edition MHEV A1 yr88%442Diesel hybrid
X2 SDRIVE18D SE Auto3 yrs89%436Diesel
X3 XDRIVE30E SE Auto2 yrs93%426Hybrid
430D Xdrive M Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs94%423Diesel hybrid
X2 SDRIVE18D Sport Auto4 yrs90%421Diesel
X3 XDRIVE20D Xline MHEV Auto3 yrs95%420Diesel hybrid
M235I3 yrs91%420Petrol
X3 M40I MHEV Auto2 yrs95%403Petrol, Hybrid
X2 SDRIVE18D Sport3 yrs91%393Diesel
320D M Sport Pro Ed MHEV Auto2 yrs92%384Diesel hybrid
7608 yrs85%384Petrol
220D Luxury Auto4 yrs95%376Diesel
216D M Sport Auto4 yrs89%336Diesel
218D Luxury Auto4 yrs94%332Diesel
420D M Sport Pro Ed MHEV Auto2 yrs98%331Diesel hybrid
545E Xdrive M Sport Auto2 yrs88%330Hybrid
X4 M40D MHEV Auto2 yrs98%326Diesel hybrid
M550I Xdrive Auto2 yrs90%325Petrol
X7 M50I Auto3 yrs96%321Petrol
X6 XDRIVE40I M Sport MHEV Auto1 yr89%309Hybrid
218D Sport Auto4 yrs91%302Diesel
216D SE4 yrs89%295Diesel
X6 M50I Auto2 yrs88%284Petrol
218D Sport3 yrs89%274Diesel
M1354 yrs95%264Petrol
318D SE MHEV Auto2 yrs86%256Diesel hybrid
740D Xdrive M Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs97%240Diesel hybrid
i4 M502 yrs94%239Electric
X2 SDRIVE18D M Sport X Auto3 yrs90%238Diesel
3285 yrs89%233Petrol
i4 EDRIVE40 M Sport2 yrs96%232Electric
M3 CS S-A2 yrs100%227Petrol
M4 Heritage Edition S-A1 yr88%226Petrol
330E Xdrive Sport Pro Auto2 yrs89%220Hybrid
330D M Sport + Edition Auto1 yr88%208Diesel
430I M Sport Pro Edition Auto1 yr87%208Petrol
220D Xdrive SE Auto2 yrs88%199Diesel
520D Xdrive SE MHEV Auto2 yrs89%196Diesel hybrid
730D Xdrive M Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs96%194Diesel hybrid
330D M Sport Pro Ed MHEV Auto1 yr93%192Diesel hybrid
320D Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs91%191Diesel hybrid
330E Xdrive SE Pro Auto2 yrs90%189Hybrid
33 yrs88%185Hybrid, Petrol, Diesel
X2 XDRIVE18D M Sport X2 yrs93%179Diesel
iX XDRIVE50 M Sport2 yrs92%175Electric
530E Xdrive SE Auto2 yrs94%173Hybrid
218D SE3 yrs94%165Diesel
330I M Sport + Edition Auto2 yrs93%164Petrol
X4 XDRIVE20D M Sport X MHEV A2 yrs95%159Diesel hybrid
216D Sport3 yrs87%152Diesel
M240I Xdrive Auto1 yr99%150Petrol
320D M Sport + Edition Auto2 yrs87%146Diesel
540I Xdrive M Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs82%145Hybrid
iX XDRIVE40 Sport2 yrs87%145Electric
318I SE Auto2 yrs86%144Petrol
X2 XDRIVE18D Sport3 yrs87%144Diesel
320D SE MHEV Auto2 yrs95%137Diesel hybrid
X2 SDRIVE18D M Sport X1 yr97%131Diesel
320I SE Auto2 yrs92%130Petrol
320I SE Pro Auto1 yr93%129Petrol
X2 XDRIVE20D SE Auto2 yrs83%127Diesel
218D Luxury2 yrs86%115Diesel
M2 CS Auto2 yrs100%111Petrol
218D SE Auto1 yr95%108Diesel
Z11 yr83%106Petrol
120D Sport Auto2 yrs96%105Diesel
X5 XDRIVE30D Xline MHEV Auto1 yr89%102Diesel hybrid
318D Sport MHEV Auto2 yrs87%100Diesel hybrid, Diesel
530D Xdrive SE MHEV Auto1 yr99%94Diesel hybrid
Z82 yrs98%94Petrol
216D Sport Auto2 yrs80%93Diesel
X3 XDRIVE20I Xline MHEV Auto2 yrs93%92Hybrid
318I SE Pro Auto1 yr79%91Petrol
X7 XDRIVE40I M Sport MHEV Auto1 yr92%90Hybrid
420D Xdrve Msprt Pro Ed MHEV A1 yr88%89Diesel hybrid
X4 M40I MHEV Auto2 yrs96%89Hybrid
320D SE Pro MHEV Auto1 yr88%85Diesel hybrid
320D Xdrve Msprt Pro Ed MHEV A1 yr82%84Diesel hybrid
C11 yr82%84Petrol
M2 CS1 yr99%84Petrol
Active Hybrid SE1 yr89%83Hybrid
520I SE MHEV Auto1 yr95%83Hybrid
X3 XDRIVE20D SE MHEV Auto1 yr84%82Diesel hybrid
330D Xdrve Msprt Pro Ed MHEV A1 yr88%80Diesel hybrid
X5 XDRIVE40D Xline MHEV Auto1 yr92%78Diesel hybrid
X5 (E70)2 yrs93%78Diesel
220D SE Auto2 yrs93%75Diesel
X3 M40I M Pro Edition MHEV A1 yr96%74Hybrid
X2 XDRIVE18D SE2 yrs85%74Diesel
M1402 yrs99%73Petrol
X2 SDRIVE20I M Mesh Edition A1 yr92%72Petrol
216D M Sport2 yrs91%71Diesel
330D Xdrive Sport MHEV Auto1 yr90%70Diesel hybrid
116I1 yr89%70Petrol
420I Xdrive M Sport Auto1 yr87%67Petrol
430D M Sport MHEV Auto1 yr88%67Diesel hybrid
X5 M Competition First Ed A1 yr100%64Petrol
X5 XDRIVE40I Xline MHEV Auto1 yr97%63Hybrid
330D Xdrive Sport Auto1 yr90%61Diesel
330I M Sport Pro Edition Auto1 yr90%61Petrol
320D Xdrive M Sport+ Ed MHEV A1 yr95%58Diesel hybrid
X1 Sdrive 18I Auto1 yr100%57Petrol
M3 Competition Touring1 yr100%56Petrol
M5 CS Auto1 yr88%56Petrol
330D M Sport Pro Edition Auto1 yr87%55Diesel
i4 EDRIVE40 Sport1 yr92%52Electric
530E M Sport Edition Auto1 yr100%50Hybrid
730D Xdrive MHEV Auto1 yr100%50Diesel hybrid
320I M Sport Pro Edition Auto1 yr98%44Petrol
223I M Sport MHEV Auto1 yr100%43Hybrid
i7 XDRIVE60 Excellence Pro1 yr100%43Electric
11 yr79%42Diesel
730D MHEV Auto1 yr90%41Diesel hybrid
320D Xdrive Sport MHEV Auto1 yr100%41Diesel hybrid
318D SE Pro MHEV Auto1 yr90%41Diesel hybrid
740LD Xdrive M Sport MHEV Auto1 yr95%39Diesel hybrid
1 Series (F21)1 yr100%38Diesel
120I1 yr100%38Petrol
216D Luxury1 yr73%37Diesel
iX XDRIVE40 M Sport Edition1 yr97%36Electric
F82 M4 CS1 yr100%35Petrol
220I M Sport MHEV Auto1 yr100%35Hybrid
318D SE Pro1 yr82%34Diesel
320I Xdrive Sport Auto1 yr100%34Petrol
320I Xdrive M Sport + Ed A1 yr91%34Petrol
128I1 yr91%33Petrol
216D Luxury Auto1 yr88%32Diesel
430D Xdrve Msprt Pro Ed MHEV A1 yr88%32Diesel hybrid
320I1 yr100%32Petrol
3231 yr90%31Petrol
220D M Sport MHEV Auto1 yr90%31Diesel hybrid
M140I1 yr100%30Petrol

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