BMW 1 Series MOT Pass Rate
The BMW 1 Series has an MOT pass rate of 83.4%, compared with a UK average of 79.1%, based on 15,137 DVSA MOT tests from 2004 to March 2026. It ranks 106th of 386 cars we track by pass rate.
The most common MOT problem area on the BMW 1 Series is tyres, at 35.3% of all defects and advisories recorded.
Data: DVSA MOT test results, 2004 to March 2026. Last updated 3 October 2026.
- BMW 1 Series MOT pass rate
- 83.4%
- UK average pass rate
- 79.1%
- MOT tests analysed
- 15,137
Ranked 106 of 386 models by MOT pass rate (1 is the highest).
What the BMW 1 Series fails on
Every defect and advisory recorded at MOT, grouped by area. Includes advisories as well as failure items.
| Area | Share of all items | Items per 100 tests | Items recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 35.3% | 49.5 | 7,497 |
| Brakes | 26.4% | 37.1 | 5,614 |
| Lights and signalling | 10.2% | 14.4 | 2,173 |
| Other items | 8.1% | 11.3 | 1,712 |
| Suspension | 5.3% | 7.5 | 1,131 |
| Windscreen and wipers | 4.9% | 6.9 | 1,049 |
| Steering | 2.8% | 4 | 598 |
| Bodywork | 2.2% | 3.1 | 476 |
| Fuel system | 1.8% | 2.5 | 383 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 1.8% | 2.5 | 374 |
| Corrosion | 0.6% | 0.9 | 129 |
| Electrical | 0.3% | 0.4 | 56 |
| Structure | 0.2% | 0.3 | 39 |
| Drivetrain | 0.1% | 0.2 | 28 |
Fail rate by mileage
How the BMW 1 Series holds up as the miles build, using the odometer reading at each test.
| Mileage at test | 1 Series fail rate | UK fail rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 miles | 9.4% | 13.1% | 4,888 |
| 40,000 to 79,999 miles | 16.4% | 21.7% | 6,243 |
| 80,000 to 119,999 miles | 24.5% | 28.3% | 2,907 |
| 120,000 miles or more | 28.8% | 31.4% | 1,078 |
Which years to avoid
Fail rate by year first registered, next to the UK fail rate for all cars registered that year. Older cars fail more often whatever the model, so compare each year with its own UK figure.
| Year | 1 Series fail rate | UK fail rate, same year | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 21.9% | 25.4% | 201 |
| 2006 | 19.7% | 25.3% | 233 |
| 2007 | 22.5% | 25.2% | 218 |
| 2008 | 19.3% | 25.3% | 270 |
| 2009 | 18.3% | 24.9% | 541 |
| 2010 | 20.6% | 24.5% | 436 |
| 2011 | 17.7% | 23.4% | 575 |
| 2012 | 21% | 22.6% | 3,126 |
| 2013 | 19.2% | 21.6% | 3,781 |
| 2014 | 11.9% | 20.2% | 335 |
| 2015 | 10.3% | 18.7% | 195 |
| 2016 | 9.6% | 17.3% | 457 |
| 2017 | 10.8% | 15.6% | 1,346 |
| 2018 | 11% | 14.7% | 1,421 |
| 2019 | 11.6% | 13.8% | 1,973 |
Years with fewer than 50 tests, and cars too new to have reached their first MOT, are left out.
BMW 1 Series MOT questions
Is the BMW 1 Series reliable?
On MOT results the BMW 1 Series is better than average: it passes 83.4% of tests against a UK average of 79.1%, ranking 106th of 386 cars we track. Allowing for the age of the cars tested, its fail rate of 16.6% is 3.3 percentage points lower than the 19.9% you would expect from the average car of the same registration years. A pass rate is one useful signal of how well a model holds up, but it does not capture breakdowns between tests, repair costs or how an individual car has been looked after, so always check the history of the specific car.
What does the BMW 1 Series usually fail its MOT on?
Across 15,137 MOT tests, the areas most often flagged on the BMW 1 Series were tyres (35.3%), brakes (26.4%) and lights and signalling (10.2%), shown as a share of all defects and advisories recorded. These counts include advisories as well as failure items, so they show where problems tend to appear rather than only what caused a fail.
Does the BMW 1 Series get worse with mileage?
Yes. The BMW 1 Series fails 9.4% of MOT tests taken at under 40,000 miles and 28.8% at 120,000 miles or more, based on 4,888 and 1,078 tests respectively. Across all models the equivalent figures are 13.1% and 31.4%.
How does the BMW 1 Series compare with the national average?
The BMW 1 Series passes 83.4% of MOT tests, 4.3 percentage points above the UK average of 79.1% across all 6,681,613 tests in the data. That places it 106th of 386 cars with at least 1,000 tests, where 1st has the highest pass rate.
Check a specific BMW 1 Series
See the full MOT history of the exact car you're looking at, free.
Related reading
BMW 1 Series Depreciation: Best Year to Buy Used for Value
2018 BMW 1 Series 118i: Honest Buying Guide
Should I Buy a 2019 BMW 1 Series M Sport
2017 BMW 1 Series: Common Issues and Running Costs
Is the 2020 BMW 1 Series F40 Better Than the F20
BMW 1 Series at 80,000 Miles: What to Expect
BMW 118d at 100k Miles: Honest Mileage Assessment
Negotiating the Price of a 2018 BMW 1 Series
Data: DVSA MOT test results for Great Britain, 2004 to March 2026, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures cover 15,137 tests. Last updated 3 October 2026. How these figures are calculated.
How to cite this data: Source: CarBuyerIQ analysis of DVSA MOT test data, https://www.carbuyeriq.com/mot-pass-rates/bmw/1-series