BMW 1 Series MOT pass rate: 81.7% (77,207 tests, 2025)

The BMW 1 Series passed 81.7% of its 77,207 MOT tests in 2025 — 4.2 points above the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 10 years old with 72,716 miles on the clock.

81.7%Pass rate (2025)

77,207MOT tests analysed

72,716 miMedian mileage at test

10 yrsMedian age at test

How the 1 Series compares

BMW 1 Series

81.7%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

BMW average (all models)

83.0%

What fails most on the BMW 1 Series

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the 1 Series:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Tyres	7,057	23.0%
2	Suspension	6,348	20.7%
3	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	5,936	19.3%
4	Brakes	5,057	16.5%
5	Noise, emissions and leaks	2,346	7.6%
6	Visibility	2,202	7.2%

Pre-MOT checklist for 1 Series owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
A blowing exhaust or visible smoke will fail; warm the engine fully before the test

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

1 Series pass rate by registration year

Strongest age-adjusted years: 2014, 2015. Full ranking and method: BMW 1 Series years to avoid.

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2005	1,751	70.7%	+6.2 pts	130,244
2006	1,800	72.0%	+7.6 pts	133,829
2007	2,786	71.3%	+6.2 pts	118,450
2008	4,080	73.1%	+8.0 pts	113,028
2009	5,418	71.8%	+5.4 pts	109,250
2010	6,256	73.7%	+6.3 pts	105,302
2011	7,271	76.9%	+7.7 pts	96,055
2012	39,645	74.7%	+3.5 pts	94,636
2013	46,097	77.4%	+4.0 pts	90,982
2014	5,761	85.7%	+9.9 pts	74,778
2015	4,484	88.4%	+9.7 pts	65,450
2016	8,158	89.5%	+8.2 pts	58,118
2017	22,079	89.0%	+5.0 pts	53,417
2018	36,184	89.2%	+2.8 pts	47,239
2019	45,064	88.8%	+0.4 pts	38,427

Check a specific 1 Series before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other BMW models

3 Series77.7% pass rate · 346,191 tests 11883.0% pass rate · 151,434 tests X185.0% pass rate · 105,826 tests 11678.5% pass rate · 100,371 tests X383.1% pass rate · 88,755 tests X582.4% pass rate · 76,168 tests 5 Series85.7% pass rate · 71,923 tests 52081.0% pass rate · 71,728 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a BMW 1 Series?

In 2025, 81.7% of 77,207 first MOT tests on the BMW 1 Series were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the 1 Series fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is tyres (23.0% of its recorded defects), followed by suspension.

Is the BMW 1 Series reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 81.7% it performs above the national average at a median age of 10 years and 72,716 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.