2007 BMW 120 MOT pass rate: 72.5% (7,151 tests)

2007-registered BMW 120s passed 72.5% of 7,151 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — 7.4 points better than all UK cars registered in 2007 (65.1%). This is one of the strongest 120 years in the age-adjusted MOT ranking, although the individual car still matters more.

72.5%Pass rate, 2007 cars

107.4Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

7,151Tests analysed

125,474 miMedian mileage at test

73.5% / 72.3%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2007 120 getting worse?

Pass rate of 2007-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	72.5% +7.5 vs same-age
2024	72.6% +7.7 vs same-age
2025	72.4% +7.0 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2007 120

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Brakes	1,377	23.3%
2	Suspension	1,062	18.0%
3	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	984	16.7%
4	Tyres	791	13.4%
5	Noise, emissions and leaks	568	9.6%
6	Visibility	432	7.3%

All 120 years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2004	2,185	70.7%	+6.4 pts	123,068
2005	6,759	70.4%	+6.0 pts	139,241
2006	6,420	71.3%	+6.9 pts	136,854
2007 (this page)	7,151	72.5%	+7.4 pts	125,474
2008	11,522	71.4%	+6.3 pts	114,800
2009	9,480	71.8%	+5.4 pts	111,542
2010	10,967	72.4%	+5.0 pts	107,577
2011	9,852	73.5%	+4.3 pts	101,875
2012	7,315	72.3%	+1.1 pts	98,552
2013	7,120	78.7%	+5.4 pts	91,779
2014	8,925	80.7%	+4.8 pts	90,044
2015	10,734	84.2%	+5.4 pts	76,446
2016	10,001	86.2%	+4.8 pts	66,984
2017	6,901	87.2%	+3.2 pts	56,606
2018	4,148	87.0%	+0.6 pts	46,995
2019	1,906	88.7%	+0.3 pts	37,625
2020	1,895	89.6%	-0.4 pts	32,673

Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: BMW 120 years to avoid.

Buying a 2007 120? Two checks first

Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
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

FAQs

Is a 2007 BMW 120 reliable?

2007-registered examples passed 72.5% of their MOT tests (7,151 tests, 2023–2025), +7.4 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 19 years old with a median 125,474 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2007 120?

The median tested example shows 125,474 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.