2015 BMW 218 MOT pass rate: 84.2% (26,049 tests)

2015-registered BMW 218s passed 84.2% of 26,049 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — 5.5 points better than all UK cars registered in 2015 (78.7%). This is one of the strongest 218 years in the age-adjusted MOT ranking, although the individual car still matters more.

84.2%Pass rate, 2015 cars

105.5Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

26,049Tests analysed

65,369 miMedian mileage at test

85.2% / 83.5%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2015 218 getting worse?

Pass rate of 2015-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	86.0% +5.4 vs same-age
2024	84.4% +5.9 vs same-age
2025	82.2% +5.2 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 2015 218

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Tyres	2,083	26.9%
2	Suspension	1,550	20.0%
3	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	1,409	18.2%
4	Brakes	1,132	14.6%
5	Visibility	645	8.3%
6	Noise, emissions and leaks	405	5.2%

All 218 years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2014	6,842	80.7%	+4.9 pts	75,831
2015 (this page)	26,049	84.2%	+5.5 pts	65,369
2016	34,782	84.8%	+3.4 pts	58,552
2017	29,209	86.7%	+2.7 pts	49,788
2018	23,719	87.7%	+1.4 pts	41,757
2019	10,977	89.0%	+0.6 pts	31,318
2020	6,291	90.2%	+0.2 pts	24,764

Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: BMW 218 years to avoid.

Buying a 2015 218? 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 2015 BMW 218 reliable?

2015-registered examples passed 84.2% of their MOT tests (26,049 tests, 2023–2025), +5.5 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 11 years old with a median 65,369 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2015 218?

The median tested example shows 65,369 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.