2017 BMW 320 MOT pass rate: 87.9% (41,210 tests)
Is the 2017 320 getting worse?
Pass rate of 2017-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 88.9% +3.2 vs same-age |
|
| 2024 | 87.7% +3.8 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 87.1% +4.8 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 2017 320
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3,433 | 41.8% |
| 2 | Brakes | 1,388 | 16.9% |
| 3 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 955 | 11.6% |
| 4 | Suspension | 924 | 11.3% |
| 5 | Visibility | 664 | 8.1% |
| 6 | Road Wheels | 324 | 3.9% |
All 320 years compared
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 9,577 | 87.4% | +6.1 pts | 75,067 |
| 2017 (this page) | 41,210 | 87.9% | +3.9 pts | 66,478 |
| 2018 | 26,569 | 89.0% | +2.6 pts | 54,882 |
| 2019 | 20,512 | 89.5% | +1.1 pts | 39,325 |
| 2020 | 12,163 | 88.6% | -1.4 pts | 31,661 |
| 2021 | 2,335 | 90.8% | +0.4 pts | 31,157 |
Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: BMW 320 years to avoid.
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FAQs
Is a 2017 BMW 320 reliable?
2017-registered examples passed 87.9% of their MOT tests (41,210 tests, 2023–2025), +3.9 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 9 years old with a median 66,478 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2017 320?
The median tested example shows 66,478 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.