2021 BMW 320 MOT pass rate: 90.8% (2,335 tests)
Is the 2021 320 getting worse?
Pass rate of 2021-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 90.7% +0.0 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 90.9% +0.7 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 2021 320
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 213 | 65.7% |
| 2 | Brakes | 34 | 10.5% |
| 3 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 25 | 7.7% |
| 4 | Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 13 | 4.0% |
| 5 | Visibility | 12 | 3.7% |
| 6 | Suspension | 8 | 2.5% |
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 | 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 (this page) | 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 2021 BMW 320 reliable?
2021-registered examples passed 90.8% of their MOT tests (2,335 tests, 2023–2025), +0.4 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 5 years old with a median 31,157 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2021 320?
The median tested example shows 31,157 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.