BMW 420 MOT pass rate: 84.6% (61,340 tests, 2025)

The BMW 420 passed 84.6% of its 61,340 MOT tests in 2025 — 7.1 points above the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 8 years old with 69,494 miles on the clock.

84.6%Pass rate (2025)

61,340MOT tests analysed

69,494 miMedian mileage at test

8 yrsMedian age at test

How the 420 compares

BMW 420

84.6%

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 420

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the 420:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Tyres	6,888	41.8%
2	Brakes	2,406	14.6%
3	Suspension	2,316	14.1%
4	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	2,147	13.0%
5	Visibility	1,203	7.3%
6	Road Wheels	728	4.4%

Pre-MOT checklist for 420 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
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
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
Replace smeared wiper blades and top up washer fluid — both are test items

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

420 pass rate by registration year

Lower age-adjusted outliers to inspect carefully: 2019, 2020. Strongest age-adjusted years: 2013. Full ranking and method: BMW 420 years to avoid.

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2013	1,650	79.5%	+6.2 pts	95,744
2014	22,950	80.3%	+4.5 pts	85,570
2015	30,312	83.3%	+4.6 pts	79,202
2016	33,734	85.6%	+4.2 pts	71,172
2017	33,477	86.7%	+2.7 pts	60,278
2018	30,456	87.4%	+1.0 pts	47,658
2019	22,641	87.3%	-1.1 pts	39,105
2020	9,404	89.3%	-0.6 pts	29,748

Check a specific 420 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 1 Series81.7% pass rate · 77,207 tests X582.4% pass rate · 76,168 tests 5 Series85.7% pass rate · 71,923 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a BMW 420?

In 2025, 84.6% of 61,340 first MOT tests on the BMW 420 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the 420 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is tyres (41.8% of its recorded defects), followed by brakes.

Is the BMW 420 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 84.6% it performs above the national average at a median age of 8 years and 69,494 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.