2010 BMW X3 MOT pass rate: 78.5% (2,664 tests)

2010-registered BMW X3s passed 78.5% of 2,664 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — 11.1 points better than all UK cars registered in 2010 (67.4%). This is one of the strongest X3 years in the age-adjusted MOT ranking, although the individual car still matters more.

78.5%Pass rate, 2010 cars

111.1Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

2,664Tests analysed

111,070 miMedian mileage at test

84.6% / 78.4%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2010 X3 getting worse?

Pass rate of 2010-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	79.6% +11.5 vs same-age
2024	78.5% +11.5 vs same-age
2025	77.2% +10.3 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 2010 X3

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	296	24.4%
2	Brakes	250	20.6%
3	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	204	16.8%
4	Tyres	182	15.0%
5	Visibility	91	7.5%
6	Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems	57	4.7%

All X3 years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2004	6,462	71.0%	+6.6 pts	120,873
2005	7,644	68.7%	+4.2 pts	138,854
2006	9,073	71.3%	+6.9 pts	134,562
2007	6,685	72.1%	+7.0 pts	127,842
2008	4,421	75.2%	+10.0 pts	119,622
2009	3,956	75.8%	+9.4 pts	116,034
2010 (this page)	2,664	78.5%	+11.1 pts	111,070
2011	11,873	78.9%	+9.7 pts	109,098
2012	20,203	76.6%	+5.4 pts	103,208
2013	21,263	77.8%	+4.5 pts	95,965
2014	18,110	79.6%	+3.8 pts	88,108
2015	20,829	83.0%	+4.3 pts	77,934
2016	26,722	83.7%	+2.3 pts	66,708
2017	23,919	86.5%	+2.5 pts	58,225
2018	24,050	90.0%	+3.7 pts	46,001
2019	44,617	90.7%	+2.3 pts	38,930
2020	15,648	90.6%	+0.6 pts	31,338
2021	3,867	92.1%	+1.7 pts	27,146

Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: BMW X3 years to avoid.

Buying a 2010 X3? 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 2010 BMW X3 reliable?

2010-registered examples passed 78.5% of their MOT tests (2,664 tests, 2023–2025), +11.1 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 16 years old with a median 111,070 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2010 X3?

The median tested example shows 111,070 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.