Pass rate, every year
87.5% Above average
155,063 tests across 8 model years, 2014–2021.
+6.5 pts vs the national average
BMW 218 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2020 91.0%
The strongest of the 8 years on record. See the 2020 page →
Worst year to buy
2014 83.5%
7.5 points below the 2020 peak. See the 2014 page →
The BMW 218 MOT pass rate is 87.5%, +6.5 percentage points above the UK average. That is 155,063 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2014 and 2021. This page lists the most common BMW 218 MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
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BMW 218 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The BMW 218 passed on its first attempt in 85.9%, and its overall record sits +6.5 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the BMW 218 in the 2023–2025 data: 155,063 tests across 8 model years (2014–2021). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 155,063 |
| Overall pass rate | 87.5% |
| Passed on first attempt | 85.9% |
| Average mileage at test | 50,714 mi |
| Model years covered | 2014–2021 (8 years) |
| Versus UK national average | +6.5 pts above |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common BMW 218 MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the BMW 218, the Tyres section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 35% |
| Visibility | 26% |
| Suspension | 14% |
| Brakes | 9% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 9% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 6% |
| Steering | 1% |
| Road Wheels | 0% |
Shares are over the BMW 218's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Tyres
Around 35% of the recorded BMW 218 failures fall in the Tyres section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (1.4%), "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (1.1%), "Has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure" (0.5%) among the BMW 218's tyres faults.
Visibility
Around 26% of the recorded BMW 218 failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (1.8%), "Wipers blade defective" (0.5%), "Washers provides insufficient washer liquid" (0.4%) among the BMW 218's visibility faults.
Suspension
Around 14% of the recorded BMW 218 failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Coil spring fractured or broken" (0.5%), "Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak" (0.5%), "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (0.4%) among the BMW 218's suspension faults.
Top Recorded BMW 218 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the BMW 218, each with how many of the model's 155,063 tests it was noted on.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 2,822 BMW 218 tests, 1.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (Major) — noted on about 2,230 BMW 218 tests, 1.4% of the model's MOT record.
- "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 1,694 BMW 218 tests, 1.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick" (Major) — noted on about 1,360 BMW 218 tests, 0.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Major) — noted on about 952 BMW 218 tests, 0.6% of the model's MOT record.
- "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 799 BMW 218 tests, 0.5% of the model's MOT record.
Best and Worst BMW 218 Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest BMW 218 model year on record is 2020 (91.0% across 6,799 tests), and the weakest is 2014 (83.5%). The gap between them is 7.5 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 218 | 124 | 87.1% |
| 2020 218 | 6,799 | 91.0% |
| 2019 218 | 12,059 | 89.9% |
| 2018 218 | 26,312 | 89.0% |
| 2017 218 | 32,602 | 88.1% |
| 2016 218 | 39,478 | 86.6% |
| 2015 218 | 29,689 | 86.2% |
| 2014 218 | 8,000 | 83.5% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for BMW 218 Owners
These checks follow this BMW 218's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a BMW 218.
-
the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”
Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.
-
the tyre tread — “tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm”
Check all four tyres cold, including the inner shoulder where wear hides — 1.6mm across the central three-quarters is the legal limit, and most testers fail at 1.6mm without argument.
-
the brakes — “brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick”
Look through the spokes of each wheel at the pad — less than 3mm of friction material, or a lip on the disc edge, is the usual failure. Check the handbrake holds on a slope with a few clicks, not at the top of its travel.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the BMW 218. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: BMW 218 MOT & Reliability
What is the BMW 218 MOT pass rate?
87.5% of the 155,063 recorded BMW 218 MOT tests ended in a pass, +6.5 percentage points above the national average. 85.9% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which BMW 218 model years pass the MOT most often?
2020 is the strongest BMW 218 year on record at 91.0%, while 2014 is the weakest at 83.5%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common BMW 218 MOT failures?
The most recorded BMW 218 failures are "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" and "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" — together around 3% of tests, mostly in the Visibility section.