Pass rate, every year
88.2% Above average
50,901 tests across 9 model years, 2014–2022.
+7.2 pts vs the national average
BMW X4 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2021 92.3%
The strongest of the 9 years on record. See the 2021 page →
Worst year to buy
2015 84.7%
7.6 points below the 2021 peak. See the 2015 page →
The BMW X4 MOT pass rate is 88.2%, +7.2 percentage points above the UK average. That is 50,901 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2014 and 2022. This page lists the most common BMW X4 MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
Check your postcode
MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how BMW X4 MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
BMW X4 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The BMW X4 passed on its first attempt in 86.8%, and its overall record sits +7.2 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the BMW X4 in the 2023–2025 data: 50,901 tests across 9 model years (2014–2022). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 50,901 |
| Overall pass rate | 88.2% |
| Passed on first attempt | 86.8% |
| Average mileage at test | 55,194 mi |
| Model years covered | 2014–2022 (9 years) |
| Versus UK national average | +7.2 pts above |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common BMW X4 MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the BMW X4, the Visibility 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 |
|---|---|
| Visibility | 41% |
| Tyres | 29% |
| Suspension | 17% |
| Brakes | 5% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 5% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0% |
| Road Wheels | 0% |
Shares are over the BMW X4's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Visibility
Around 41% of the recorded BMW X4 failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (2.1%), "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (1.7%), "Wipers blade defective" (1.0%) among the BMW X4's visibility faults.
Tyres
Around 29% of the recorded BMW X4 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" (1.6%), "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (1.2%), "Has ply or cords exposed" (0.7%) among the BMW X4's tyres faults.
Suspension
Around 17% of the recorded BMW X4 failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Coil spring fractured or broken" (1.9%), "Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak" (0.2%), "Ball joint excessively worn" (0.0%) among the BMW X4's suspension faults.
Top Recorded BMW X4 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the BMW X4, each with how many of the model's 50,901 tests it was noted on.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 1,091 BMW X4 tests, 2.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 957 BMW X4 tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Major) — noted on about 843 BMW X4 tests, 1.7% 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 823 BMW X4 tests, 1.6% of the model's MOT record.
- "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 588 BMW X4 tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
- "Wipers blade defective" (Minor) — noted on about 496 BMW X4 tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
What X4 fails on more than most
1 failure item is recorded at least 1.5 times the UK rate on this model.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nail in tyre | 2.7% | 1.8% | 1.5× | £45–£95 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (50,901 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items X4 records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs
Best and Worst BMW X4 Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest BMW X4 model year on record is 2021 (92.3% across 571 tests), and the weakest is 2015 (84.7%). The gap between them is 7.6 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
BMW X4 reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.0 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 X4 | 142 | 92.3% |
| 2021 X4 | 571 | 92.3% |
| 2020 X4 | 4,433 | 91.2% |
| 2019 X4 | 12,889 | 91.0% |
| 2018 X4 | 6,654 | 90.0% |
| 2017 X4 | 7,197 | 87.0% |
| 2016 X4 | 9,283 | 85.7% |
| 2015 X4 | 7,179 | 84.7% |
| 2014 X4 | 2,553 | 85.2% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for BMW X4 Owners
These checks follow this BMW X4's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a BMW X4.
-
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 coil springs — “coil spring fractured or broken”
Look up inside each wheel arch with a torch, all the way round the spring. A snapped spring usually breaks at the very bottom coil, where a quick glance will not reach.
-
the wipers and washers — “wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively”
Run the wipers with the screen wet: they should clear it in one sweep without smearing or juddering. Top the washer bottle up and check both jets hit the screen.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the BMW X4. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: BMW X4 MOT & Reliability
What is the BMW X4 MOT pass rate?
88.2% of the 50,901 recorded BMW X4 MOT tests ended in a pass, +7.2 percentage points above the national average. 86.8% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which BMW X4 model years pass the MOT most often?
2021 is the strongest BMW X4 year on record at 92.3%, while 2015 is the weakest at 84.7%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common BMW X4 MOT failures?
The most recorded BMW X4 failures are "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" and "Coil spring fractured or broken" — together around 4% of tests, mostly in the Visibility section.