Verdict
The BMW 2 Series passes its MOT first time on 85.1% of tests, 3.2 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (82.0%). That puts it ahead of 76% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2015 2 Series does best (beats 84% of cars) and the 2021 worst (beats 61%).
Of its engines, the 3.0 Petrol does best (beats 91%) and the 1.5 Petrol worst (beats 69%).
Better than average on brakes, suspension, visibility.
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 83.2% | Beats 77% | B |
| 1.5 Petrol | 85.9% | Beats 69% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 87.4% | Beats 79% | B |
| 3.0 Petrol | 87.8% | Beats 91% | A |
| 1.5 Diesel | 81.8% | Beats 69% | B |
| 1.5 Hybrid | 86.6% | Beats 80% | A |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Tyre damage & cracking 1.4× typical
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre. - Headlight aim
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Tyre tread depth
Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems. - Brake pads
Ask when the pads were last replaced and look for a brake-wear warning on the dash. - Windscreen washers
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Headlight bulbs & units
Check dipped and main beam on both sides.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyre damage & cracking | 4.6% | 3.2% | 1.4× |
| Headlight aim | 2.0% | 1.8% | 1.1× |
| Tyre tread depth | 1.7% | 1.9% | 0.9× |
| Brake pads | 1.3% | 1.8% | 0.7× |
| Windscreen washers | 1.2% | 1.3% | 0.9× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 0.7% | 0.9% | 0.9× |
| Sidelights | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1.0× |
| Shock absorbers | 0.6% | 0.5% | 1.3× |
| Engine warning light | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.9× |
| Windscreen wipers | 0.5% | 2.0% | 0.3× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A tyre seriously damaged | 31.4 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 20.1 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 16.6 |
| A tyre cords visible or damaged | 13.7 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 11.8 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 10.1 |
| A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED | 6.7 |
| Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction | 6.7 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2023 BMW 2 Series3 engines90.7% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Petrol | 90.8% | Beats 86% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 90.3% | Beats 69% | B |
| 1.5 Hybrid | 91.3% | Beats 79% | B |
2022 BMW 2 Series5 engines89.9% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Petrol | 89.0% | Beats 63% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 90.0% | Beats 65% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 90.2% | Beats 83% | A |
| 3.0 Petrol | 92.3% | Beats 87% | A |
| 1.5 Hybrid | 93.3% | Beats 94% | A |
2021 BMW 2 Series3 engines87.8% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Petrol | 87.7% | Beats 59% | C |
| 2.0 Petrol | 88.5% | Beats 58% | C |
| 2.0 Diesel | 87.5% | Beats 71% | B |
2020 BMW 2 Series6 engines88.1% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Petrol | 87.9% | Beats 62% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 87.1% | Beats 63% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 89.0% | Beats 68% | B |
| 3.0 Petrol | 90.5% | Beats 76% | B |
| 1.5 Hybrid | 87.1% | Beats 65% | B |
| 1.5 Diesel | 85.2% | Beats 71% | B |
2019 BMW 2 Series6 engines87.0% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Petrol | 86.3% | Beats 58% | C |
| 2.0 Diesel | 85.8% | Beats 62% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 87.9% | Beats 68% | B |
| 3.0 Petrol | 89.9% | Beats 82% | A |
| 1.5 Hybrid | 86.9% | Beats 77% | B |
| 1.5 Diesel | 85.8% | Beats 81% | A |
2018 BMW 2 Series6 engines85.9% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Petrol | 85.9% | Beats 62% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 84.7% | Beats 64% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 88.2% | Beats 76% | B |
| 3.0 Petrol | 88.7% | Beats 83% | A |
| 1.5 Hybrid | 86.1% | Beats 75% | B |
| 1.5 Diesel | 82.8% | Beats 57% | C |
2017 BMW 2 Series6 engines85.5% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 84.8% | Beats 78% | B |
| 1.5 Petrol | 85.7% | Beats 71% | B |
| 3.0 Petrol | 88.7% | Beats 93% | A |
| 1.5 Diesel | 82.4% | Beats 65% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 87.1% | Beats 77% | B |
| 1.5 Hybrid | 85.2% | Beats 83% | A |
2016 BMW 2 Series6 engines83.9% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 83.3% | Beats 80% | B |
| 1.5 Petrol | 83.9% | Beats 71% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 86.3% | Beats 83% | A |
| 3.0 Petrol | 87.5% | Beats 94% | A |
| 1.5 Diesel | 80.8% | Beats 69% | B |
| 1.5 Hybrid | 86.3% | Beats 94% | A |
2015 BMW 2 Series5 engines83.5% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 82.2% | Beats 82% | A |
| 1.5 Petrol | 85.0% | Beats 86% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 86.3% | Beats 89% | A |
| 3.0 Petrol | 85.6% | Beats 92% | A |
| 1.5 Diesel | 80.9% | Beats 78% | B |
2014 BMW 2 Series4 engines80.3% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 77.5% | Beats 72% | B |
| 3.0 Petrol | 83.9% | Beats 95% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 83.1% | Beats 87% | A |
| 1.5 Petrol | 87.7% | Beats 98% | A |
FAQ
What is the BMW 2 Series MOT pass rate?
85.1% of MOT tests on the BMW 2 Series were passed first time, based on 799,414 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2014–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 82.0% of the time.
Is the BMW 2 Series reliable?
On MOT results it rates B (good): it passes first time more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 76% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which BMW 2 Series year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2015 2 Series does best for its age and mileage: it beats 84% of cars on UK roads. The 2021 does worst: it beats 61%.
Which BMW 2 Series engine is best?
Across all years, the 3.0 Petrol does best: it beats 91% of cars on UK roads. The 1.5 Petrol does worst: it beats 69%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the BMW 2 Series?
The most common failure items are tyre damage & cracking, headlight aim, tyre tread depth. Compared with similar cars, tyre damage & cracking comes up 1.4× as often.