Verdict
The BMW 4 Series passes its MOT first time on 84.8% of tests, 5.5 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (79.2%). That puts it ahead of 88% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2016 4 Series does best (beats 92% of cars) and the 2019 worst (beats 65%).
Of its engines, the 3.0 Petrol does best (beats 94%) and the 2.0 Petrol worst (beats 82%).
Better than average on lights & electrics, brakes, 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 | 83.3% | Beats 87% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 86.2% | Beats 82% | A |
| 3.0 Diesel | 85.0% | Beats 93% | A |
| 3.0 Petrol | 87.4% | Beats 94% | A |
| 2.0 Diesel hybrid | 86.6% | Beats 53% | C |
| 3.0 Hybrid | 88.6% | Beats 53% | C |
| 3.0 Diesel hybrid | 86.4% | Beats 41% | C |
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 1.8× typical
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre. - 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 aim
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Shock absorbers
Push down hard on each corner: it should rebound once and settle. Look for oily dampers.
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 | 6.1% | 3.4% | 1.8× |
| Tyre tread depth | 1.9% | 2.3% | 0.8× |
| Brake pads | 1.3% | 2.1% | 0.6× |
| Windscreen washers | 1.2% | 1.5% | 0.8× |
| Headlight aim | 1.1% | 2.1% | 0.5× |
| Shock absorbers | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.4× |
| Number plates | 0.5% | 0.2% | 2.0× |
| Windscreen wipers | 0.5% | 2.0% | 0.2× |
| Wheel nuts & fixings | 0.4% | 0.2% | 2.3× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 0.4% | 1.2% | 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 | 38.3 |
| A tyre cords visible or damaged | 22.6 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 19.3 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 11.9 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 11.0 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 10.5 |
| A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 8.0 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 4.8 |
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 4 Series1 engine89.7% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol | 89.7% | Beats 68% | B |
2022 BMW 4 Series4 engines88.8% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol | 88.9% | Beats 55% | C |
| 3.0 Hybrid | 89.6% | Beats 61% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel hybrid | 88.4% | Beats 67% | B |
| 3.0 Diesel hybrid | 87.1% | Beats 39% | D |
2021 BMW 4 Series4 engines87.4% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol | 88.1% | Beats 56% | C |
| 2.0 Diesel hybrid | 85.6% | Beats 43% | C |
| 3.0 Hybrid | 87.8% | Beats 45% | C |
| 3.0 Diesel hybrid | 85.5% | Beats 44% | C |
2020 BMW 4 Series3 engines87.4% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol | 88.2% | Beats 66% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 86.2% | Beats 60% | C |
| 3.0 Diesel | 84.5% | Beats 27% | D |
2019 BMW 4 Series4 engines86.1% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol | 86.3% | Beats 62% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 85.1% | Beats 66% | B |
| 3.0 Diesel | 86.5% | Beats 73% | B |
| 3.0 Petrol | 88.0% | Beats 72% | B |
2018 BMW 4 Series4 engines86.7% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol | 86.8% | Beats 75% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 86.0% | Beats 81% | A |
| 3.0 Diesel | 86.3% | Beats 82% | A |
| 3.0 Petrol | 88.8% | Beats 87% | A |
2017 BMW 4 Series4 engines86.0% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 85.1% | Beats 86% | A |
| 3.0 Diesel | 86.3% | Beats 91% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 86.9% | Beats 84% | A |
| 3.0 Petrol | 88.9% | Beats 94% | A |
2016 BMW 4 Series4 engines85.1% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 84.2% | Beats 91% | A |
| 3.0 Diesel | 85.6% | Beats 94% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 86.3% | Beats 89% | A |
| 3.0 Petrol | 87.5% | Beats 94% | A |
2015 BMW 4 Series4 engines83.6% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 82.5% | Beats 89% | A |
| 3.0 Diesel | 84.1% | Beats 94% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 85.1% | Beats 90% | A |
| 3.0 Petrol | 86.1% | Beats 94% | A |
2014 BMW 4 Series4 engines81.5% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 79.7% | Beats 87% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 83.4% | Beats 92% | A |
| 3.0 Diesel | 83.0% | Beats 96% | A |
| 3.0 Petrol | 85.0% | Beats 96% | A |
2013 BMW 4 Series4 engines81.2% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 79.3% | Beats 93% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 83.5% | Beats 97% | A |
| 3.0 Petrol | 84.7% | Beats 98% | A |
| 3.0 Diesel | 82.5% | Beats 97% | A |
FAQ
What is the BMW 4 Series MOT pass rate?
84.8% of MOT tests on the BMW 4 Series were passed first time, based on 750,748 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2013–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 79.2% of the time.
Is the BMW 4 Series reliable?
On MOT results it rates A (excellent): it passes first time more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 88% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which BMW 4 Series year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2016 4 Series does best for its age and mileage: it beats 92% of cars on UK roads. The 2019 does worst: it beats 65%.
Which BMW 4 Series engine is best?
Across all years, the 3.0 Petrol does best: it beats 94% of cars on UK roads. The 2.0 Petrol does worst: it beats 82%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the BMW 4 Series?
The most common failure items are tyre damage & cracking, tyre tread depth, brake pads. Compared with similar cars, tyre damage & cracking comes up 1.8× as often.