BMW 1 Series MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a BMW 1 Series in Great Britain in 2025 — 395,032 tests. Figures cover every 1 Series first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the 1 Series ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
76.4%
4.1 points above the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
395,032
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
7.6%
of 1 Series first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
81,250
middle half: 63,750–103,750 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many BMW 1 Series cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 456,915 BMW 1 Series cars that were taxed or on SORN: 432,326 taxed and 24,589 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — kept, but declared off the road by the keeper). The MOT figures above count tests; these count cars, across the whole United Kingdom, cars only. BMW 1 Series vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
432,326
94.6% of the 456,915 1 Series cars taxed or on SORN; 211 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
24,589
declared off the road by their keepers — 5.4% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed 1 Series cars peaked at 434,560 at the end of 2024 and has since fallen by 2,234 (0.5%) to 432,326 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 2,053 at the end of 2014 to 24,589 at the end of 2025, up 1097.7%. A car leaves the taxed count when it is scrapped, exported or declared off the road; the year-end counts do not say which.

Taxed 1 Series cars, year by year

Cars of this model taxed and on the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025.

0100k200k300k400k500k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed 1 Series cars, year 2014: 285kTaxed 1 Series cars, year 2015: 315kTaxed 1 Series cars, year 2016: 343kTaxed 1 Series cars, year 2017: 371kTaxed 1 Series cars, year 2018: 389kTaxed 1 Series cars, year 2019: 408kTaxed 1 Series cars, year 2020: 419kTaxed 1 Series cars, year 2021: 426kTaxed 1 Series cars, year 2022: 427kTaxed 1 Series cars, year 2023: 431kTaxed 1 Series cars, year 2024: 435kTaxed 1 Series cars, year 2025: 432k432k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed 1 Series cars
2014285,205
2015314,783
2016343,272
2017371,175
2018388,991
2019408,179
2020418,654
2021426,218
2022426,716
2023430,784
2024434,560
2025432,326

1 Series cars on SORN, year by year

Cars of this model declared off the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025. Its own scale — SORN counts are a fraction of the taxed count.

05k10k15k20k25k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)1 Series cars on SORN, year 2014: 2k1 Series cars on SORN, year 2015: 2k1 Series cars on SORN, year 2016: 4k1 Series cars on SORN, year 2017: 5k1 Series cars on SORN, year 2018: 7k1 Series cars on SORN, year 2019: 9k1 Series cars on SORN, year 2020: 11k1 Series cars on SORN, year 2021: 12k1 Series cars on SORN, year 2022: 14k1 Series cars on SORN, year 2023: 17k1 Series cars on SORN, year 2024: 21k1 Series cars on SORN, year 2025: 25k25k
View this chart as a table
Year1 Series cars on SORN
20142,053
20152,428
20163,721
20175,140
20186,922
20199,363
202011,354
202112,471
202214,161
202317,450
202421,086
202524,589

Which model years survive

Taxed 1 Series cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 432,326 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. 1 taxed 1 Series car has no recorded year of manufacture and is not in the table, so the rows add up to 432,325. A build year's count depends on how many were sold that year as well as how many have lasted.

Year of manufacture Taxed, end of 2025Share of taxed 1 Series cars
202517,2284.0%
202423,2035.4%
202321,9555.1%
202213,0613.0%
202118,0884.2%
202023,4895.4%
201926,6536.2%
201825,5715.9%
201731,6627.3%
201630,8137.1%
201530,3187.0%
201428,7686.7%
201333,5377.8%
201225,9846.0%
201119,1064.4%
201018,9184.4%
200915,6033.6%
200811,3122.6%
20076,8511.6%
20065,6311.3%
All other build years (ten years, each under 1%)4,5741.1%

Population source: Department for Transport / DVLA vehicle licensing statistics, table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026; counts of the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, United Kingdom, cars only, excluding cars recorded with no model name. SortedCars groups DVLA's model names 1 SERIES, M1 under this model. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DVLA or the Department for Transport.

How the 1 Series ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, 1 Series vs all cars, 2025.

BMW 1 SeriesAll cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 3: 91.2%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 4: 90.6%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 5: 88%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 6: 85.5%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 7: 83.6%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 8: 82%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 9: 79.6%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 10: 77.8%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 11: 73.4%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 12: 70.1%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 13: 66.6%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 14: 67.5%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 15: 66.3%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 16: 65.2%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 17: 65.5%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 18: 64.6%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 19: 62.3%BMW 1 Series, vehicle age 20: 61.6%All cars, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All cars, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All cars, vehicle age 5: 86%All cars, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All cars, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All cars, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All cars, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All cars, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All cars, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All cars, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All cars, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All cars, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All cars, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All cars, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All cars, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All cars, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All cars, vehicle age 19: 57%All cars, vehicle age 20: 57.6%BMW 1 Series 61.6%All cars 57.6%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)1 Series tests1 Series pass rateAll cars
314,35591.2%88.5%
419,17390.6%87.2%
524,44188.0%86.0%
628,33085.5%83.5%
727,13383.6%80.9%
833,03982.0%78.2%
931,91479.6%74.9%
1031,40977.8%71.9%
1130,09773.4%68.6%
1235,34170.1%65.8%
1327,56766.6%63.5%
1420,47667.5%61.2%
1520,43766.3%59.3%
1617,00065.2%58.3%
1712,82765.5%57.2%
187,96464.6%57.4%
196,63862.3%57.0%
204,45561.6%57.6%

Better or worse than the average car?

The 1 Series's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the 1 Series beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

1 Series ahead
-10-5+0+5+10Age 3: +2.7 points vs the average car3Age 4: +3.4 points vs the average carAge 5: +2.0 points vs the average car5Age 6: +2.0 points vs the average carAge 7: +2.7 points vs the average car7Age 8: +3.8 points vs the average carAge 9: +4.7 points vs the average car9Age 10: +5.9 points vs the average carAge 11: +4.8 points vs the average car11Age 12: +4.3 points vs the average carAge 13: +3.1 points vs the average car13Age 14: +6.3 points vs the average carAge 15: +7.0 points vs the average car15Age 16: +6.9 points vs the average carAge 17: +8.3 points vs the average car17Age 18: +7.2 points vs the average carAge 19: +5.3 points vs the average car19Age 20: +4.0 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3+2.7
4+3.4
5+2.0
6+2.0
7+2.7
8+3.8
9+4.7
10+5.9
11+4.8
12+4.3
13+3.1
14+6.3
15+7.0
16+6.9
17+8.3
18+7.2
19+5.3
20+4.0

The 1 Series fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the 1 Series fleet still in use.

010k20k30k40kAge 3: 14k3Age 4: 19kAge 5: 24k5Age 6: 28kAge 7: 27k7Age 8: 33kAge 9: 31k9Age 10: 31kAge 11: 30k11Age 12: 35kAge 13: 27k13Age 14: 20kAge 15: 20k15Age 16: 17kAge 17: 12k17Age 18: 7kAge 19: 6k19Age 20: 4k20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
314,355
419,173
524,441
628,330
727,133
833,039
931,914
1031,409
1130,097
1235,341
1327,567
1420,476
1520,437
1617,000
1712,827
187,964
196,638
204,455

What a 1 Series fails on

Where the failure items land when a 1 Series fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment25.6%
Tyres19.6%
Suspension15.8%
Brakes15.3%
Visibility9.3%
Noise, emissions and leaks5.9%
Road Wheels2.7%
Body, chassis, structure2.5%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (96.6% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a 1 Series, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Tyres: 34.4% of advisories34.4%Brakes: 29.6% of advisories29.6%Suspension: 17.0% of advisories17.0%Non-component advisories: 6.4% of advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaks: 4.9% of advisoriesBody, chassis, structure: 2.3% of advisories
TyresBrakesSuspensionNon-component advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaksBody, chassis, structure
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Tyres34.4%
Brakes29.6%
Suspension17.0%
Non-component advisories6.4%
Noise, emissions and leaks4.9%
Body, chassis, structure2.3%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid 1 Series?

First-time pass rate for the two most-tested 1 Series fuel types, 2025, against the all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Diesel: 71.8% of 204,548 tests71.8%Diesel204,548 testsPetrol: 81.3% of 190,467 tests81.3%Petrol190,467 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Diesel204,54871.8%
Petrol190,46781.3%

What mileage is normal for a 1 Series?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) 1 Series; the shaded band holds the middle half. A car far outside the band, in either direction, is worth questions the recorded history can answer.

Typical 1 Series (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k150k175k3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 23,750 miles (middle half 16,250–31,250)Age 4: typical 31,250 miles (middle half 23,750–41,250)Age 5: typical 38,750 miles (middle half 28,750–48,750)Age 6: typical 46,250 miles (middle half 33,750–58,750)Age 7: typical 53,750 miles (middle half 41,250–68,750)Age 8: typical 63,750 miles (middle half 48,750–81,250)Age 9: typical 73,750 miles (middle half 56,250–93,750)Age 10: typical 81,250 miles (middle half 63,750–103,750)Age 11: typical 91,250 miles (middle half 71,250–111,250)Age 12: typical 96,250 miles (middle half 76,250–118,750)Age 13: typical 101,250 miles (middle half 78,750–126,250)Age 14: typical 106,250 miles (middle half 81,250–131,250)Age 15: typical 111,250 miles (middle half 86,250–136,250)Age 16: typical 111,250 miles (middle half 86,250–138,750)Age 17: typical 116,250 miles (middle half 88,750–141,250)Age 18: typical 118,750 miles (middle half 93,750–146,250)Age 19: typical 126,250 miles (middle half 98,750–156,250)Age 20: typical 128,750 miles (middle half 98,750–161,250)128k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
316,25023,75031,250
423,75031,25041,250
528,75038,75048,750
633,75046,25058,750
741,25053,75068,750
848,75063,75081,250
956,25073,75093,750
1063,75081,250103,750
1171,25091,250111,250
1276,25096,250118,750
1378,750101,250126,250
1481,250106,250131,250
1586,250111,250136,250
1686,250111,250138,750
1788,750116,250141,250
1893,750118,750146,250
1998,750126,250156,250
2098,750128,750161,250

What fails at each age

The 1 Series's failure mix by age band, 2025 — each band's top categories at their true share of that band's failure items; the pale remainder is everything else. How the mix shifts with age is the point of the chart.

TyresBrakesVisibilitySuspensionLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres57.9%
3-5 yrsBrakes11.4%
3-5 yrsVisibility7.0%
3-5 yrsSuspension6.7%
3-5 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment5.2%
3-5 yrsEverything else11.8%
6-9 yrsTyres35.0%
6-9 yrsBrakes16.6%
6-9 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment15.6%
6-9 yrsSuspension9.5%
6-9 yrsVisibility8.4%
6-9 yrsEverything else14.9%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment23.6%
10-13 yrsSuspension20.1%
10-13 yrsTyres19.9%
10-13 yrsBrakes15.5%
10-13 yrsVisibility8.0%
10-13 yrsEverything else12.9%
14+ yrsSuspension21.7%
14+ yrsBrakes20.4%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment18.3%
14+ yrsTyres14.0%
14+ yrsVisibility8.1%
14+ yrsEverything else17.5%

More vehicles we've checked

How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, and all trims and variants of a model are grouped under one model name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. The taxed and SORN counts on this page are the one exception: they are not computed from MOT records but taken from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics (DfT/DVLA table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0), which count the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, UK-wide, cars only. They describe a model as a whole, grouped under SortedCars' model names, and say nothing about any one car. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.