BMW 3 Series MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a BMW 3 Series in Great Britain in 2025 — 478,772 tests. Figures cover every 3 Series first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the 3 Series ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
76.0%
3.7 points above the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
478,772
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
7.9%
of 3 Series first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
93,750
middle half: 71,250–116,250 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many BMW 3 Series cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 593,008 BMW 3 Series cars that were taxed or on SORN: 472,393 taxed and 120,615 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 3 Series vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
472,393
79.7% of the 593,008 3 Series cars taxed or on SORN; 884 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
120,615
declared off the road by their keepers — 20.3% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed 3 Series cars peaked at 655,859 at the end of 2014 and has since fallen by 183,466 (28.0%) to 472,393 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 42,300 at the end of 2014 to 120,615 at the end of 2025, up 185.1%. 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 3 Series cars, year by year

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

0200k400k600k800k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed 3 Series cars, year 2014: 656kTaxed 3 Series cars, year 2015: 651kTaxed 3 Series cars, year 2016: 642kTaxed 3 Series cars, year 2017: 628kTaxed 3 Series cars, year 2018: 606kTaxed 3 Series cars, year 2019: 588kTaxed 3 Series cars, year 2020: 571kTaxed 3 Series cars, year 2021: 562kTaxed 3 Series cars, year 2022: 543kTaxed 3 Series cars, year 2023: 517kTaxed 3 Series cars, year 2024: 494kTaxed 3 Series cars, year 2025: 472k472k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed 3 Series cars
2014655,859
2015650,856
2016641,727
2017628,164
2018606,365
2019588,257
2020570,818
2021561,825
2022542,845
2023516,603
2024494,046
2025472,393

3 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.

050k100k150k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)3 Series cars on SORN, year 2014: 42k3 Series cars on SORN, year 2015: 51k3 Series cars on SORN, year 2016: 62k3 Series cars on SORN, year 2017: 72k3 Series cars on SORN, year 2018: 80k3 Series cars on SORN, year 2019: 89k3 Series cars on SORN, year 2020: 96k3 Series cars on SORN, year 2021: 100k3 Series cars on SORN, year 2022: 105k3 Series cars on SORN, year 2023: 112k3 Series cars on SORN, year 2024: 116k3 Series cars on SORN, year 2025: 121k121k
View this chart as a table
Year3 Series cars on SORN
201442,300
201550,881
201661,685
201771,792
201880,328
201988,958
202096,248
202199,817
2022104,535
2023112,055
2024115,841
2025120,615

Which model years survive

Taxed 3 Series cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 472,393 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. 34 taxed 3 Series cars have no recorded year of manufacture and are not in the table, so the rows add up to 472,359. 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 3 Series cars
20258,7721.9%
202413,4582.8%
20239,8932.1%
202210,2222.2%
202120,1154.3%
202018,7004.0%
201923,8985.1%
201823,5255.0%
201729,5216.2%
201630,7136.5%
201530,9686.6%
201431,4386.7%
201333,1717.0%
201230,8676.5%
201123,6415.0%
201021,3014.5%
200918,5743.9%
200816,9743.6%
200719,1004.0%
200613,6112.9%
20058,3971.8%
20046,9761.5%
20037,3871.6%
20025,6201.2%
All other build years (28 years, each under 1%)15,5173.3%

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 name 3 SERIES 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 3 Series ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, 3 Series vs all cars, 2025.

BMW 3 SeriesAll cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 3: 85.7%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 4: 87.2%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 5: 87.3%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 6: 87%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 7: 85.7%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 8: 84.4%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 9: 83.2%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 10: 79.7%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 11: 75.7%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 12: 73.1%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 13: 68.1%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 14: 69.2%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 15: 67.9%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 16: 66.8%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 17: 67.8%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 18: 68.1%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 19: 67.4%BMW 3 Series, vehicle age 20: 66.1%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 3 Series 66.1%All cars 57.6%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)3 Series tests3 Series pass rateAll cars
313,35785.7%88.5%
425,37587.2%87.2%
521,30187.3%86.0%
625,39987.0%83.5%
724,31685.7%80.9%
830,40784.4%78.2%
931,25183.2%74.9%
1031,20079.7%71.9%
1131,29675.7%68.6%
1233,24273.1%65.8%
1331,09868.1%63.5%
1425,22469.2%61.2%
1523,04867.9%59.3%
1620,39066.8%58.3%
1719,19267.8%57.2%
1821,76968.1%57.4%
1915,79767.4%57.0%
209,94466.1%57.6%

Better or worse than the average car?

The 3 Series's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the 3 Series beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

3 Series ahead3 Series behind
-12-6+0+6+12Age 3: -2.8 points vs the average car3Age 4: +0.0 points vs the average carAge 5: +1.3 points vs the average car5Age 6: +3.5 points vs the average carAge 7: +4.8 points vs the average car7Age 8: +6.2 points vs the average carAge 9: +8.3 points vs the average car9Age 10: +7.8 points vs the average carAge 11: +7.1 points vs the average car11Age 12: +7.3 points vs the average carAge 13: +4.6 points vs the average car13Age 14: +8.0 points vs the average carAge 15: +8.6 points vs the average car15Age 16: +8.5 points vs the average carAge 17: +10.6 points vs the average car17Age 18: +10.7 points vs the average carAge 19: +10.4 points vs the average car19Age 20: +8.5 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3-2.8
4+0.0
5+1.3
6+3.5
7+4.8
8+6.2
9+8.3
10+7.8
11+7.1
12+7.3
13+4.6
14+8.0
15+8.6
16+8.5
17+10.6
18+10.7
19+10.4
20+8.5

The 3 Series fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the 3 Series fleet still in use.

010k20k30k40kAge 3: 13k3Age 4: 25kAge 5: 21k5Age 6: 25kAge 7: 24k7Age 8: 30kAge 9: 31k9Age 10: 31kAge 11: 31k11Age 12: 33kAge 13: 31k13Age 14: 25kAge 15: 23k15Age 16: 20kAge 17: 19k17Age 18: 21kAge 19: 15k19Age 20: 9k20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
313,357
425,375
521,301
625,399
724,316
830,407
931,251
1031,200
1131,296
1233,242
1331,098
1425,224
1523,048
1620,390
1719,192
1821,769
1915,797
209,944

What a 3 Series fails on

Where the failure items land when a 3 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 equipment23.6%
Suspension18.6%
Tyres18.4%
Brakes16.5%
Visibility6.9%
Noise, emissions and leaks6.3%
Body, chassis, structure2.7%
Road Wheels2.7%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (95.6% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a 3 Series, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Tyres: 29.7% of advisories29.7%Brakes: 28.1% of advisories28.1%Suspension: 21.9% of advisories21.9%Noise, emissions and leaks: 6.7% of advisoriesNon-component advisories: 5.8% of advisoriesBody, chassis, structure: 2.5% of advisories
TyresBrakesSuspensionNoise, emissions and leaksNon-component advisoriesBody, chassis, structure
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Tyres29.7%
Brakes28.1%
Suspension21.9%
Noise, emissions and leaks6.7%
Non-component advisories5.8%
Body, chassis, structure2.5%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid 3 Series?

First-time pass rate for the four most-tested 3 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: 74.3% of 262,765 tests74.3%Diesel262,765 testsPetrol: 75.7% of 164,416 tests75.7%Petrol164,416 testsHybrid electric: 85.3% of 43,400 tests85.3%Hybrid43,400 testsElectric diesel: 86.5% of 8,141 tests86.5%Electric diesel8,141 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Diesel262,76574.3%
Petrol164,41675.7%
Hybrid electric43,40085.3%
Electric diesel8,14186.5%

What mileage is normal for a 3 Series?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) 3 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 3 Series (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k150k175k3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 33,750 miles (middle half 23,750–48,750)Age 4: typical 43,750 miles (middle half 31,250–58,750)Age 5: typical 48,750 miles (middle half 36,250–63,750)Age 6: typical 53,750 miles (middle half 41,250–71,250)Age 7: typical 63,750 miles (middle half 48,750–83,750)Age 8: typical 76,250 miles (middle half 58,750–96,250)Age 9: typical 83,750 miles (middle half 63,750–106,250)Age 10: typical 93,750 miles (middle half 71,250–116,250)Age 11: typical 103,750 miles (middle half 81,250–128,750)Age 12: typical 108,750 miles (middle half 83,750–136,250)Age 13: typical 113,750 miles (middle half 88,750–143,750)Age 14: typical 121,250 miles (middle half 93,750–148,750)Age 15: typical 123,750 miles (middle half 96,250–151,250)Age 16: typical 121,250 miles (middle half 93,750–151,250)Age 17: typical 123,750 miles (middle half 96,250–153,750)Age 18: typical 126,250 miles (middle half 98,750–158,750)Age 19: typical 133,750 miles (middle half 101,250–166,250)Age 20: typical 126,250 miles (middle half 96,250–161,250)126k mi

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

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
323,75033,75048,750
431,25043,75058,750
536,25048,75063,750
641,25053,75071,250
748,75063,75083,750
858,75076,25096,250
963,75083,750106,250
1071,25093,750116,250
1181,250103,750128,750
1283,750108,750136,250
1388,750113,750143,750
1493,750121,250148,750
1596,250123,750151,250
1693,750121,250151,250
1796,250123,750153,750
1898,750126,250158,750
19101,250133,750166,250
2096,250126,250161,250

What fails at each age

The 3 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.

TyresSuspensionVisibilityBrakesLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentNoise, emissions and leaksEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres63.1%
3-5 yrsSuspension6.9%
3-5 yrsVisibility5.8%
3-5 yrsBrakes5.7%
3-5 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment5.2%
3-5 yrsEverything else13.3%
6-9 yrsTyres41.0%
6-9 yrsBrakes15.3%
6-9 yrsSuspension13.3%
6-9 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment11.0%
6-9 yrsVisibility6.6%
6-9 yrsEverything else12.8%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment24.1%
10-13 yrsSuspension23.1%
10-13 yrsTyres21.4%
10-13 yrsBrakes14.2%
10-13 yrsVisibility5.8%
10-13 yrsEverything else11.4%
14+ yrsSuspension22.2%
14+ yrsBrakes21.5%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment18.5%
14+ yrsTyres12.8%
14+ yrsNoise, emissions and leaks8.2%
14+ yrsEverything else16.8%

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.