BMW 7 Series MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a BMW 7 Series in Great Britain in 2025 — 18,600 tests. Figures cover every 7 Series first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the 7 Series ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
84.5%
12.2 points above the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
18,600
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
4.9%
of 7 Series first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
91,250
middle half: 66,250–118,750 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many BMW 7 Series cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 26,340 BMW 7 Series cars that were taxed or on SORN: 18,639 taxed and 7,701 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 7 Series vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
18,639
70.8% of the 26,340 7 Series cars taxed or on SORN; 164 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
7,701
declared off the road by their keepers — 29.2% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed 7 Series cars peaked at 21,315 at the end of 2017 and has since fallen by 2,676 (12.6%) to 18,639 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 3,238 at the end of 2014 to 7,701 at the end of 2025, up 137.8%. 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 7 Series cars, year by year

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

05k10k15k20k25k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed 7 Series cars, year 2014: 21kTaxed 7 Series cars, year 2015: 21kTaxed 7 Series cars, year 2016: 21kTaxed 7 Series cars, year 2017: 21kTaxed 7 Series cars, year 2018: 21kTaxed 7 Series cars, year 2019: 21kTaxed 7 Series cars, year 2020: 20kTaxed 7 Series cars, year 2021: 20kTaxed 7 Series cars, year 2022: 20kTaxed 7 Series cars, year 2023: 19kTaxed 7 Series cars, year 2024: 18kTaxed 7 Series cars, year 2025: 19k19k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed 7 Series cars
201420,975
201520,600
201621,020
201721,315
201821,179
201920,773
202019,974
202120,115
202219,716
202318,724
202418,092
202518,639

7 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.

02k4k6k8k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)7 Series cars on SORN, year 2014: 3k7 Series cars on SORN, year 2015: 4k7 Series cars on SORN, year 2016: 4k7 Series cars on SORN, year 2017: 5k7 Series cars on SORN, year 2018: 5k7 Series cars on SORN, year 2019: 6k7 Series cars on SORN, year 2020: 6k7 Series cars on SORN, year 2021: 6k7 Series cars on SORN, year 2022: 7k7 Series cars on SORN, year 2023: 7k7 Series cars on SORN, year 2024: 7k7 Series cars on SORN, year 2025: 8k8k
View this chart as a table
Year7 Series cars on SORN
20143,238
20153,556
20164,047
20174,558
20185,156
20195,757
20206,209
20216,390
20226,721
20237,096
20247,463
20257,701

Which model years survive

Taxed 7 Series cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 18,639 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. 14 taxed 7 Series cars have no recorded year of manufacture and are not in the table, so the rows add up to 18,625. 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 7 Series cars
20251,6178.7%
20247774.2%
20234602.5%
20226213.3%
20218334.5%
20208204.4%
20191,3837.4%
20181,3277.1%
20171,4817.9%
20161,3477.2%
20156653.6%
20148244.4%
20136553.5%
20126843.7%
20116623.6%
20104712.5%
20093722.0%
20084432.4%
20074132.2%
20065523.0%
20053351.8%
20041891.0%
20012271.2%
20002451.3%
19992021.1%
19981921.0%
All other build years (26 years, each under 1%)8284.4%

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 7 SERIES, M7 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 7 Series ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, 7 Series vs all cars, 2025.

BMW 7 SeriesAll cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 3: 93.1%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 4: 91.4%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 5: 92.2%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 6: 91.3%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 7: 90%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 8: 88.4%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 9: 89.4%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 10: 83.4%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 11: 84.4%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 12: 82%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 13: 83.8%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 14: 81.5%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 15: 84.9%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 17: 75.1%BMW 7 Series, vehicle age 19: 73.3%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 7 Series 73.3%All cars 57.6%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)7 Series tests7 Series pass rateAll cars
377193.1%88.5%
41,05591.4%87.2%
598092.2%86.0%
61,65591.3%83.5%
71,55490.0%80.9%
81,63788.4%78.2%
91,47689.4%74.9%
1072283.4%71.9%
1186784.4%68.6%
1271582.0%65.8%
1377983.8%63.5%
1475581.5%61.2%
1554484.9%59.3%
1753475.1%57.2%
1970773.3%57.0%

Better or worse than the average car?

The 7 Series's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the 7 Series beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

7 Series ahead
-26-13+0+13+26Age 3: +4.6 points vs the average car3Age 4: +4.2 points vs the average carAge 5: +6.2 points vs the average car5Age 6: +7.8 points vs the average carAge 7: +9.1 points vs the average car7Age 8: +10.2 points vs the average carAge 9: +14.5 points vs the average car9Age 10: +11.5 points vs the average carAge 11: +15.8 points vs the average car11Age 12: +16.2 points vs the average carAge 13: +20.3 points vs the average car13Age 14: +20.3 points vs the average carAge 15: +25.6 points vs the average car15Age 17: +17.9 points vs the average car17Age 19: +16.3 points vs the average car19Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3+4.6
4+4.2
5+6.2
6+7.8
7+9.1
8+10.2
9+14.5
10+11.5
11+15.8
12+16.2
13+20.3
14+20.3
15+25.6
17+17.9
19+16.3

The 7 Series fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the 7 Series fleet still in use.

05001k1k2kAge 3: 7713Age 4: 1kAge 5: 9805Age 6: 1kAge 7: 1k7Age 8: 1kAge 9: 1k9Age 10: 722Age 11: 86711Age 12: 715Age 13: 77913Age 14: 755Age 15: 54415Age 17: 53417Age 19: 70719Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
3771
41,055
5980
61,655
71,554
81,637
91,476
10722
11867
12715
13779
14755
15544
17534
19707

What a 7 Series fails on

Where the failure items land when a 7 Series fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Suspension22.6%
Tyres18.0%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment15.3%
Brakes13.2%
Visibility8.5%
Noise, emissions and leaks5.7%
Road Wheels4.8%
Body, chassis, structure4.1%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (92.2% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a 7 Series, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Tyres: 33.5% of advisories33.5%Brakes: 23.4% of advisories23.4%Suspension: 20.1% of advisories20.1%Noise, emissions and leaks: 10.1% of advisories10.1%Non-component advisories: 4.2% of advisoriesBody, chassis, structure: 2.9% of advisories
TyresBrakesSuspensionNoise, emissions and leaksNon-component advisoriesBody, chassis, structure
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Tyres33.5%
Brakes23.4%
Suspension20.1%
Noise, emissions and leaks10.1%
Non-component advisories4.2%
Body, chassis, structure2.9%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid 7 Series?

First-time pass rate for the four most-tested 7 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: 84.7% of 11,672 tests84.7%Diesel11,672 testsPetrol: 79.1% of 4,131 tests79.1%Petrol4,131 testsHybrid electric: 91.9% of 1,885 tests91.9%Hybrid1,885 testsElectric diesel: 91.4% of 893 tests91.4%Electric diesel893 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Diesel11,67284.7%
Petrol4,13179.1%
Hybrid electric1,88591.9%
Electric diesel89391.4%

What mileage is normal for a 7 Series?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) 7 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 7 Series (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k150k175k35791113151719Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 33,750 miles (middle half 23,750–51,250)Age 4: typical 43,750 miles (middle half 31,250–63,750)Age 5: typical 48,750 miles (middle half 33,750–68,750)Age 6: typical 58,750 miles (middle half 41,250–86,250)Age 7: typical 68,750 miles (middle half 48,750–93,750)Age 8: typical 73,750 miles (middle half 53,750–96,250)Age 9: typical 81,250 miles (middle half 61,250–106,250)Age 10: typical 91,250 miles (middle half 66,250–118,750)Age 11: typical 101,250 miles (middle half 76,250–128,750)Age 12: typical 106,250 miles (middle half 83,750–136,250)Age 13: typical 116,250 miles (middle half 88,750–141,250)Age 14: typical 123,750 miles (middle half 98,750–148,750)Age 15: typical 128,750 miles (middle half 98,750–156,250)Age 17: typical 133,750 miles (middle half 103,750–163,750)Age 19: typical 136,250 miles (middle half 106,250–173,750)136k mi

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

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
323,75033,75051,250
431,25043,75063,750
533,75048,75068,750
641,25058,75086,250
748,75068,75093,750
853,75073,75096,250
961,25081,250106,250
1066,25091,250118,750
1176,250101,250128,750
1283,750106,250136,250
1388,750116,250141,250
1498,750123,750148,750
1598,750128,750156,250
17103,750133,750163,750
19106,250136,250173,750

What fails at each age

The 7 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.

TyresRoad WheelsIdentification of the vehicleNoise, emissions and leaksBody, chassis, structureBrakesSuspensionLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentVisibilityEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres49.6%
3-5 yrsRoad Wheels12.1%
3-5 yrsIdentification of the vehicle6.6%
3-5 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks5.9%
3-5 yrsBody, chassis, structure5.5%
3-5 yrsEverything else20.3%
6-9 yrsTyres39.6%
6-9 yrsBody, chassis, structure14.4%
6-9 yrsRoad Wheels9.9%
6-9 yrsBrakes6.8%
6-9 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks6.7%
6-9 yrsEverything else22.6%
10-13 yrsSuspension30.7%
10-13 yrsTyres28.3%
10-13 yrsRoad Wheels9.6%
10-13 yrsBrakes8.5%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment7.8%
10-13 yrsEverything else15.1%
14+ yrsSuspension29.5%
14+ yrsBrakes18.4%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment15.2%
14+ yrsTyres9.9%
14+ yrsVisibility7.2%
14+ yrsEverything else19.8%

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.