2020 BMW i3 MOT pass rate, common failures & what to check

In 2025, 88.7% of BMW i3s first used in 2020 passed their MOT first time, against 86.0% for all cars first used in 2020. Across 12,477 i3 first tests from 2023 to 2025, the most common failure areas were tyres, lamps and electrical equipment and visibility (wipers, washers and windscreen).

This page analyses first MOT tests for BMW i3s first used in 2020 (all trims grouped): 2021 to 2025 for the pass-rate trend, and 2023 to 2025 for the failure and advisory analysis — plus what is worth checking before you buy one.

Data: DVSA anonymised MOT tests to December 2025 · Calculated by SortedCars · Updated October 2026

Passed first time, 2025
88.7%
of 4,097 first tests; all cars first used in 2020: 86.0%. Fixed-at-the-test counts as a fail
Tests analysed
12,477
first tests, 2023–2025; 4,097 in 2025
Clean pass, 2025
59.7%
of 4,097 first tests in 2025, passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded
Typical mileage, tested in 2025
28,000
middle half: 20,000–39,000 miles; all cars first used in 2020: 37,500

How the 2020 BMW i3 MOT pass rate has changed

Share of first tests passed in each year, i3s first used in 2020 against all cars first used in 2020 (any make or fuel; not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use). In 2025 the i3 figure was in line with the all-cars figure.

2020 i3All cars first used in 2020
80%90%100%20212022202320242025Test year (first tests)All cars first used in 2020, test year 2021: 84.7%All cars first used in 2020, test year 2022: 90.2%All cars first used in 2020, test year 2023: 87.7%All cars first used in 2020, test year 2024: 86.9%All cars first used in 2020, test year 2025: 86%2020 i3, test year 2023: 88.4%2020 i3, test year 2024: 89.7%2020 i3, test year 2025: 88.7%88.7%86%
View this chart as a table
Test year2020 i3All cars first used 2020i3 first tests
2021fewer than 500 tests84.7%3
2022fewer than 500 tests90.2%182
202388.4%87.7%4,202
202489.7%86.9%4,178
202588.7%86.0%4,097

Common 2020 BMW i3 MOT failures

Share of the 1,380 failed first tests (2023–2025) with at least one failure in each area. A test can fail in more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

Tyres49.3%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment32.8%
Visibility17.0%
Brakes3.7%
Suspension2.6%
Road Wheels2.5%

Most common failure items

DVSA failure itemShare of failed first testsTests
Headlamp aim: too high22.3%308
Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords20.6%284
Tread depth: below requirements of 1.6mm14.6%201
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid9.6%132
Tyre condition: has ply or cords exposed6.7%93

Item names are DVSA’s own wording. 2023–2025 combined.

What to check on a 2020 BMW i3 before buying

The three areas where failed first tests most often had a fault, 2023–2025.

  1. Tyres. Worth checking the tread depth across the whole width of each tyre, and the sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges.
  2. Lamps and electrics. Ask someone to watch while you work the brake lights, indicators, sidelights, dipped and main beam, and the number-plate lamps.
  3. Wipers and windscreen. Worth checking that the wipers clear the screen cleanly, that the washers work, and that there are no chips or cracks in the driver’s view.

Common 2020 BMW i3 MOT advisories

Advisories are points the tester noted that did not fail the car. Most common on 2020 i3s, as a share of all 12,477 first tests, 2023–2025.

DVSA advisory itemShare of first testsTests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge12.0%1,502
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing11.4%1,426
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened2.6%325
Road wheel condition: slightly distorted2.3%286
Nail in tyre2.1%257

Questions about the 2020 BMW i3 MOT

What is the MOT pass rate of a 2020 BMW i3?

In 2025, 88.7% of i3s first used in 2020 passed their MOT first time, against 86.0% for all cars first used in 2020. A car fixed during the test counts as a fail.

What does a 2020 i3 most often fail its MOT on?

Tyres (in 49.3% of failed first tests, 2023–2025), lamps and electrical equipment (32.8%) and visibility (wipers, washers and windscreen) (17.0%). The single most common item was “Headlamp aim: too high” (22.3%).

How often does a 2020 BMW i3 fail its MOT?

In 2025, 11.3% of first tests on i3s first used in 2020 did not pass first time: 8.5% failed, and a further 2.8% had a fault fixed during the test (counted as a fail here). Across 2023–2025, 1,380 of 12,477 first tests did not pass first time.

What are the most common 2020 BMW i3 MOT advisories?

“Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge” (on 12.0% of first tests, 2023–2025), “Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing” (11.4%), “Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened” (2.6%), “Road wheel condition: slightly distorted” (2.3%) and “Nail in tyre” (2.1%).

Is a 2020 BMW i3 reliable?

An MOT pass rate shows what failed at the test, not how reliable a car is. For this group of cars the first-time pass rate went from 88.4% in 2023 to 88.7% in 2025. For one particular car, its own MOT history matters more than the average.

Other cars first used in 2020

The most-tested cars from the same year. Each page uses the same method.

2020 Ford Fiesta MOT statistics · 2020 Vauxhall Corsa MOT statistics · 2020 Volkswagen Golf MOT statistics · 2020 Ford Focus MOT statistics · 2020 MINI Hatch MOT statistics

How the 2020 BMW i3 MOT data is calculated

Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test data for Great Britain, 2021–2025. “2020 i3” means a BMW i3 whose date of first use falls in 2020 (69, 20 and 70 plates), all trims grouped. Class 4 vehicles, first tests only — retests are not counted. Pass rate = passed ÷ all first tests; a car with a fault fixed during the test (PRS) counts as a fail. Our national first-test pass rate matches DVSA’s published figure (table DVSA/MOT/01) to within 0.04 points in every year. Clean pass = passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded. Mileage is the reading recorded at the test. Comparisons are with all cars first used in 2020, any make or fuel, and are not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use. Failure and advisory item names are DVSA’s own wording. No figure is shown for fewer than 500 tests; an item is shown only if it appears on at least 50 tests and 1% of the base. Pass rates describe a group of cars, not one car: a well-kept example can pass and a neglected one can fail. This page is general information, not advice about any particular vehicle; always have a used car inspected before you buy. SortedCars is not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. You can check any car’s MOT history free on the official service: gov.uk/check-mot-history. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.