BMW X3 MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a BMW X3 in Great Britain in 2025 — 108,577 tests. Figures cover every X3 first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the X3 ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
80.9%
8.6 points above the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
108,577
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
5.0%
of X3 first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
86,250
middle half: 68,750–106,250 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many BMW X3 cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 129,645 BMW X3 cars that were taxed or on SORN: 123,964 taxed and 5,681 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 X3 vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
123,964
95.6% of the 129,645 X3 cars taxed or on SORN; 117 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
5,681
declared off the road by their keepers — 4.4% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed X3 cars is still rising: 123,964 at the end of 2025, up 5,116 (4.3%) on the end of 2024, and the highest in the years shown. Cars on SORN went from 368 at the end of 2014 to 5,681 at the end of 2025, up 1443.8%. 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 X3 cars, year by year

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

050k100k150k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed X3 cars, year 2014: 54kTaxed X3 cars, year 2015: 60kTaxed X3 cars, year 2016: 69kTaxed X3 cars, year 2017: 76kTaxed X3 cars, year 2018: 82kTaxed X3 cars, year 2019: 95kTaxed X3 cars, year 2020: 101kTaxed X3 cars, year 2021: 109kTaxed X3 cars, year 2022: 114kTaxed X3 cars, year 2023: 117kTaxed X3 cars, year 2024: 119kTaxed X3 cars, year 2025: 124k124k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed X3 cars
201453,550
201559,967
201668,794
201775,657
201881,794
201994,985
2020100,845
2021109,190
2022114,163
2023116,652
2024118,848
2025123,964

X3 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.

02k4k6k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)X3 cars on SORN, year 2014: 368X3 cars on SORN, year 2015: 472X3 cars on SORN, year 2016: 785X3 cars on SORN, year 2017: 1kX3 cars on SORN, year 2018: 2kX3 cars on SORN, year 2019: 2kX3 cars on SORN, year 2020: 3kX3 cars on SORN, year 2021: 3kX3 cars on SORN, year 2022: 4kX3 cars on SORN, year 2023: 4kX3 cars on SORN, year 2024: 5kX3 cars on SORN, year 2025: 6k6k
View this chart as a table
YearX3 cars on SORN
2014368
2015472
2016785
20171,049
20181,669
20192,336
20202,860
20213,025
20223,548
20234,173
20245,030
20255,681

Which model years survive

Taxed X3 cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 123,964 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. 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 X3 cars
20258,2336.6%
20246,1715.0%
20235,9074.8%
20226,7945.5%
202110,1068.2%
20207,3936.0%
201915,25312.3%
20187,9356.4%
20177,9756.4%
20168,8997.2%
20156,8675.5%
20145,9434.8%
20136,8645.5%
20126,5025.2%
20113,6462.9%
20071,4751.2%
20061,9581.6%
20051,6961.4%
20041,4471.2%
All other build years (six years, each under 1%)2,9002.3%

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 X3 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 X3 ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, X3 vs all cars, 2025.

BMW X3All cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)BMW X3, vehicle age 3: 90.7%BMW X3, vehicle age 4: 88.6%BMW X3, vehicle age 5: 88.7%BMW X3, vehicle age 6: 88.4%BMW X3, vehicle age 7: 87.9%BMW X3, vehicle age 8: 82.4%BMW X3, vehicle age 9: 79.2%BMW X3, vehicle age 10: 78.4%BMW X3, vehicle age 11: 73.5%BMW X3, vehicle age 12: 72.3%BMW X3, vehicle age 13: 71.1%BMW X3, vehicle age 14: 73.3%BMW X3, vehicle age 15: 70.6%BMW X3, vehicle age 16: 69.6%BMW X3, vehicle age 17: 67.7%BMW X3, vehicle age 18: 67.1%BMW X3, vehicle age 19: 64.6%BMW X3, vehicle age 20: 62.5%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 X3 62.5%All cars 57.6%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)X3 testsX3 pass rateAll cars
37,44990.7%88.5%
410,66488.6%87.2%
57,55888.7%86.0%
615,66588.4%83.5%
78,14287.9%80.9%
88,06682.4%78.2%
98,96179.2%74.9%
107,02878.4%71.9%
116,04173.5%68.6%
127,09272.3%65.8%
136,65671.1%63.5%
143,83973.3%61.2%
1581570.6%59.3%
161,17969.6%58.3%
171,25367.7%57.2%
181,77767.1%57.4%
192,36964.6%57.0%
202,00862.5%57.6%

Better or worse than the average car?

The X3's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the X3 beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

X3 ahead
-14-7+0+7+14Age 3: +2.2 points vs the average car3Age 4: +1.4 points vs the average carAge 5: +2.7 points vs the average car5Age 6: +4.9 points vs the average carAge 7: +7.0 points vs the average car7Age 8: +4.2 points vs the average carAge 9: +4.3 points vs the average car9Age 10: +6.5 points vs the average carAge 11: +4.9 points vs the average car11Age 12: +6.5 points vs the average carAge 13: +7.6 points vs the average car13Age 14: +12.1 points vs the average carAge 15: +11.3 points vs the average car15Age 16: +11.3 points vs the average carAge 17: +10.5 points vs the average car17Age 18: +9.7 points vs the average carAge 19: +7.6 points vs the average car19Age 20: +4.9 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3+2.2
4+1.4
5+2.7
6+4.9
7+7.0
8+4.2
9+4.3
10+6.5
11+4.9
12+6.5
13+7.6
14+12.1
15+11.3
16+11.3
17+10.5
18+9.7
19+7.6
20+4.9

The X3 fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the X3 fleet still in use.

05k10k15k20kAge 3: 7k3Age 4: 10kAge 5: 7k5Age 6: 15kAge 7: 8k7Age 8: 8kAge 9: 8k9Age 10: 7kAge 11: 6k11Age 12: 7kAge 13: 6k13Age 14: 3kAge 15: 81515Age 16: 1kAge 17: 1k17Age 18: 1kAge 19: 2k19Age 20: 2k20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
37,449
410,664
57,558
615,665
78,142
88,066
98,961
107,028
116,041
127,092
136,656
143,839
15815
161,179
171,253
181,777
192,369
202,008

What an X3 fails on

Where the failure items land when an X3 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 equipment26.1%
Tyres22.2%
Suspension16.7%
Brakes11.0%
Visibility10.9%
Noise, emissions and leaks4.5%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems2.2%
Body, chassis, structure2.1%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (95.7% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a X3, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Tyres: 40.4% of advisories40.4%Brakes: 19.7% of advisories19.7%Suspension: 16.9% of advisories16.9%Non-component advisories: 13.2% of advisories13.2%Noise, emissions and leaks: 4.7% of advisoriesIdentification of the vehicle: 1.8% of advisories
TyresBrakesSuspensionNon-component advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaksIdentification of the vehicle
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Tyres40.4%
Brakes19.7%
Suspension16.9%
Non-component advisories13.2%
Noise, emissions and leaks4.7%
Identification of the vehicle1.8%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid X3?

First-time pass rate for the four most-tested X3 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: 78.3% of 76,898 tests78.3%Diesel76,898 testsPetrol: 84.7% of 14,062 tests84.7%Petrol14,062 testsElectric diesel: 89.1% of 10,360 tests89.1%Electric diesel10,360 testsHybrid electric: 89.4% of 7,236 tests89.4%Hybrid7,236 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Diesel76,89878.3%
Petrol14,06284.7%
Electric diesel10,36089.1%
Hybrid electric7,23689.4%

What mileage is normal for an X3?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) X3; 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 X3 (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k150k175k3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 26,250 miles (middle half 18,750–36,250)Age 4: typical 36,250 miles (middle half 26,250–46,250)Age 5: typical 41,250 miles (middle half 31,250–51,250)Age 6: typical 48,750 miles (middle half 36,250–61,250)Age 7: typical 56,250 miles (middle half 41,250–68,750)Age 8: typical 66,250 miles (middle half 51,250–83,750)Age 9: typical 76,250 miles (middle half 58,750–93,750)Age 10: typical 86,250 miles (middle half 68,750–106,250)Age 11: typical 96,250 miles (middle half 76,250–116,250)Age 12: typical 103,750 miles (middle half 83,750–126,250)Age 13: typical 111,250 miles (middle half 88,750–133,750)Age 14: typical 113,750 miles (middle half 91,250–138,750)Age 15: typical 116,250 miles (middle half 96,250–141,250)Age 16: typical 121,250 miles (middle half 98,750–141,250)Age 17: typical 123,750 miles (middle half 101,250–146,250)Age 18: typical 131,250 miles (middle half 108,750–153,750)Age 19: typical 138,750 miles (middle half 116,250–161,250)Age 20: typical 141,250 miles (middle half 113,750–166,250)141k mi

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

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
318,75026,25036,250
426,25036,25046,250
531,25041,25051,250
636,25048,75061,250
741,25056,25068,750
851,25066,25083,750
958,75076,25093,750
1068,75086,250106,250
1176,25096,250116,250
1283,750103,750126,250
1388,750111,250133,750
1491,250113,750138,750
1596,250116,250141,250
1698,750121,250141,250
17101,250123,750146,250
18108,750131,250153,750
19116,250138,750161,250
20113,750141,250166,250

What fails at each age

The X3'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.

TyresVisibilityNoise, emissions and leaksLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentBrakesSuspensionEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres57.1%
3-5 yrsVisibility15.7%
3-5 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks7.8%
3-5 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment6.9%
3-5 yrsBrakes5.0%
3-5 yrsEverything else7.5%
6-9 yrsTyres38.5%
6-9 yrsSuspension15.4%
6-9 yrsVisibility12.8%
6-9 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment11.7%
6-9 yrsBrakes10.7%
6-9 yrsEverything else10.9%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment30.9%
10-13 yrsSuspension22.6%
10-13 yrsTyres19.3%
10-13 yrsBrakes11.8%
10-13 yrsVisibility6.3%
10-13 yrsEverything else9.1%
14+ yrsSuspension24.9%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment19.6%
14+ yrsBrakes17.0%
14+ yrsTyres11.3%
14+ yrsVisibility7.3%
14+ yrsEverything else19.9%

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.