2020 BMW Z4 MOT pass rate, common failures & what to check

In 2025, 90.5% of BMW Z4s first used in 2020 passed their MOT first time, against 86.0% for all cars first used in 2020. Across 4,640 Z4 first tests from 2023 to 2025, the most common failure areas were tyres and lamps and electrical equipment.

This page analyses first MOT tests for BMW Z4s 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
90.5%
of 1,528 first tests; all cars first used in 2020: 86.0%. Fixed-at-the-test counts as a fail
Tests analysed
4,640
first tests, 2023–2025; 1,528 in 2025
Clean pass, 2025
70.2%
of 1,528 first tests in 2025, passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded
Typical mileage, tested in 2025
25,500
middle half: 18,000–34,000 miles; all cars first used in 2020: 37,500

How the 2020 BMW Z4 MOT pass rate has changed

Share of first tests passed in each year, Z4s 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 Z4 figure was 4.5 points higher.

2020 Z4All 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 Z4, test year 2023: 92.2%2020 Z4, test year 2024: 90%2020 Z4, test year 2025: 90.5%90.5%86%
View this chart as a table
Test year2020 Z4All cars first used 2020Z4 first tests
2021fewer than 500 tests84.7%11
2022fewer than 500 tests90.2%107
202392.2%87.7%1,570
202490.0%86.9%1,542
202590.5%86.0%1,528

Common 2020 BMW Z4 MOT failures

Share of the 422 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%.

Tyres69.2%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment15.4%

Most common failure items

DVSA failure itemShare of failed first testsTests
Tyre condition: has ply or cords exposed37.9%160
Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords22.5%95

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

What to check on a 2020 BMW Z4 before buying

The two 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.

Common 2020 BMW Z4 MOT advisories

Advisories are points the tester noted that did not fail the car. Most common on 2020 Z4s, as a share of all 4,640 first tests, 2023–2025.

DVSA advisory itemShare of first testsTests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge13.5%628
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing4.0%187
Nail in tyre3.2%147
Tyre condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords2.5%115
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge2.3%106

Questions about the 2020 BMW Z4 MOT

What is the MOT pass rate of a 2020 BMW Z4?

In 2025, 90.5% of Z4s 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 Z4 most often fail its MOT on?

Tyres (in 69.2% of failed first tests, 2023–2025) and lamps and electrical equipment (15.4%). The single most common item was “Tyre condition: has ply or cords exposed” (37.9%).

How often does a 2020 BMW Z4 fail its MOT?

In 2025, 9.5% of first tests on Z4s first used in 2020 did not pass first time: 8.2% failed, and a further 1.3% had a fault fixed during the test (counted as a fail here). Across 2023–2025, 422 of 4,640 first tests did not pass first time.

What are the most common 2020 BMW Z4 MOT advisories?

“Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge” (on 13.5% of first tests, 2023–2025), “Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing” (4.0%), “Nail in tyre” (3.2%), “Tyre condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords” (2.5%) and “Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge” (2.3%).

Is a 2020 BMW Z4 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 92.2% in 2023 to 90.5% 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 Z4 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 Z4” means a BMW Z4 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.