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BMW i3 years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year

26,065 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used 2014–2022 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

No BMW i3 year has an MOT pass rate clearly below the average for vehicles first used in the same year. Above it: 2014–2021. The other year can't be told apart from average.

The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.

86.9%passed first time

First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 86.5% to 87.3%.

In 2025, 86.9% of the 26,065 initial MOT tests on BMW i3 cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 81.8%. That is 5.1 points above the same-age average.

In our tables of the highest MOT pass rates by age: joint 5th of 173 cars first used in 2018.

Check a specific i3

Its own MOT history, free.

BMW i3 MOT pass rate by year

Year is when the car was first used. Older vehicles fail more often, so each year is compared with all vehicles first used that year.

YearChartTestsmedian milesPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles that year
2022age 32,92217,40088.2%±1.3−0.3 ptsall: 88.5%
2021age 43,50723,00091.0%±1.0+3.8 ptsall: 87.2%
2020age 54,09728,20088.7%±1.1+2.7 ptsall: 86.0%
2019age 64,05035,80088.5%±1.1+5.0 ptsall: 83.5%
2018age 73,10643,20088.7%±1.2+7.8 ptsall: 80.9%
2017age 83,16454,30084.2%±1.4+6.0 ptsall: 78.2%
2016age 92,15956,80081.8%±1.7+6.9 ptsall: 74.9%
2015age 101,88760,30082.1%±1.8+10.2 ptsall: 71.9%
2014age 111,17365,80079.4%±2.5+10.8 ptsall: 68.6%

Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.

When a car's mileage doesn't add up

Common i3 problems at the MOT

Share of the 3,412 failed tests with a fault in each area, all years together. A test can count in more than one area, so these add up to more than 100%.

MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems. Each year page compares that year's failure areas with all vehicles first used in the same year.

What to check when viewing a i3

Based on the areas where BMW i3 MOT tests fail most often. These are general checks anyone can do, not a mechanical inspection.

  1. Tyres

    In 40.4% of failed i3 tests

    • Check the tread on every tyre. The legal minimum for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread.
    • Look for cuts, bulges, and wear on only the inner or outer edge, which can point to an alignment problem.
    • Check that the spare wheel or the tyre repair kit is there.

  2. Lights and electrics

    In 25.8% of failed i3 tests

    • Ask the seller to help you check every light: dipped and main beam, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp.
    • Look for cracked, misted or yellowed headlight lenses.
    • Warning lights on the dashboard should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts.

  3. Windscreen, wipers, mirrors

    In 20.7% of failed i3 tests

    • Look for chips and cracks in the windscreen, especially in front of the driver.
    • Run the wipers and washers. The blades should clear the screen without smearing.
    • Check both door mirrors and the rear-view mirror are intact and adjust.

Then read the car's own MOT history. Advisories in the same area at several tests are worth asking about.

Check a i3's MOT history

After an MOT advisory

BMW i3 cars that passed their 2024 MOT first time with an advisory, and what their next MOT found, against similar cars that passed with nothing noted in that area. All first-use years together.

Tyres

Of BMW i3 cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 7.7% failed on tyres, against 4.5% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 3,632 and 10,920 cars.

  • With a tyre advisory7.7%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted4.5%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 11.3% of those with a tyre advisory and 11.0% of the others.

Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.

How we worked this outAll models compared, with the data

BMW i3 questions

Which BMW i3 years have lower MOT pass rates?

Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, no model year is clearly below average. Above average: 2014–2021. The rest can't be told apart from average. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.

Is the BMW i3 reliable?

MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 86.9% of initial MOT tests on BMW i3 cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 81.8%. That is 5.1 points above average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.

What are the most common BMW i3 problems at the MOT?

The most common failure areas are tyres (in 40.4% of failed tests), lights and electrics (in 25.8% of failed tests) and windscreen, wipers, mirrors (in 20.7% of failed tests). A failed test can count in more than one area.

What mileage is normal for a 10-year-old BMW i3?

At their 2025 MOT tests, BMW i3 cars first used in 2015, about 10 years old, had a median of 60,300 miles. Half had more and half had less.

How do I check a specific i3's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.

Check a car's MOT history for free

What MOT data can't tell you about any BMW i3

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checksWhat MOT history doesn't show

Other BMW models

Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.

All 22 BMW modelsCars ranked by MOT pass rate, by age

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all BMW i3 cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count