BMW 120 MOT Check

MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the BMW 120. Check any 120 by registration number below.

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80.5%

Avg Pass Rate

-9.4%

vs BMW Avg

Year Ranges

Good

Reliability

BMW 120 — MOT Reliability Overview

The BMW 120 has an average MOT pass rate of 80.5%, which is 9.4 percentage points below the BMW brand average of 89.9%. This is a strong result, indicating that the 120 is well-engineered and tends to age well mechanically. Owners can expect fewer surprises at MOT time.

The most common reasons a BMW 120 fails its MOT are a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, a flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements. If you are preparing your 120 for its MOT, checking these areas first could save you a retest fee. Our detailed fault analysis includes estimated repair costs for each failure type.

Before buying a used BMW 120, we recommend checking the full MOT history, write-off status, outstanding finance, and stolen vehicle status. These checks can be done for free using the registration number.

MOT Pass Rate by Year

How the BMW 120 performs at MOT across different model years.

2021

Based on 496 vehicles

95.0%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

2.0%

Retest Rate

5.5%

Mileage at 3yr

44k mi

2020

Based on 2,056 vehicles

92.1%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

2.5%

Retest Rate

9.0%

Mileage at 3yr

41k mi

Mileage at 5yr

66k mi

2019

Based on 1,935 vehicles

90.5%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

2.9%

Retest Rate

8.4%

Mileage at 3yr

41k mi

Mileage at 5yr

64k mi

2018

Based on 3,862 vehicles

87.7%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.6%

Retest Rate

14.1%

Mileage at 5yr

67k mi

2017

Based on 6,245 vehicles

88.2%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.3%

Retest Rate

12.6%

Mileage at 5yr

77k mi

2016

Based on 8,890 vehicles

87.3%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.8%

Retest Rate

14.0%

2015

Based on 9,821 vehicles

85.7%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.6%

Retest Rate

15.4%

Mileage at 10yr

136k mi

2014

Based on 8,098 vehicles

82.2%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.4%

Retest Rate

18.7%

Mileage at 10yr

151k mi

2013

Based on 6,547 vehicles

80.9%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

6.3%

Retest Rate

18.9%

Mileage at 10yr

142k mi

2012

Based on 6,904 vehicles

75.1%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.6%

Retest Rate

25.2%

Mileage at 10yr

141k mi

2011

Based on 9,291 vehicles

75.5%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.8%

Retest Rate

24.6%

2010

Based on 10,126 vehicles

74.1%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

6.5%

Retest Rate

26.7%

2009

Based on 9,072 vehicles

74.5%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.5%

Retest Rate

25.9%

2008

Based on 11,275 vehicles

73.0%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

6.6%

Retest Rate

25.1%

2007

Based on 6,803 vehicles

73.5%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

6.2%

Retest Rate

21.3%

2006

Based on 6,032 vehicles

70.9%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

7.3%

Retest Rate

27.3%

2005

Based on 6,447 vehicles

71.7%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

7.9%

Retest Rate

24.7%

2004

Based on 2,165 vehicles

71.5%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.6%

Retest Rate

19.3%

0

Based on 54,300 vehicles

80.7%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Mileage at 5yr

97k mi

Top MOT Failures — BMW 120

The most common reasons a BMW 120 fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.

A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage

2.5%

A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched

2.4%

Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements

2.0%

An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction

2.0%

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

1.9%

BMW 120 Common Faults & Repair Costs

Where Failures Occur

The areas of the vehicle most commonly flagged during MOT inspections.

Front Offside

1.4%

Nearside

1.2%

Rear

1.0%

Other BMW Models

Compare MOT reliability across BMW models.

BMW 420d Xdrive M Sport Mhev Auto

90.4% pass rate

BMW X2 Sdrive18d Sport

87.3% pass rate

BMW X2 Sdrive18d M Sport X Auto

87.0% pass rate

BMW 550

82.4% pass rate

BMW 316 I

89.0% pass rate

BMW 540i Xdrive M Sport Mhev Auto

75.6% pass rate

Useful MOT Guides

Common MOT Failures

The most common reasons UK vehicles fail their MOT — and how to prepare.

MOT Checklist

Pre-MOT checklist to improve your chances of passing first time.

Advisory vs Failure

Understanding the difference between MOT advisories and failures.

See detailed fault analysis for BMW 120

BMW 120 — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the BMW 120 MOT and reliability.

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW 120?

The average MOT pass rate for the BMW 120 is 80.5% compared to the BMW average of 89.9%. Pass rates vary by year — check the year-by-year breakdown on this page for details.

What are the most common MOT failures on a BMW 120?

The most common MOT failures on the BMW 120 are: A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage (2.5%), A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched (2.4%), Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements (2.0%). These are the components most likely to cause an MOT failure.

Is the BMW 120 reliable?

With an average MOT pass rate of 80.5%, the BMW 120 is rated as "Good" for reliability. This is a strong result suggesting good build quality and fewer common defects.

How do I check the MOT history of a BMW 120?

Enter the vehicle's registration number in the search box at the top of this page. You will instantly see the complete MOT history including every test result, mileage readings, advisories, and dangerous defects — completely free.

What mileage should I expect on a BMW 120?

Typical mileage for the BMW 120: 44,493 miles at 3 years. Use these benchmarks when evaluating a used 120 to spot vehicles with unusually high or low mileage.

Check Your BMW 120's MOT History

Enter the registration number for the full MOT history — free and instant.