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MOT results · tests in 2025 · Great Britain

BMW X1 reliability: what the MOT shows

112,196 X1s had an MOT in 2025. 82.3% passed first time, against 76.3% for other cars of the same age and mileage. That is 6.1 points better than comparable cars.

82.3%passed first time
+6.1points against cars of the same age and mileage
112,196MOTs in 2025
Report card

BMW X1 MOT results by registration year

Each dot compares how often X1s of that year failed on one area of the test with cars of the same age and mileage.

Much betterBetterAbout the sameWorseMuch worse
YearPassed first timeAgainst same age and mileageMOTsSuspensionSteeringBrakesTyresLights & electricsVisibilityBody & structureEmissions & leaks
201067.8%+10.64,407
201168.8%+9.25,663
201269.4%+7.65,127
201372.7%+8.16,992
201473.3%+5.87,689
201578.2%+7.14,603
201682.8%+8.412,492
201784.3%+6.513,881
201885.9%+4.814,647
201988.8%+4.813,591
202090.1%+3.67,658
202191.6%+4.17,614
202291.5%+2.67,436

Much worse: failed on that area at least 1.5 times as often. Worse: 1.15 to 1.5 times. Better: up to 0.87 times. Much better: two-thirds as often or less. Gaps under half a percentage point count as about the same. Registration year is the year the car was first used.

BMW X1 years to avoid, going by the MOT

Ahead2010 to 2022+2.6 to +10.6 ptsMost common failures: pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015; coil spring (fractured or broken) in 2016; condition (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. 111,800 MOTs.

Well behind: 5 or more points below cars of the same age and mileage. Behind: 1.5 to 5 points below. Level: within 1.5 points. Ahead: 1.5 or more points above.

What fails

BMW X1 common faults at the MOT

6.0% of X1 MOTs failed on tyres, against 6.2% for cars of the same age and mileage, and 2.9% on visibility, against 3.7%.

Most common failures

Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords2.1%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.5%
Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.1%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.0%
Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.7%Cars of the same age and mileage: 2.1%
Condition: has ply or cords exposed1.4%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.2%
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid1.2%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.2%
Coil spring: fractured or broken1.2%Cars of the same age and mileage: 2.1%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.1%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.8%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively0.9%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.7%
X1Same age and mileage

Fails more often than other cars

Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.2×2.10% of X1 MOTs (2,350) against 0.97% for cars of the same age and mileage
Brake pads: worn down to wear indicator1.8×0.33% of X1 MOTs (369) against 0.18% for cars of the same age and mileage
Attachment: fixing missing1.4×0.34% of X1 MOTs (376) against 0.23% for cars of the same age and mileage
Side repeaters: not working1.4×0.49% of X1 MOTs (553) against 0.35% for cars of the same age and mileage
Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1.4×2.10% of X1 MOTs (2,355) against 1.48% for cars of the same age and mileage
Mileage

Ahead at every mileage

X1s pass more often than cars of the same age and mileage at every mileage, by 2.7 to 8.1 points. The gap is widest at 60–90k miles.

First-time MOT pass rate by mileage: BMW X1 against cars of the same age and mileage0%25%50%75%100%9290UNDER 30K+2.7 pts878230–60K+5.5 pts817260–90K+8.1 pts726490–120K+7.7 pts6661120K++5.8 pts
X1, first-time pass rateCars of the same age and mileage

Petrol, diesel or hybrid X1

Diesels passed 78.3% first time, 6.8 points above comparable cars; petrols passed 89.1%, 5.0 points above comparable cars. Diesels had a median of 76,708 miles at the test, against 37,306 for petrols. Hybrids are mostly newer cars (median 34,227 miles), so compare them with care.

FuelMOTsPassed first timeSame age and mileageGap (pts)Median miles
Diesel71,22178.3%71.5%+6.876,708
Petrol35,51189.1%84.1%+5.037,306
Hybrid5,01790.6%86.8%+3.734,227
Against rivals

X1 against other premium SUVs

Cars registered 2014 to 2021, each against cars of the same age and mileage. The X1 ranks 6 of 18.

ModelMOTsPassed first timeSame age and mileageGap (pts)
1. Range Rover39,88085.2%76.5%+8.7
2. Audi Q585,22785.7%77.9%+7.8
3. Range Rover Sport75,07784.2%77.2%+7.0
4. Land Rover Discovery67,57282.7%76.4%+6.3
5. Jaguar I-Pace17,78091.1%85.4%+5.8
6. BMW X182,17584.9%79.3%+5.7
7. Range Rover Evoque148,57383.4%78.1%+5.2
8. BMW X372,12584.4%79.2%+5.2
9. Audi Q3110,45583.4%78.2%+5.1
10. Volvo XC6090,52681.8%76.8%+5.0
11. Volvo XC9040,59183.5%78.5%+5.0
12. Volvo XC4071,16889.6%85.4%+4.1
13. Jaguar F-Pace53,34584.6%80.5%+4.1
14. Land Rover Defender26,70784.0%80.4%+3.6
15. Jaguar E-Pace31,25287.1%83.6%+3.5
16. Land Rover Discovery Sport109,16181.0%77.7%+3.2
17. Mercedes GLA86,40382.8%80.2%+2.6
18. Range Rover Velar32,71684.3%82.2%+2.1

Check these before you buy a used X1

What testers most often noted as advisories on X1s in 2025: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for cars of the same age and mileage.

Questions about X1 reliability

Is the BMW X1 reliable?

At the MOT, 82.3% of 112,196 X1 MOTs in 2025 passed first time, against 76.3% for cars of the same age and mileage. 2010 to 2022: ahead (+2.6 to +10.6 points).

Which BMW X1 years should I avoid?

None stand out: every registration year is within 1.5 points of cars of the same age and mileage, or ahead of them.

What is the most common MOT failure on a X1?

Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords: 2.1% of X1 MOTs, against 1.5% for cars of the same age and mileage.

Is a diesel or petrol X1 more reliable?

Petrol X1s passed 89.1% first time and diesels 78.3%. Against cars of the same age and mileage, petrols were 5.0 points above and diesels 6.8 points above.

Is the X1 more reliable than the Range Rover Evoque?

For cars registered 2014 to 2021, the Range Rover Evoque passed 83.4% first time, +5.2 points against comparable cars. The X1 passed 84.9%, +5.7 points.

How we measure

Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025 (31,475,521 first tests on cars first used 2005 to 2022), from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data. Retests are left out.

Passed first time. A car passed if its first test that year ended in a pass. Cars that failed and were fixed within the hour count as fails, as DVSA counts them.

Same age and mileage. We group every car by the year it was first used and its mileage (under 30k, 30–60k, 60–90k, 90–120k, over 120k). The comparison figure is what those groups scored, weighted to match the X1's mix of ages and mileages.

Model. Every car DVSA records as a BMW X1: 41 recorded model names, from "X1" to trims such as "X1 XDRIVE25E M SPORT AUTO".

The full method, including how each report-card dot and year group is decided.