Petrol BMW 2 Series: MOT pass rate

88.7% of petrol BMW 2 Series pass the MOT first time, measured across 16,693 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 42,825.

Petrol against the other BMW 2 Series versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Petrol cars avoid the DPF and emissions failures that catch diesels, and usually fail on the same consumables as any other car.

On the BMW 2 Series specifically, petrol is the strongest at 88.7%, and this petrol version sits 0.4 points above the 88.3% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

There is little to choose between fuel types on this model, so decide on running costs and mileage rather than MOT record. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average petrol BMW 2 Series had covered 42,825 miles at test, against 53,438 for the diesel and 55,925 for the hybrid. That is below average for a car this age, worth a mileage-consistency check since an unusually low reading is sometimes clocking rather than luck.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the BMW 2 Series page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a petrol BMW 2 Series

1. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 0.3% of tests (5.14x the national rate for this defect)
2. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.5% of tests (2.5x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.8% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this defect)
4. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.9% of tests (1.39x the national rate for this defect)
5. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 0.4% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this defect)
6. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.7% of tests
7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.8% of tests
8. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.7% of tests
9. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.6% of tests
10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.5% of tests

From 16,865 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 2 Series tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 2 Series's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 10.04% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a petrol BMW 2 Series

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. Exhaust noise levels in excess of those permitted, 0.2% of tests (3.3x the national rate for this defect)
2. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.5% of tests (1.42x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 23.1% of tests, also fails
4. A tyre seriously damaged, 10.3% of tests, also fails
5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 7.2% of tests, also fails
6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 2.7% of tests
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 2.2% of tests
8. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.5% of tests
9. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.3% of tests, also fails
10. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 1.2% of tests

From 16,865 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 2 Series tests, 2024.

Other BMW 2 Series fuel types

• Diesel BMW 2 Series - 87.4%
• Hybrid BMW 2 Series - 84.8%

All BMW 2 Series MOT data · Every model