BMW 320i Sport Auto: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 320i Sport Auto passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 9.8 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 674 individual BMW 320i Sport Auto tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate86.5%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+9.8 points
Tests analysed674
Average mileage at test32,367 miles
Average year of manufacture2021
Reliability rank1,144 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 86.5% first-time pass rate means roughly 14 in every 100 BMW 320i Sport Autos presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average BMW 320i Sport Auto tested had covered 32,367 miles and was built around 2021.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a BMW 320i Sport Auto bought as a repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific BMW 320i Sport Auto rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see what damaged BMW 320i Sport Autos actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 320i Sport Auto

  1. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.5% of tests (1.72x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.4% of tests
  3. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.2% of tests
  4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.1% of tests
  5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.1% of tests
  6. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 1.1% of tests (4.62x the national rate for this defect)
  7. Seat belt buckle missing, damaged or not functioning as intended, 0.7% of tests (6.36x the national rate for this defect)
  8. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.4% of tests
  9. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.4% of tests
  10. Parking brake control missing, defective or inoperative, 0.3% of tests (11.54x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,298 DVSA-tracked BMW 320i Sport Auto tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 10.73% of these flagged BMW 320i Sport Auto defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

BMW 320i Sport Auto pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each BMW 320i Sport Auto year:

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Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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BMW 320i Sport Auto MOT pass rate badge: 86.5%

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate