Petrol BMW 5 Series: MOT pass rate

88.3% of petrol BMW 5 Series pass the MOT first time, measured across 14,237 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 53,793.

Petrol against the other BMW 5 Series versions

Fuel Pass rate Tests
Diesel 84.2% 45,445
Petrol 88.3% 14,237
Hybrid 88.5% 13,263
All BMW 5 Series85.8%73,063

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 5 Series specifically, hybrid is the strongest at 88.5%, and this petrol version sits 2.5 points above the 85.8% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The petrol BMW 5 Series is the stronger side of this model on MOT data. Still judge the individual car, but the fuel type is a mild point in its favour. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average petrol BMW 5 Series had covered 53,793 miles at test, against 92,298 for the diesel and 64,074 for the hybrid. That is around average, so condition and service history will tell you more than the odometer does.

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 5 Series page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Other BMW 5 Series fuel types

All BMW 5 Series MOT data · Every model