BMW X7: MOT pass rate and reliability data
The BMW X7 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 7.9 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,162 individual BMW X7 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.
The numbers
| First-time pass rate | 84.6% |
| UK national average | 76.7% |
| Difference | +7.9 points |
| Tests analysed | 1,162 |
| Average mileage at test | 43,106 miles |
| Average year of manufacture | 2020 |
| Reliability rank | 1,267 of 2,005 models |
What this means if you are buying one
A 84.6% first-time pass rate means roughly 15 in every 100 BMW X7s 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 X7 tested had covered 43,106 miles and was built around 2020.
What this means at salvage auction
Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a BMW X7 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 X7 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 X7s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.
Most common MOT failures on a BMW X7
- Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.8% of tests (4.85x the national rate for this defect)
- A tyre seriously damaged, 6.1% of tests (3.02x the national rate for this defect)
- A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.5% of tests (2.03x the national rate for this defect)
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 0.8% of tests
- Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 0.5% of tests
- A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.5% of tests
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.4% of tests
- Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 0.3% of tests (2.05x the national rate for this defect)
- Number plate showing an incorrect registration, 0.2% of tests (17.31x the national rate for this defect)
- Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 0.2% of tests (3.51x the national rate for this defect)
From 3,046 DVSA-tracked BMW X7 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 7.83% of these flagged BMW X7 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.
BMW X7 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 X7 year:
- 2019 BMW X7 - 84.9% first-time pass, 515 tests
- 2020 BMW X7 - 85.3% first-time pass, 550 tests
BMW X7 by fuel type
Diesel and petrol versions of the same car fail on different things, so the fuel type moves the number:
- Diesel BMW X7 - 85.1% first-time pass, 872 tests
- Petrol BMW X7 - 86.3% first-time pass, 278 tests
Other BMW models
- BMW 3 Series - 76.8%
- BMW 118 - 81.9%
- BMW 116 - 78.6%
- BMW X1 - 85.2%
- BMW X3 - 82.3%
- BMW X5 - 81.2%
- BMW 1 Series - 81.6%
- BMW 520 - 80.2%
Models with a similar pass rate
- BMW 228 - 84.7%
- Ford Tourneo Custom - 84.6%
- Ford Tourneo Custom 320 Tnium Eblue - 84.6%
- Audi Rs4 - 84.6%
- Rolls Royce Silver Spirit - 84.6%
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class - 84.5%
If this car is a salvage or write-off
- What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
- What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
- Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
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