3,501 tests in 2025
BMW M2 reliability and MOT pass rate
89.8% passed first time. The 10.2% fail rate is 12.4 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 7 years old with 43,371 miles.
Pass rate
89.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 10.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
1.3%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
43,371 mi
7 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 227 | 8.4% |
| 6-9 years | 3,257 | 10.4% |
| 10-13 years | 0 | — |
| 14+ years | 0 | — |
What the M2 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension3 dangerous39.5%
- Tyres141 dangerous37%
- Noise, emissions and leaks13.4%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment1 dangerous11.8%
- Brakes7 dangerous8.7%
- Visibility5%
- Identification of the vehicle3.9%
- Road Wheels1.4%
Is the M2 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1.8 points to 10.4% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 6.6 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3,390 | 5 | 8.6% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 3,320 | 6 | 10.1% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 2,757 | 7 | 11.1% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 3,039 | 8 | 10.4% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical M2 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a M2 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken121 tests
- 2Condition: has ply or cords exposed64 tests
- 3Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords39 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm29 tests
- 5Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits18 tests
- 6Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn16 tests
- 7Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits13 tests
- 8Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits12 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical M2 collects 2.04 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm385 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened99 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure96 tests
- 4Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre83 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick71 tests
- 6Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords63 tests
- 7Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm57 tests
- 8Transmission oil leaks: leaking excessively from transmission53 tests
Questions
What is the BMW M2 MOT pass rate?
89.8% of the 3,501 BMW M2 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 10.2% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 1.3% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a BMW M2 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 121 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has ply or cords exposed" and "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords". By section, suspension appears in 39.5% of failures, tyres appears in 37% of failures, noise, emissions and leaks appears in 13.4% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 8.4%; at 6-9 years it was 10.4%. The median BMW M2 tested in 2025 was 7 years old with 43,371 miles.
Is the BMW M2 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1.8 points to 10.4% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 6.6 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every M2 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 4 safety recalls naming the BMW M2: BMW M2 recalls.
Other BMW models
Checking a particular M2?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.