17,376 tests in 2025
BMW X4 reliability and MOT pass rate
87% passed first time. The 13% fail rate is 9.6 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 7 years old with 57,729 miles.
Pass rate
87%
22.6% of all cars failed; 13% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2.3%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
57,729 mi
7 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 4,674 | 9.3% |
| 6-9 years | 10,037 | 13.4% |
| 10-13 years | 2,618 | 18.7% |
| 14+ years | 1 | — |
What the X4 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.
- Tyres861 dangerous41.1%
- Suspension10 dangerous23.5%
- Visibility18.2%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment4 dangerous14.5%
- Brakes220 dangerous12.9%
- Noise, emissions and leaks1 dangerous8.8%
- Identification of the vehicle3.2%
- Road Wheels12 dangerous2.6%
Is the X4 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1.7 points to 13.5% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 13,796 | 5 | 11.8% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 14,782 | 6 | 12.7% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 13,781 | — | 13.1% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 15,653 | — | 13.5% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical X4 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 X4 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken367 tests
- 2Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords304 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm292 tests
- 4Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively280 tests
- 5Condition: has ply or cords exposed197 tests
- 6Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction180 tests
- 7Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick162 tests
- 8Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid96 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical X4 collects 2.1 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 1.6mm2,660 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,106 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened650 tests
- 4Non-component advisories: Play in steering rack inner joint(s)531 tests
- 5Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt471 tests
- 6Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure467 tests
- 7Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre432 tests
- 8Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm410 tests
Questions
What is the BMW X4 MOT pass rate?
87% of the 17,376 BMW X4 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 13% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 2.3% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a BMW X4 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 367 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" and "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm". By section, tyres appears in 41.1% of failures, suspension appears in 23.5% of failures, visibility appears in 18.2% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 9.3%; at 10-13 years it was 18.7%. The median BMW X4 tested in 2025 was 7 years old with 57,729 miles.
Is the BMW X4 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1.7 points to 13.5% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
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 X4 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 21 safety recalls naming the BMW X4: BMW X4 recalls.
Other BMW models
Checking a particular X4?
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.