14,891 tests in 2025
BMW X6 reliability and MOT pass rate
86% passed first time. The 14% fail rate is 8.6 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 9 years old with 76,687 miles.
Pass rate
86%
22.6% of all cars failed; 14% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2.9%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
76,687 mi
9 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 2,755 | 11.2% |
| 6-9 years | 5,401 | 11.2% |
| 10-13 years | 4,343 | 16.4% |
| 14+ years | 2,338 | 19.5% |
What the X6 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.
- Tyres845 dangerous42.4%
- Suspension29 dangerous27.4%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment3 dangerous19.2%
- Brakes137 dangerous15.5%
- Visibility12.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks4 dangerous9%
- Body, chassis, structure7 dangerous6.1%
- Road Wheels28 dangerous4.5%
Is the X6 getting worse?
The fail rate held at 14.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 7.7 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 14,395 | 7 | 14.7% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 13,961 | 8 | 14.7% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 11,802 | 9 | 15.4% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 11,970 | 10 | 14.7% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical X6 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 X6 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Condition: has ply or cords exposed327 tests
- 2Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords318 tests
- 3Coil spring: fractured or broken220 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm193 tests
- 5Side repeaters: not working145 tests
- 6Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn139 tests
- 7Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction128 tests
- 8Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt106 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical X6 collects 2.24 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 1.6mm2,348 tests
- 2Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine882 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick807 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened648 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn608 tests
- 6Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn444 tests
- 7Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure417 tests
- 8Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm396 tests
Questions
What is the BMW X6 MOT pass rate?
86% of the 14,891 BMW X6 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 14% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 2.9% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a BMW X6 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Condition: has ply or cords exposed", recorded on 327 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" and "Coil spring: fractured or broken". By section, tyres appears in 42.4% of failures, suspension appears in 27.4% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 19.2% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 11.2%; at 14+ years it was 19.5%. The median BMW X6 tested in 2025 was 9 years old with 76,687 miles.
Is the BMW X6 getting less reliable?
The fail rate held at 14.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 7.7 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 X6 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 29 safety recalls naming the BMW X6: BMW X6 recalls.
Other BMW models
Checking a particular X6?
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.