2,407 tests in 2025
BMW X7 reliability and MOT pass rate
87.6% passed first time. The 12.4% fail rate is 10.2 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 4 years old with 40,351 miles.
Pass rate
87.6%
22.6% of all cars failed; 12.4% of these did.
Fixed on the day
1.7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
40,351 mi
4 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 1,874 | 12.2% |
| 6-9 years | 492 | 13.6% |
| 10-13 years | 0 | — |
| 14+ years | 0 | — |
What the X7 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.
- Tyres150 dangerous66.6%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment11%
- Identification of the vehicle8.4%
- Suspension8%
- Noise, emissions and leaks5.4%
- Visibility5%
- Road Wheels8 dangerous3.3%
- Brakes8 dangerous3%
Is the X7 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 5.2 points to 12.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 2.3 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 552 | 3 | 17.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 1,110 | 3 | 14.4% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 969 | 4 | 15% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,065 | 5 | 12.2% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical X7 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 X7 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords113 tests
- 2Condition: has ply or cords exposed78 tests
- 3Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements21 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn19 tests
- 5Side repeaters: not working17 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm17 tests
- 7Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction15 tests
- 8Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid9 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical X7 collects 1.98 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 1.6mm308 tests
- 2Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords72 tests
- 3Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn67 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick66 tests
- 5Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre60 tests
- 6Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt55 tests
- 7Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm37 tests
- 8Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened28 tests
Questions
What is the BMW X7 MOT pass rate?
87.6% of the 2,407 BMW X7 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 12.4% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 1.7% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a BMW X7 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords", recorded on 113 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has ply or cords exposed" and "Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements". By section, tyres appears in 66.6% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 11% of failures, identification of the vehicle appears in 8.4% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 12.2%; at 6-9 years it was 13.6%. The median BMW X7 tested in 2025 was 4 years old with 40,351 miles.
Is the BMW X7 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 5.2 points to 12.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 2.3 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 X7 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 12 safety recalls naming the BMW X7: BMW X7 recalls.
Other BMW models
Checking a particular X7?
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.