Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 53,479 tests

Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old 2 Series examples track each other at the test bay.

Pre-2018 cohort 25,879

Pass

88.7%

Fail

8.7%

PRS

2.1%

Avg mileage at test

55,301 mi

2018–2020 cohort 26,684

Pass

90.4%

Fail

7.0%

PRS

2.1%

Avg mileage at test

34,501 mi

2021+ cohort 916

Pass

88.8%

Fail

5.2%

PRS

5.8%

Avg mileage at test

21,021 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

Generations on file · 2

BMW 2 Series · UK market

Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.

The picture

BMW 2 Series: solid MOT record across 23,268 tests

The BMW 2 Series is a petrol-powered car sold in the UK market across multiple generations, covering a broad date range in the test population.

MOT data from 23,268 tests puts this car on an 87.8% first-time pass rate, well above the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 38,470 miles. The most common fail item is damaged tyre sidewall or structure, followed by tyre with exposed cords.

For used buyers, the 2 Series's pass rate suggests it clears the MOT with fewer surprises than most — but the top failure items above are still worth a pre-purchase inspection, particularly on higher-mileage examples.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 22–40

Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.

Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →

22–40

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

A tyre cords visible or damaged

714 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
02

Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

615 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
03

A tyre seriously damaged

553 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
04

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

505 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
05

A tyre seriously damaged

375 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
06

a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

217 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
07

A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage

205 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
08

Wiper blade defective

190 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
09

Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

133 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
10

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen

113 occurrences · 0.2% of tests

Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.

Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures

£120–£190

If every one of this 2 Series's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.7-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy BMW 2 Series makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.

Best band to buy

90.4%

2018–2020 registration

the 2018–2020 band climbs to 90.4% — a 1.7-point improvement. Tests in this band average 34,501 miles — roughly 21K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has ply or cords exposed, has a cut in excess of the… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.

Band to be cautious about

88.7%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 88.7% pass rate against a fleet average of 90.4% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has ply or cords exposed, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Average mileage on test for this band is 55,301 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (90.4% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (88.7% pass). That's a 1.7-point spread across 25,879 older tests and 26,684 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.

Item 01 · Amazon UK

Digital tyre-tread depth gauge

Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.

Search Amazon UK

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Summit

Summit ADRG-640 BMW Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS

£10.99

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Summit

Summit ADRG-904 BMW Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS

£10.99

View at My Motor World →

Summit

Summit ADRG-905 BMW Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS

£10.99

View at My Motor World →

Draper Expert

Draper Expert Oil Filter Socket for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and VW

£18.69

View at My Motor World →

Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Mobile mechanic · UK-wide

Book a mechanic at your door.

Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.

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Recall history

29 UK recalls on record.

The 2 Series has 29 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping a 2 Series?

Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.

If you own a 2 Series and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.