The picture
218i M Sport Auto: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 3,532 MOT tests, the 218i M Sport Auto returns 88.2% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. A tyre with the cords showing and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 26,010, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A tyre seriously damaged
125 occurrences · 3.5% of tests
- 02
A tyre cords visible or damaged
56 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 03
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
54 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 04
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
35 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 05
A tyre seriously damaged
29 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 06
Wiper blade defective
24 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 07
Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator
21 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 08
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
20 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 09
Seat belt buckle missing, damaged or not functioning as intended
12 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 10
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
10 occurrences · 0.3% 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 218i M Sport Auto'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 →
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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.
Buying or keeping a 218i M Sport Auto?
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 218i M Sport Auto 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.