BMW
3,560 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 220i M Sport Autos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 11.3 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
88.8%
Pass-after-fix
2.1%
Fail
8.5%
Avg miles
33,650
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 3,560 tests
Pass rate climbs 5.9 points across the cohorts — newer 220i M Sport Auto examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
87.3%
Fail
10.0%
PRS
2.3%
Avg mileage at test
38,566 mi
Pass
93.2%
Fail
4.6%
PRS
1.4%
Avg mileage at test
20,328 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 1,629 MOT tests, the 220i M Sport Auto returns 87.5% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. Tyre tread under the limit and a tyre with the cords showing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 30,923, 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.
ABI Insurance Group
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 →
26–44
out of 50
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A tyre seriously damaged
78 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
42 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
33 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
24 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Wiper blade defective
18 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
17 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
14 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
12 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
11 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
9 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 3 failures
£140–£235
If every one of this 220i 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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Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 5.9-point gap between bands means the year you buy BMW 220i M Sport Auto has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
93.2%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 93.2% — a 5.9-point improvement. Tests in this band average 20,328 miles — roughly 18K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a cut in excess of the…, less than 1.5 mm thick — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.
Band to be cautious about
87.3%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 87.3% pass rate against a fleet average of 93.2% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a cut in excess of the…, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, and has ply or cords exposed. Average mileage on test for this band is 38,566 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (93.2% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (87.3% pass). That's a 5.9-point spread across 2,597 older tests and 963 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
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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 220i 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.
