BMW
4,938 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 225s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.8 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
86.3%
Pass-after-fix
2.0%
Fail
11.2%
Avg miles
63,004
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 · 4,937 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.2 points across the cohorts — newer 225 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
86.2%
Fail
11.2%
PRS
2.2%
Avg mileage at test
64,461 mi
Pass
88.4%
Fail
11.6%
PRS
0.0%
Avg mileage at test
40,192 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 2,813 MOT tests, the 225 returns 86.1% 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 windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 56,307, 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
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A tyre seriously damaged
88 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
81 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
53 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
53 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
48 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
43 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
33 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Wiper blade defective
26 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel
25 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
22 occurrences · 0.4% 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 225'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
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.2-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy BMW 225 makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
88.4%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 88.4% — a 2.2-point improvement. Tests in this band average 40,192 miles — roughly 24K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has ply or cords exposed, has a bulge, caused by separation or… — 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
86.2%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 86.2% pass rate against a fleet average of 88.4% 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 damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 64,461 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (88.4% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (86.2% pass). That's a 2.2-point spread across 4,644 older tests and 293 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.
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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 225 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.
