BMW
9,699 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 320i M Sport Autos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 13.0 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
90.5%
Pass-after-fix
1.8%
Fail
7.3%
Avg miles
28,378
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 · 9,679 tests
Pass rate drops 1.9 points across the cohorts — recent 320i M Sport Auto examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.
Pass
92.1%
Fail
6.4%
PRS
1.3%
Avg mileage at test
33,426 mi
Pass
90.2%
Fail
7.4%
PRS
1.9%
Avg mileage at test
27,146 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 996 MOT tests, the 320i M Sport Auto returns 90.6% 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 seriously damaged tyre round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 24,459, 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
152 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
98 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
95 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
87 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
62 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
61 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Wiper blade defective
40 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
27 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
22 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
19 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
£140–£255
If every one of this 320i 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 →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.9-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy BMW 320i M Sport Auto makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
92.1%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 92.1% — a 1.9-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, 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.
Band to be cautious about
90.2%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 90.2% pass rate against a fleet average of 92.1% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a cut in excess of the…, has a bulge, caused by separation or…, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 27,146 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (92.1% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (90.2% pass). That's a 1.9-point spread across 7,876 older tests and 1,803 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
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
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 320i 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.
