BMW
10,986 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 520d M Sport Mhev Autos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 13.1 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
90.6%
Pass-after-fix
1.1%
Fail
7.8%
Avg miles
40,425
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Electric and hydrogen vehicles are exempt from all UK clean air zone charges.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 10,986 tests
Pass rate drops 3.3 points across the cohorts — recent 520d M Sport Mhev Auto examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.
Pass
91.8%
Fail
6.8%
PRS
1.0%
Avg mileage at test
43,473 mi
Pass
88.5%
Fail
9.6%
PRS
1.4%
Avg mileage at test
34,593 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 4,234 MOT tests, the 520d M Sport Mhev 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. Windscreen damage and a tyre with the cords showing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 32,901, 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
223 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
134 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
128 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
98 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
95 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
61 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel
37 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
31 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Wiper blade defective
29 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
28 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 520d M Sport Mhev 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 3.3-point gap between bands means the year you buy BMW 520d M Sport Mhev Auto has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
91.8%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 91.8% — a 3.3-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a cut in excess of the…, has ply or cords exposed — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
88.5%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 88.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 91.8% 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 has ply or cords exposed. Average mileage on test for this band is 34,593 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (91.8% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (88.5% pass). That's a 3.3-point spread across 3,774 older tests and 7,212 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 520d M Sport Mhev 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.
