Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 17,525 tests

Pass rate climbs 4.1 points across the cohorts — newer X2 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 1,729

Pass

85.0%

Fail

9.9%

PRS

4.3%

Avg mileage at test

48,549 mi

2018–2020 cohort 12,439

Pass

88.0%

Fail

9.3%

PRS

2.5%

Avg mileage at test

38,814 mi

2021+ cohort 3,357

Pass

89.1%

Fail

7.9%

PRS

2.5%

Avg mileage at test

23,964 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

The picture

X2: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 7,431 MOT tests, the X2 returns 86.1% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. Wipers that don't clear the screen and a defective wiper blade round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 31,839, 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

Group 26–38

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 →

26–38

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

A tyre seriously damaged

396 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
02

Wiper blade defective

200 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
03

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

190 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
04

A tyre cords visible or damaged

166 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
05

A tyre seriously damaged

162 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
06

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

152 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
07

Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

115 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
08

A tyre seriously damaged

54 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
09

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen

47 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
10

a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

45 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

£100–£185

If every one of this X2'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

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 4.1-point gap between bands means the year you buy BMW X2 has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

89.1%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 89.1% — a 4.1-point improvement. Tests in this band average 23,964 miles — roughly 25K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a cut in excess of the…, blade defective — 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

85.0%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 85.0% pass rate against a fleet average of 89.1% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a cut in excess of the…, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and has a bulge, caused by separation or…. Average mileage on test for this band is 48,549 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2021+ (89.1% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (85.0% pass). That's a 4.1-point spread across 1,729 older tests and 3,357 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

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

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

Item 02 · 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

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Summit

Summit ADRG-640 BMW Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS

£10.99

View at My Motor World →

Summit

Summit ADRG-904 BMW Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS

£10.99

View at My Motor World →

Summit

Summit ADRG-905 BMW Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS

£10.99

View at My Motor World →

Draper Expert

Draper Expert Oil Filter Socket for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and VW

£18.69

View at My Motor World →

Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Mobile mechanic · UK-wide

Book a mechanic at your door.

Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.

Get a quote →

Recall history

9 UK recalls on record.

The X2 has 9 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping an X2?

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 an X2 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.