BMW
2,743 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where X4 M Competition Autos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 16.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
94.2%
Pass-after-fix
0.9%
Fail
4.5%
Avg miles
32,976
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 · 2,743 tests
Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old X4 M Competition Auto examples track each other at the test bay.
Pass
94.0%
Fail
4.5%
PRS
1.1%
Avg mileage at test
35,430 mi
Pass
94.9%
Fail
4.5%
PRS
0.3%
Avg mileage at test
24,512 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 600 MOT tests, the X4 M Competition Auto returns 90.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. A tyre with the cords showing and a seriously damaged tyre round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 26,997, 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
A high-group car — insurance costs will be significantly above average. 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 →
35–45
out of 50
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
34 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Wiper blade defective
20 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
18 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
16 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
14 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
12 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Emissions levels exceed default limits
8 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Emissions levels exceed default limits
8 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud
7 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
6 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 4 failures
£155–£270
If every one of this X4 M Competition 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. Pass rates barely move across bands here, so the year you buy BMW X4 M Competition Auto makes little measurable difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
94.9%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 94.9% — a 0.9-point improvement. Tests in this band average 24,512 miles — roughly 11K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, does not conform to the specified requirements — 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
94.0%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 94.0% pass rate against a fleet average of 94.9% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, blade defective, and has ply or cords exposed. Average mileage on test for this band is 35,430 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (94.9% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (94.0% pass). That's a 0.9-point spread across 2,137 older tests and 606 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
Item 03 · Amazon UK
MOT-spec replacement number plate
Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
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
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.
Owner reports · Honest John
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
Less practical than the equivalent BMW X3 SUV. Quite expensive to buy. Coupe SUV styling remains divisive for many.
Where it falls short
Less practical than the equivalent BMW X3 SUV. Quite expensive to buy. Coupe SUV styling remains divisive for many.
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 X4 M Competition 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.
