BMW 120 reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: BMW

Model: 120

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 277,118 selected-period tests.

View More models

Overall MOT pass rate

77.6%

Share of this model's 277,118 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

View manufacturers

Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

CO2 emission

Euro emissions

Tax cost

£235/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

111,841

Solid average mileage for this model.

Life expectancy miles

117,763

Moderate mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

13.8

Comfortable mid-life age pattern.

Vehicles represented

35,464

35,464 valid MOT, 0 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

277,118

277,118 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Scarce

35,464On the road

Insight summary

BMW 120 is a scarce model in this snapshot, with 35,464 represented vehicles and 0.09% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 77.6% from 277,118 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 56. The current pool shows an average of 111,841 miles and an average age of 13.8 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 117,763 miles. Diesel leads the fuel split, followed by petrol, and the most frequent defect themes are windscreen damage, parking brake and tyre condition. The practical read is that the BMW 120 looks a little better than average, but still rewards careful checks on mileage and maintenance.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
DIESEL	29,182
PETROL	6,279
ELECTRIC	1
HYBRID ELECTRIC (CLEAN)	1
STEAM	1

Euro NCAP Safety

No NCAP tests found for this model.

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	6,433
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	3,733
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	3,451
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	3,069
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	2,681
Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	2,514
Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	2,359
Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	2,356
Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	2,233
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	2,150
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	2,023
Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	1,927
Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	1,897
Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))	1,806
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))	1,729
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))	1,669
Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	1,450
Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	1,415
Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	1,387
Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))	1,367
Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))	1,306
Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	1,235
Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))	1,227
Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))	1,133
Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))	1,125

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 53,675 defects across this top 25 set

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

6,433

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

3,733

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

3,451

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

3,069

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

2,681

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

2,514

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

2,359

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

2,356

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

2,233

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

2,150

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

2,023

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

1,927

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

1,897

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

1,806

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

1,729

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

1,669

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

1,450

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

1,415

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

1,387

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

1,367

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

1,306

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

1,235

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

1,227

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

1,133

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

1,125

BMW 120 reliability and MOT data