BMW 218 reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: BMW

Model: 218

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 270,624 selected-period tests.

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Overall MOT pass rate

85.5%

Share of this model's 270,624 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

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Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

CO2 emission

Euro emissions

Tax cost

£200/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

65,533

Lower average mileage in the analysed fleet.

Life expectancy miles

75,981

Lower mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

8.6

Average age sits in the mid-fleet band.

Vehicles represented

44,112

44,111 valid MOT, 1 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

270,624

270,624 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Scarce

44,112On the road

Insight summary

BMW 218 is a scarce model in this snapshot, with 44,112 represented vehicles and 0.11% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 85.5% from 270,624 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 57. The current pool shows an average of 65,533 miles and an average age of 8.6 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 75,981 miles. Petrol leads the fuel split, followed by diesel, and the most frequent defect themes are windscreen damage, tyre condition and engine warning light. The practical read is that the BMW 218 looks a little better than average, but still rewards careful checks on mileage and maintenance.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
PETROL	24,645
DIESEL	19,467

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))	2,353
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	1,463
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	1,329
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))	1,304
Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	1,303
Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	1,247
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	1,225
Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative (5.2.3 (h))	1,056
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	1,005
Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	983
Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	963
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	922
Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	867
Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	767
Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	733
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))	711
Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	685
Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	653
Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))	643
Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	633
Nearside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	628
Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))	625
Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))	620
Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	615
Nearside Rear Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	594

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 23,927 defects across this top 25 set

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

2,353

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

1,463

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

1,329

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

1,304

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

1,303

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

1,247

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

1,225

Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative (5.2.3 (h))

1,056

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

1,005

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

983

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

963

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

922

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

867

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

767

Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

733

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))

711

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

685

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

653

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

643

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

633

Nearside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

628

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

625

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

620

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

615

Nearside Rear Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

594

BMW 218 reliability and MOT data