Car statistics by year
2016 BMW 3 Series
BMW 3 Series cars first registered in 2016: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2016, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 83.2% All 2016 cars 75.6%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 83,800 miles; all 2016 cars 65,300
- Left at the end of 2025 31,318 91.1% of the 34,360 at the end of 2016
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 6.2% All 2016 cars 6.7%
- Tests with an advisory 42.5% All 2016 cars 48.6%
- MOT tests in 2025 31,252 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2016 BMW 3 Series do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 9 years old, 83.2% of 2016 BMW 3 Series MOT tests were passed first time, against 75.6% for all cars first registered in 2016. 2016 BMW 3 Series did better than average for their age, by 7.6 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 83.6% of the time (all 2016 cars 77.5%).
MOT pass rate by year of first registration: BMW 3 Series vs all cars
Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each BMW 3 Series bar with the all-cars bar beside it.
| First registered | BMW 3 Series | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| ’10 | 67.9% | 59.3% |
| ’11 | 69.2% | 61.5% |
| ’12 | 68.1% | 63.6% |
| ’13 | 73.0% | 66.0% |
| ’14 | 75.7% | 69.1% |
| ’15 | 79.7% | 72.6% |
| ’16 | 83.2% | 75.6% |
| ’17 | 84.4% | 79.1% |
| ’18 | 85.7% | 81.8% |
| ’19 | 87.0% | 84.4% |
| ’20 | 87.1% | 86.9% |
| ’21 | 87.0% | 88.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2016 BMW 3 Series
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm was the most common single reason a 2016 BMW 3 Series failed, on 12.0% of about 5,300 failed tests. By area of the car, tyres failed most often (36.7% of failed tests; all 2016 cars 27.6%). 6.2% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 6.7% for all cars first registered in 2016. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Most common reasons for failure
Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 12.0% |
| Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak Suspension | 10.6% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 8.9% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 7.8% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 7.7% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.4% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 6.3% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.2% |
| Tyres: bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres | 5.1% |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: BMW 3 Series vs all 2016 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 36.7% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 28.3% |
| Suspension | 18.8% |
| Brakes | 17.3% |
| Visibility | 12.0% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.8% |
| Road wheels | 5.4% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 1.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2016 BMW 3 Series
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 42.5% of 2016 BMW 3 Series tests had at least one (all 2016 cars 48.6%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 18.9% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 7.9% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 6.4% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 5.0% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 4.3% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 3.0% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 2.8% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 2.6% |
| Transmission oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.6% |
| Play in steering rack inner joint(s) Non-component advisories | 2.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2016 BMW 3 Series?
Half of the 2016 BMW 3 Series tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 83,800 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 64,600 and a quarter more than 106,500. For all cars first registered in 2016, the middle figure was 65,300 miles, so 2016 BMW 3 Series have been driven 28.3% further than average.
Mileage at the 2025 MOT
Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.
| 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 BMW 3 Series | 48,800 | 64,600 | 83,800 | 106,500 | 131,100 | 29,993 |
| All 2016 cars | 32,200 | 47,000 | 65,300 | 86,000 | 108,800 | 2,323,151 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2016 BMW 3 Series are left?
At the end of 2016, 34,360 2016 BMW 3 Series were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 31,318 were: 30,658 licensed and 660 declared off the road (SORN). That is 91.1% still on the record, against 94.1% for all cars first registered in 2016.
Share still on the record since 2016
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2016. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2016 BMW 3 Series | All 2016 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2017 | 100.5% | 100.0% |
| 2018 | 98.8% | 99.0% |
| 2019 | 95.4% | 96.5% |
| 2020 | 94.2% | 96.5% |
| 2021 | 94.0% | 96.6% |
| 2022 | 93.4% | 96.4% |
| 2023 | 92.7% | 95.6% |
| 2024 | 92.0% | 95.0% |
| 2025 | 91.1% | 94.1% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2016
11 of the BMW 3 Series’s 67 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2016. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 2016 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2016 may have been built in 2015, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
Every BMW 3 Series recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls
Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated
Other years of the BMW 3 Series
32 years of the BMW 3 Series, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2007 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (68.1% passed first time) and the 1995 cars worst (66.8%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | – | 1,793 | 80.1% |
| 1989 | – | 2,786 | 81.2% |
| 1990 | – | 3,420 | 79.3% |
| 1991 | – | 2,120 | 80.0% |
| 1995 | – | 2,926 | 66.8% |
| 1996 | – | 3,932 | 68.6% |
| 1997 | – | 4,847 | 70.0% |
| 1998 | – | 5,555 | 68.4% |
| 1999 | – | 7,031 | 69.1% |
| 2000 | – | 7,583 | 66.5% |
| 2001 | – | 10,968 | 65.5% |
| 2002 | – | 14,361 | 66.7% |
| 2003 | – | 16,133 | 67.2% |
| 2004 | – | 13,939 | 66.9% |
| 2005 | – | 14,137 | 66.1% |
| 2006 | – | 19,509 | 67.4% |
| 2007 | – | 25,610 | 68.1% |
| 2008 | – | 21,773 | 67.8% |
| 2009 | – | 21,621 | 66.8% |
| 2010 | – | 24,475 | 67.9% |
| 2011 | – | 26,663 | 69.2% |
| 2012 | – | 32,763 | 68.1% |
| 2013 | – | 34,496 | 73.0% |
| 2014 | 36,711 | 32,348 | 75.7% |
| 2015 | 34,505 | 31,612 | 79.7% |
| 2016 | 34,360 | 31,318 | 83.2% |
| 2017 | 33,404 | 30,114 | 84.4% |
| 2018 | 25,623 | 23,947 | 85.7% |
| 2019 | 25,122 | 24,201 | 87.0% |
| 2020 | 20,371 | 18,956 | 87.1% |
| 2021 | 22,310 | 20,374 | 87.0% |
| 2022 | 11,299 | 10,292 | 85.2% |
Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT results and mileage | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 31,252 MOT tests of 2016 BMW 3 Series cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 31,318 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of BMW 3 Series cars first registered in 2016; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2016.
- Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
- Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
- Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
- Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
- DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.