Car statistics by year
2019 BMW 3 Series
BMW 3 Series cars first registered in 2019: 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 2019, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 87.0% All 2019 cars 84.4%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 54,100 miles; all 2019 cars 42,400
- Left at the end of 2025 24,201 96.3% of the 25,122 at the end of 2019
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 6.6% All 2019 cars 5.4%
- Tests with an advisory 34.2% All 2019 cars 41.0%
- MOT tests in 2025 24,865 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2019 BMW 3 Series do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 6 years old, 87.0% of 2019 BMW 3 Series MOT tests were passed first time, against 84.4% for all cars first registered in 2019. 2019 BMW 3 Series did better than average for their age, by 2.6 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 87.0% of the time (all 2019 cars 85.7%).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| ’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% |
| ’22 | 85.2% | 89.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2019 BMW 3 Series
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm was the most common single reason a 2019 BMW 3 Series failed, on 15.8% of about 3,200 failed tests. By area of the car, tyres failed most often (54.3% of failed tests; all 2019 cars 33.9%). 6.6% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 5.4% for all cars first registered in 2019. 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 | 15.8% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 14.5% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 12.7% |
| Tyres: bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres | 9.5% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 8.5% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.0% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 4.9% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 3.7% |
| Side repeaters: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3.3% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3.3% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: BMW 3 Series vs all 2019 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 54.3% |
| Brakes | 15.5% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12.9% |
| Visibility | 10.0% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.6% |
| Suspension | 7.2% |
| Road wheels | 4.6% |
| Steering | 2.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2019 BMW 3 Series
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 34.2% of 2019 BMW 3 Series tests had at least one (all 2019 cars 41.0%). 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 | 17.8% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 8.1% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 2.7% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 2.5% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 2.3% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 2.3% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 2.1% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 2.1% |
| Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 1.9% |
| Transmission oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2019 BMW 3 Series?
Half of the 2019 BMW 3 Series tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 54,100 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 40,500 and a quarter more than 70,400. For all cars first registered in 2019, the middle figure was 42,400 miles, so 2019 BMW 3 Series have been driven 27.6% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 BMW 3 Series | 30,100 | 40,500 | 54,100 | 70,400 | 89,200 | 23,623 |
| All 2019 cars | 20,300 | 30,000 | 42,400 | 57,100 | 74,200 | 2,073,624 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2019 BMW 3 Series are left?
At the end of 2019, 25,122 2019 BMW 3 Series were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 24,201 were: 23,871 licensed and 330 declared off the road (SORN). That is 96.3% still on the record, against 97.3% for all cars first registered in 2019.
Share still on the record since 2019
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2019. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2019 BMW 3 Series | All 2019 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2020 | 101.1% | 99.1% |
| 2021 | 101.0% | 98.5% |
| 2022 | 98.5% | 97.2% |
| 2023 | 97.0% | 97.5% |
| 2024 | 97.3% | 97.5% |
| 2025 | 96.3% | 97.3% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2019
7 of the BMW 3 Series’s 67 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2019. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 2019 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2019 may have been built in 2018, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 2025 | Replace the Engine Starter Motor | 26 Oct 2015 to 21 Jun 2021 | 36,549 |
| 22 Aug 2022 | Undetected EGR System leaks may cause thermal activity in the intake manifold | 3 Dec 2014 to 1 Mar 2018 and 5 Jul 2018 to 12 Jul 2021 | 322,745 (all models) |
| 1 Aug 2022 | The exhaust gas recirculation cooler may leak over time and cause thermal incident | 9 Dec 2011 to 21 Nov 2019 | 319,399 (all models) |
| 9 Aug 2021 | The tandam vacuum/oil pump may fail | 13 Apr 2019 | 1 |
| 10 Aug 2020 | Steering tie rod can become broken in the 'kink' groove area of the rod | 22 Oct 2018 to 16 Mar 2019 | 4,542 (all models) |
| 7 Apr 2020 | The foldable rear centre head restraint interlock was not welded according to specifications | 5 Jul 2019 to 31 Jul 2019 | 1,737 |
| 9 Dec 2019 | The pressing force of the bearing bushing into the crankcase may be out of specification | 11 Mar 2019 to 9 Jul 2019 | 53 (all models) |
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 | 24,865 MOT tests of 2019 BMW 3 Series cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 24,201 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 2019; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2019.
- 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.