How many BMW 5 Series are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, how new registrations have changed and which fuels they use. Built from DVLA licensing records and 204,690 DVSA MOT tests.
Licensed in Great Britain187,690−4.8% on a year earlier
Declared SORN39,140Off the road, not taxed
MOT first-time pass rate, 202579.7%Cars of the same ages 71.7%
Rank by number licensedNo. 43of 1,159 models we cover
Peak year2018236,897 licensed
Average annual mileage8,619miles a year
How many BMW 5 Series are left in Great Britain?
There were 187,690 BMW 5 Series licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 39,140 declared off the road (SORN).
That is 20.8% fewer than the peak of 236,897 in 2018.
BMW 5 Series licensed in Great Britain
Numbers peaked in 2018 and have fallen every year since, as older cars are scrapped faster than new ones are registered.
13 versions of the BMW 5 Series have their own page.
The figures above include every version; each version page covers only the cars DVLA records
under that version’s name.
In 2025, 79.7% of BMW 5 Series MOT tests were passed first time,
against 72.8% for all cars.
Cars of the same ages as the BMW 5 Series tested pass 71.7% of the time, so the BMW 5 Series does better than average for its age, by 8.0 points. In 2024 its pass rate was 79.1%.
MOT first-time pass rate by age: BMW 5 Series vs all cars
Comparing like with like: each bar pair covers cars of the same age, so an older average age does not count against a model.
0%
50%
100%
3 years
4–5 years
6–7 years
8–10 years
11–14 years
15–19 years
20+ years
BMW 5 Series
All cars
MOT first-time pass rate by vehicle age, BMW 5 Series compared with all cars
Tyres is the most common reason a BMW 5 Series fails its MOT,
appearing on 33.1% of failed tests. A failed test can have defects in
more than one category, so shares add up to more than 100%.
7.0% of BMW 5 Series tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.3% for all cars.
Most common MOT failure categories
Share of failed BMW 5 Series MOT tests with at least one defect in each category
Most common BMW 5 Series MOT defects and advisories
The single most common reason a BMW 5 Series failed its MOT in 2025 was
“Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm”, on 10.3% of 41,629 failed tests.
45.3% of tests ended with at least one advisory, a problem to watch that did not fail the test; the most common was “Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge”.
The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
Most common reasons for failure
Share of failed tests with each defect. A test can fail for more than one.
Most common specific MOT defects on failed BMW 5 Series tests, 2025
Defect
Share of failed tests
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres
10.3%
Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension
10.3%
Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres
9.3%
Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres
7.6%
Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
25 years of the BMW 5 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 2008 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (72.2% passed first time) and the 2022 cars worst (86.6%).
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.
BMW 5 Series annual mileage
The average BMW 5 Series covers 8,619 miles a year,
worked out from odometer readings at consecutive MOT tests.
Average annual mileage by age
0
5k
10k
15k
10,603
4–5 years
9,863
6–7 years
9,374
8–10 years
8,561
11–14 years
7,251
15–19 years
4,633
20+ years
Average annual mileage of a BMW 5 Series by vehicle age
Of the 199,288 BMW 5 Series licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 69.5% have an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc, and 23.6% have an engine of 2,901cc to 3,000cc. The share with an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc has grown from 44.6% in 2014 to 69.5%. Petrols made up 23.1% of those licensed in 2014 and 11.6% in 2025.
Engine sizes, end of 2025
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
BMW 5 Series licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, by engine size
Engine size
Share of those licensed
1,901cc to 2,000cc 138,460 licensed
69.5%
2,901cc to 3,000cc 47,028 licensed
23.6%
2,401cc to 2,500cc 6,649 licensed
3.3%
2,001cc to 2,100cc 3,606 licensed
1.8%
2,101cc to 2,200cc 907 licensed
0.5%
2,701cc to 2,800cc 692 licensed
0.3%
Other sizes 1,946 licensed
1.0%
Source:DfT / DVLAEnd of 2014 to end of 2025Updated
Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size
Fuel
Licensed
Share
1,901–2,000cc
Diesel
98,436
49.4%
2,901–3,000cc
Diesel
36,637
18.4%
1,901–2,000cc
Plug-in hybrid
16,716
8.4%
1,901–2,000cc
Hybrid
14,295
7.2%
1,901–2,000cc
Petrol
9,011
4.5%
2,901–3,000cc
Petrol
6,942
3.5%
2,401–2,500cc
Petrol
3,714
1.9%
2,001–2,100cc
Diesel
3,584
1.8%
2,401–2,500cc
Diesel
2,922
1.5%
2,901–3,000cc
Hybrid
2,731
1.4%
Engine sizes, 2014 to 2025
Share of those licensed at the end of each year, for the most common sizes.
BMW 5 Series licensed in the UK by fuel type, share of each year’s total
Year
Diesel
Petrol
Plug-in hybrid
Hybrid
2014
76.7%
23.1%
0.0%
0.0%
2015
79.9%
19.9%
0.0%
0.1%
2016
82.7%
17.1%
0.0%
0.1%
2017
83.6%
15.5%
0.8%
0.1%
2018
82.0%
14.5%
3.4%
0.1%
2019
80.7%
14.1%
4.9%
0.3%
2020
78.8%
13.7%
5.2%
2.3%
2021
77.3%
13.0%
5.7%
4.0%
2022
75.3%
12.4%
6.4%
5.9%
2023
74.1%
12.0%
7.0%
6.9%
2024
72.7%
11.7%
7.7%
7.8%
2025
71.1%
11.6%
8.7%
8.5%
Source:DfT / DVLAEnd of 2014 to end of 2025Updated
United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN
excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page.
How we use engine sizes.
BMW 5 Series fuel economy and CO2
The Vehicle Certification Agency’s new car data lists the BMW 5 Series from 2000, when the data begins, and still lists it. On the WLTP test (listings 2025 to 2026), official combined fuel economy for its petrol hybrid versions ranges from 42.8 to 48.7 mpg, with CO2 of 131 to 150 g/km; plug-in hybrid versions are rated at 91.1 to 470.8 mpg (weighted). On the older NEDC test (listings 2000 to 2018), official combined fuel economy for its petrol, diesel and petrol hybrid versions ranges from 18.8 to 68.9 mpg, with CO2 of 108 to 361 g/km; plug-in hybrid versions are rated at 141.2 mpg (weighted).
Official WLTP figures by engine and fuel, listed 2025 to 2026
Official WLTP figures by engine and fuel, listed 2025 to 2026
Engine and fuel
Combined mpg
CO2 g/km
Listed
Euro standard
Versions
2.0 petrol hybrid
42.8–48.7
131–150
2025–2026
Euro 6
8
2.0 plug-in hybrid
113.0–470.8
14–56
2025–2026
Euro 6
10
3.0 plug-in hybrid
91.1–353.1
18–69
2025–2026
Euro 6
8
Older NEDC figures, listed 2000 to 2018 (17 engine and fuel groups)
Official NEDC figures by engine and fuel, listed 2000 to 2018
Official figures from laboratory type-approval tests. VCA says they may not be achieved in
real-world driving, and should not be used to rank cars with similar figures.
NEDC figures (in VCA’s data until September 2018) and WLTP figures (from the 2019 guide)
come from different tests, so they are shown separately and should not be compared.
Plug-in hybrid figures are VCA’s weighted values, which count driving on battery power as
well as on fuel.
VCA’s data has no BMW versions for 2019 to 2024, so the years listed may leave out years the BMW 5 Series was on sale.
Engine sizes are rounded to the nearest 0.1 litre. A version is one line in
VCA’s data (description, gearbox, engine and fuel), counted once however many years it was
listed.
Matched from VCA’s model names “5 Series F10/F11, From March 2010”, “5 Series E60/E61”, “5 Series E39”, “5 Series F10/F11 From March 2010”. How we use VCA’s figures.
BMW 5 Series safety recalls
DVSA lists 66 safety recalls for the BMW 5 Series since 1992, the first in 1999. The most recent was launched on 17 March 2026.
Checking and re-securing the air-conditioning wiring harness
Launched 17 March 2026DVSA recall R/2026/092Manufacturer ref. 0061510900 0061520900
Defect
The Safety Recall relates to the air-conditioning wiring harness located behind the dashboard. On the affected vehicles the wiring harness was fixed very close to a screw connection on the interior microfilter housing cover. The microfilter of the air conditioning system will be regularly replaced as part of the oil service. It cannot be ruled out that cables may be damaged when replacing the microfilter during a workshop visit. The filter cover has to be removed from the lower part of the instrument panel. After replacing the filter the cover has to be refitted at which point the wires may become damaged or trapped. If the wiring harness is damaged this could lead to malfunctions of the air conditioning system as well as to a short circuit. In case of a short circuit a sensor may overheat while the vehicle is in operation. As a result smoke may develop from the instrument panel and subsequently a fire cannot be ruled out.
Remedy
On the affected vehicles the air-conditioning wiring harness will be checked repaired if necessary and re-secured in a modified fixing.
A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every BMW 5 Series. The details come from manufacturers through DVSA, which says they may be delayed or
incomplete. To check a specific car, use GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check or ask the manufacturer or a
dealer. How we match recalls to models.
Figures cover Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Northern Ireland is not included.
Licensed counts are vehicles with a current tax or exemption at the end of each year (or the latest quarter). SORN counts are shown separately.
First registrations count vehicles registered in Great Britain for the first time, including used imports.
Models are grouped by DVLA’s generic model name, so every generation and trim counts together.
MOT figures cover normal tests of cars aged three and over in 2025; retests are excluded. Age is rounded to the nearest year.
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.
