Car statistics by year
2021 BMW 5 Series
BMW 5 Series cars first registered in 2021: 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 2021, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 87.8% All 2021 cars 88.4%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 41,100 miles; all 2021 cars 30,700
- Left at the end of 2025 5,125 85.3% of the 6,009 at the end of 2021
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 6.4% All 2021 cars 3.8%
- Tests with an advisory 23.4% All 2021 cars 33.1%
- MOT tests in 2025 5,913 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2021 BMW 5 Series do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 4 years old, 87.8% of 2021 BMW 5 Series MOT tests were passed first time, against 88.4% for all cars first registered in 2021. 2021 BMW 5 Series did about as well as average for their age. A year earlier the same cars passed 86.9% of the time (all 2021 cars 88.7%).
MOT pass rate by year of first registration: BMW 5 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 5 Series bar with the all-cars bar beside it.
| First registered | BMW 5 Series | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| ’11 | 74.6% | 61.5% |
| ’12 | 73.3% | 63.6% |
| ’13 | 76.0% | 66.0% |
| ’14 | 81.0% | 69.1% |
| ’15 | 83.5% | 72.6% |
| ’16 | 84.8% | 75.6% |
| ’17 | 84.5% | 79.1% |
| ’18 | 86.5% | 81.8% |
| ’19 | 87.5% | 84.4% |
| ’20 | 87.8% | 86.9% |
| ’21 | 87.8% | 88.4% |
| ’22 | 86.6% | 89.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2021 BMW 5 Series
Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords was the most common single reason a 2021 BMW 5 Series failed, on 24.1% of about 700 failed tests. By area of the car, tyres failed most often (61.5% of failed tests; all 2021 cars 41.9%). 6.4% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 3.8% for all cars first registered in 2021. 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: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 24.1% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 14.9% |
| Tyres: bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres | 14.4% |
| Road wheels: fractured Road wheels | 13.0% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 9.0% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 8.0% |
| Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.5% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 3.3% |
| Side repeaters: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3.2% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 3.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: BMW 5 Series vs all 2021 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 61.5% |
| Road wheels | 14.0% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 8.2% |
| Visibility | 7.1% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 4.3% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 2.8% |
| Brakes | 1.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2021 BMW 5 Series
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 23.4% of 2021 BMW 5 Series tests had at least one (all 2021 cars 33.1%). 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 | 12.8% |
| Flexible couplings: slightly deteriorated Body, chassis, structure | 2.8% |
| Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 2.8% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 2.5% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 2.1% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 1.5% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 1.2% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged Tyres | 1.1% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 0.9% |
| Road wheels: slightly distorted Road wheels | 0.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2021 BMW 5 Series?
Half of the 2021 BMW 5 Series tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 41,100 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 29,600 and a quarter more than 55,800. For all cars first registered in 2021, the middle figure was 30,700 miles, so 2021 BMW 5 Series have been driven 33.9% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 BMW 5 Series | 21,200 | 29,600 | 41,100 | 55,800 | 75,000 | 5,256 |
| All 2021 cars | 14,300 | 21,300 | 30,700 | 42,500 | 56,500 | 1,457,950 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2021 BMW 5 Series are left?
At the end of 2021, 6,009 2021 BMW 5 Series were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 5,125 were: 4,848 licensed and 277 declared off the road (SORN). That is 85.3% still on the record, against 96.0% for all cars first registered in 2021.
Share still on the record since 2021
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2021. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2021 BMW 5 Series | All 2021 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2022 | 96.0% | 98.4% |
| 2023 | 93.8% | 97.6% |
| 2024 | 88.4% | 94.7% |
| 2025 | 85.3% | 96.0% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2021
3 of the BMW 5 Series’s 66 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2021. 3 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 2021 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2021 may have been built in 2020, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Mar 2026 | Replace the Engine Starter Motor | 30 Oct 2020 to 2 Jun 2023 | 9 |
| 29 Dec 2021 | The material quality of the screws used for seat belts and rear seats may not be to specifications. | 2 Dec 2021 | 38 (all models) |
| 15 Mar 2021 | Affected vehicles may be fitted with brake discs which are not to specification | 27 Jan 2021 to 5 Feb 2021 | 705 (all models) |
Every BMW 5 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 5 Series
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%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | – | 2,027 | 65.1% |
| 1999 | – | 2,109 | 64.8% |
| 2000 | – | 2,486 | 67.2% |
| 2001 | – | 3,097 | 66.6% |
| 2002 | – | 3,812 | 67.3% |
| 2003 | – | 3,736 | 65.9% |
| 2004 | – | 4,185 | 68.1% |
| 2005 | – | 5,589 | 68.5% |
| 2006 | – | 7,000 | 68.5% |
| 2007 | – | 8,392 | 69.4% |
| 2008 | – | 7,228 | 72.2% |
| 2009 | – | 7,229 | 71.1% |
| 2010 | – | 8,528 | 73.5% |
| 2011 | – | 11,813 | 74.6% |
| 2012 | – | 13,807 | 73.3% |
| 2013 | – | 14,295 | 76.0% |
| 2014 | 20,113 | 16,045 | 81.0% |
| 2015 | 20,111 | 16,851 | 83.5% |
| 2016 | 18,497 | 15,527 | 84.8% |
| 2017 | 18,278 | 14,850 | 84.5% |
| 2018 | 21,757 | 17,720 | 86.5% |
| 2019 | 16,234 | 14,004 | 87.5% |
| 2020 | 8,948 | 7,921 | 87.8% |
| 2021 | 6,009 | 5,125 | 87.8% |
| 2022 | 6,986 | 5,926 | 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.
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 | 5,913 MOT tests of 2021 BMW 5 Series cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 5,125 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of BMW 5 Series cars first registered in 2021; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2021.
- 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.