Car statistics by year

2006 BMW X3

BMW X3 cars first registered in 2006: 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 2006, so like is set against like.

A year of the BMW X3. “2006” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
2,369 MOT tests of 2006 BMW X3 cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 64.6% All 2006 cars 56.9%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 138,100 miles; all 2006 cars 104,500
  • Left at the end of 2025 2,942 47.0% of the 6,264 at the end of 2014
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 8.1% All 2006 cars 10.4%
  • Tests with an advisory 66.4% All 2006 cars 70.8%
  • MOT tests in 2025 2,369 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2006 BMW X3s do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 19 years old, 64.6% of 2006 BMW X3 MOT tests were passed first time, against 56.9% for all cars first registered in 2006. 2006 BMW X3s did better than average for their age, by 7.7 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 62.8% of the time (all 2006 cars 56.1%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: BMW X3 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 X3 bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, BMW X3 compared with all cars
First registered BMW X3All cars
’04 63.4%57.9%
’05 62.5%57.7%
’06 64.6%56.9%
’07 67.1%57.3%
’08 67.7%57.0%
’09 69.6%58.2%
’10 70.6%59.3%
’11 73.3%61.5%
’12 71.1%63.6%
’13 72.3%66.0%
’14 73.5%69.1%
’15 78.4%72.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2006 BMW X3

Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect was the most common single reason a 2006 BMW X3 failed, on 12.1% of about 800 failed tests. By area of the car, suspension failed most often (41.5% of failed tests; all 2006 cars 40.1%). 8.1% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 10.4% for all cars first registered in 2006. 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.

Most common specific MOT defects on failed 2006 BMW X3 tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 12.1%
Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes 10.4%
Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 8.7%
Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension 8.6%
SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 8.6%
Linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension 8.2%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 7.5%
Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure 7.4%
Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault Brakes 7.3%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility 7.0%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: BMW X3 vs all 2006 cars

The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.

Share of failed 2006 BMW X3 MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2006 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Suspension 41.5%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 40.1%
Brakes 30.8%
Visibility 19.9%
Tyres 16.5%
Body, chassis, structure 15.2%
Noise, emissions and leaks 12.4%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 11.0%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2006 BMW X3

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 66.4% of 2006 BMW X3 tests had at least one (all 2006 cars 70.8%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2006 BMW X3 tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 23.3%
Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks 22.3%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 11.3%
Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension 9.2%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 8.5%
Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension 8.1%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 7.1%
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle 6.8%
Coil spring: corroded Suspension 5.4%
Linkage ball joint has slight play Suspension 3.8%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2006 BMW X3?

Half of the 2006 BMW X3s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 138,100 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 115,200 and a quarter more than 160,600. For all cars first registered in 2006, the middle figure was 104,500 miles, so 2006 BMW X3s have been driven 32.2% 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%.

Odometer readings at the 2025 MOT, 2006 BMW X3 and all 2006 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2006 BMW X3 92,800 115,200 138,100 160,600 181,100 2,257
All 2006 cars 54,400 76,800 104,500 135,500 166,700 552,869
miles

Half of the 2006 BMW X3s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 138,100 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2006 BMW X3s are left?

At the end of 2014, 6,264 2006 BMW X3s were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 2,942 were: 1,913 licensed and 1,029 declared off the road (SORN). That is 47.0% still on the record, against 35.5% for all cars first registered in 2006.

Share still on the record since 2014

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2006 BMW X3s on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2014, compared with all 2006 cars
Year end 2006 BMW X3All 2006 cars
2014 100.0%100.0%
2015 98.8%97.2%
2016 98.0%94.3%
2017 95.5%89.1%
2018 91.4%82.4%
2019 87.5%74.9%
2020 83.2%67.8%
2021 78.1%59.7%
2022 71.8%53.1%
2023 63.9%47.0%
2024 54.2%40.8%
2025 47.0%35.5%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2006

4 of the BMW X3’s 50 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2006. 1 has no build dates, so could apply to any year.

The 2006 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2006 may have been built in 2005, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

BMW X3 recalls whose build dates include 2006
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
12 Jan 2026 Replace the Driver’s Airbag – Takata PSDI-5 8 Jan 2006 to 18 Aug 2010 14,740
18 Dec 2025 Takata Driver and/or Passenger Airbag Recall (Global VINs) 29 Jul 2003 to 18 Aug 2017 2,139
21 Oct 2024 Check Driver’s Airbag for Conversion Takata SDI & PSDI-5 13 Oct 2003 to 28 Jul 2006 and 17 May 2010 to 19 Aug 2017 57,467
18 Mar 2024 Replacing the Driver’s Airbag PSDI-5 1 Sept 2005 to 3 May 2006 2,223

Every BMW X3 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 X3

19 years of the BMW X3, 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 2011 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (73.3% passed first time) and the 2021 cars worst (88.6%).

BMW X3s by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
2004 2,183 63.4% 57.9%
2005 2,415 62.5% 57.7%
2006 2,942 64.6% 56.9%
2007 2,135 67.1% 57.3%
2008 1,402 67.7% 57.0%
2009 1,273 69.6% 58.2%
2010 841 70.6% 59.3%
2011 3,888 73.3% 61.5%
2012 6,709 71.1% 63.6%
2013 6,984 72.3% 66.0%
2014 6,449 6,022 73.5% 69.1%
2015 7,132 6,928 78.4% 72.6%
2016 9,395 8,976 79.2% 75.6%
2017 8,179 8,035 82.4% 79.1%
2018 8,146 7,953 87.9% 81.8%
2019 15,577 15,309 88.4% 84.4%
2020 7,558 7,442 88.7% 86.9%
2021 10,654 10,138 88.6% 88.4%
2022 7,289 6,827 90.6% 89.4%

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

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 2,369 MOT tests of 2006 BMW X3 cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 2,942 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of BMW X3 cars first registered in 2006; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2006.
  • 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.