Car statistics

BMW X5 statistics

How many BMW X5s 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 92,581 DVSA MOT tests.

Last updated
Records analysed
114,922 X5 records (licensed and SORN)
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed in Great Britain 100,858 +1.0% on a year earlier
  • Declared SORN 14,064 Off the road, not taxed
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 80.3% Cars of the same ages 73.6%
  • Rank by number licensed No. 94 of 1,159 models we cover
  • Peak year 2022 100,912 licensed
  • Average annual mileage 8,021 miles a year

How many BMW X5s are left in Great Britain?

There were 100,858 BMW X5s licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 14,064 declared off the road (SORN). That is 0.1% fewer than the peak of 100,912 in 2022.

BMW X5s licensed in Great Britain

The highest year-end count was 100,912 in 2022.

BMW X5s licensed in Great Britain at the end of each year
Year Licensed
2000 454
2001 5,973
2002 12,639
2003 20,918
2004 28,746
2005 39,090
2006 44,308
2007 49,282
2008 53,064
2009 57,564
2010 61,847
2011 65,238
2012 68,598
2013 70,979
2014 74,601
2015 80,414
2016 85,762
2017 88,911
2018 91,991
2019 94,933
2020 95,799
2021 98,315
2022 100,912
2023 99,974
2024 99,117
2025 100,246
2026 100,858

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Fuel type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

BMW X5 MOT reliability

In 2025, 80.3% of BMW X5 MOT tests were passed first time, against 72.8% for all cars. Cars of the same ages as the BMW X5s tested pass 73.6% of the time, so the BMW X5 does better than average for its age, by 6.7 points. In 2024 its pass rate was 79.2%.

MOT first-time pass rate by age: BMW X5 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.

MOT first-time pass rate by vehicle age, BMW X5 compared with all cars
Vehicle age BMW X5All cars
3 years 84.9%89.5%
4–5 years 86.9%87.6%
6–7 years 86.4%83.0%
8–10 years 86.0%75.7%
11–14 years 79.4%65.5%
15–19 years 70.4%58.0%
20+ years 62.8%61.0%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

BMW X5 MOT failures

Tyres is the most common reason a BMW X5 fails its MOT, appearing on 36.5% of failed tests. A failed test can have defects in more than one category, so shares add up to more than 100%. 6.4% of BMW X5 tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.3% for all cars.

Most common MOT failure categories

Share of failed BMW X5 MOT tests with at least one defect in each category
Defect category Share of failed tests
Tyres 36.5%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 29.1%
Suspension 26.2%
Brakes 19.2%
Visibility 14.0%
Body, chassis, structure 11.0%
Noise, emissions and leaks 7.6%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 4.4%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common BMW X5 MOT defects and advisories

The single most common reason a BMW X5 failed its MOT in 2025 was “Tyres: ply or cords exposed”, on 14.1% of 18,231 failed tests. 42.9% 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 X5 tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres 14.1%
Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 13.5%
Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension 8.6%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 6.9%
Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure 6.9%
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility 5.8%
Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes 5.6%
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks 5.4%
Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension 5.1%
Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 4.8%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common advisories

Share of all tests with each advisory: worth checking on a car you are buying.

Most common MOT advisories on BMW X5 tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 19.0%
Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks 6.7%
Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension 5.4%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 5.2%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 4.5%
Suspension arms: ball joint has slight play Suspension 3.5%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 2.8%
Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes 2.7%
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories 2.4%
Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 2.4%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

BMW X5 by year

21 years of the BMW X5, 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 2010 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (75.8% passed first time) and the 2022 cars worst (84.9%).

BMW X5s by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
2002 1,733 60.4% 59.7%
2003 2,622 62.8% 58.9%
2004 3,266 63.3% 57.9%
2005 5,124 62.8% 57.7%
2006 3,037 62.0% 56.9%
2007 3,257 69.2% 57.3%
2008 3,144 72.0% 57.0%
2009 3,778 71.5% 58.2%
2010 3,646 75.8% 59.3%
2011 3,809 76.6% 61.5%
2012 3,879 76.5% 63.6%
2013 3,328 78.2% 66.0%
2014 6,314 5,298 84.5% 69.1%
2015 7,836 6,975 84.7% 72.6%
2016 7,751 6,475 86.9% 75.6%
2017 7,011 6,074 86.6% 79.1%
2018 7,648 6,958 85.5% 81.8%
2019 9,075 8,583 87.2% 84.4%
2020 5,453 4,951 88.2% 86.9%
2021 7,176 6,174 86.0% 88.4%
2022 8,099 7,372 84.9% 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.

BMW X5 annual mileage

The average BMW X5 covers 8,021 miles a year, worked out from odometer readings at consecutive MOT tests.

Average annual mileage by age

Average annual mileage of a BMW X5 by vehicle age
Vehicle age Miles a year
4–5 years 9,980
6–7 years 8,961
8–10 years 8,370
11–14 years 7,627
15–19 years 6,891
20+ years 5,235

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

BMW X5 registrations over time

Registrations of BMW X5s for the first time in Great Britain peaked at 10,685 in 2005. In 2025, 7,363 were registered.

Registered for the first time, by year

BMW X5s registered for the first time in Great Britain, by year
Year First registrations
’01 5,733
’02 6,981
’03 8,637
’04 8,292
’05 10,685
’06 6,035
’07 6,842
’08 5,218
’09 5,453
’10 5,245
’11 5,315
’12 5,143
’13 4,175
’14 6,537
’15 8,350
’16 8,097
’17 7,479
’18 7,911
’19 9,487
’20 5,648
’21 7,235
’22 8,082
’23 5,570
’24 6,344
’25 7,363

Source:DfT / DVLA 2001 to 2025 Updated

BMW X5 engine sizes and fuel types

Of the 106,390 BMW X5s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 92.4% have an engine of 2,901cc to 3,000cc, and 3.4% have an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc. Diesels made up 84.1% of those licensed in 2014 and 62.0% in 2025.

Engine sizes, end of 2025

DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.

BMW X5s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, by engine size
Engine size Share of those licensed
2,901cc to 3,000cc 98,253 licensed 92.4%
1,901cc to 2,000cc 3,574 licensed 3.4%
4,301cc to 4,400cc 3,397 licensed 3.2%
Other sizes 1,166 licensed 1.1%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated

Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size Fuel Licensed Share
2,901–3,000cc Diesel 63,635 59.8%
2,901–3,000cc Plug-in hybrid 16,385 15.4%
2,901–3,000cc Hybrid 15,336 14.4%
2,901–3,000cc Petrol 2,845 2.7%
4,301–4,400cc Petrol 2,673 2.5%
1,901–2,000cc Diesel 1,924 1.8%
1,901–2,000cc Plug-in hybrid 1,649 1.5%

Fuel type, 2014 to 2025

Share of those licensed at the end of each year.

BMW X5s licensed in the UK by fuel type, share of each year’s total
Year DieselPlug-in hybridHybridPetrol
2014 84.1%0.0%0.0%15.2%
2015 85.6%0.3%0.0%13.5%
2016 85.9%1.5%0.0%12.1%
2017 86.3%2.2%0.0%11.0%
2018 87.3%2.5%0.0%9.8%
2019 88.0%2.5%0.0%9.1%
2020 86.4%3.7%0.8%8.8%
2021 81.0%7.0%3.5%8.2%
2022 75.1%9.5%7.6%7.6%
2023 70.9%11.6%10.2%7.2%
2024 67.0%13.7%12.6%6.6%
2025 62.0%17.0%15.1%5.9%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated

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 X5 fuel economy and CO2

The Vehicle Certification Agency’s new car data lists the BMW X5 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 and diesel hybrid versions ranges from 21.8 to 39.2 mpg, with CO2 of 189 to 292 g/km; plug-in hybrid versions are rated at 91.1 to 313.9 mpg (weighted). On the older NEDC test (listings 2000 to 2018), official combined fuel economy for its petrol and diesel versions ranges from 19.0 to 53.3 mpg, with CO2 of 139 to 356 g/km; plug-in hybrid versions are rated at 85.6 mpg (weighted).

Official WLTP figures by engine and fuel, listed 2025 to 2026
Engine and fuel Combined mpg CO2 g/km Listed Euro standard Versions
4.4 petrol hybrid 21.8–24.4 263–292 2025–2026 Euro 6 2
3.0 diesel hybrid 36.2–39.2 189–205 2025–2026 Euro 6 3
3.0 plug-in hybrid 91.1–313.9 20–70 2025–2026 Euro 6 3
Older NEDC figures, listed 2000 to 2018 (8 engine and fuel groups)
Official NEDC figures by engine and fuel, listed 2000 to 2018
Engine and fuel Combined mpg CO2 g/km Listed Euro standard Versions
3.0 petrol 21.9–27.7 244–312 2001–2009 Euro 3 to Euro 4 7
4.4 petrol 20.3–29.4 224–335 2000–2018 Euro 3 to Euro 6 15
4.6 petrol 19.0 356 2002–2004 Euro 3 2
4.8 petrol 20.9–23.5 286–324 2004–2010 Euro 3 to Euro 4 6
2.0 diesel 47.9–53.3 139–156 2014–2018 Euro 6 12
2.9 diesel 29.1–32.5 233–259 2001–2003 Euro 3 4
3.0 diesel 30.1–47.9 156–250 2004–2018 Euro 3 to Euro 6 38
2.0 plug-in hybrid 85.6 77 2016–2018 Euro 6 1

Source:VCA July 2000 to 15 September 2026 Updated

  • 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 X5 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 “X5 Series F15, From November 2013”, “X5 Series E53”, “X5 Series E70”, “X5”. How we use VCA’s figures.

BMW X5 safety recalls

DVSA lists 68 safety recalls for the BMW X5 since 1992, the first in 2002. The most recent was launched on 2 March 2026.

Replace the Engine Starter Motor

Launched 2 March 2026 DVSA recall R/2026/054 Manufacturer ref. 0012650600/0012660600/0012670600/0012680600/0012770600/0012790600

Defect
The Safety Recall relates to the engine starter motor. The fault relates to the RSW22 starter RWT (reinforced water tightness). It was found that with RWT starters an increased abrasion of the magnetic contact can cause the growth of deposits at the lowest point of the relay interior. This in turn may increase the relay contact resistance resulting in false starts or even causing short circuits and possibly a thermal reaction. In case of a short circuit the possibility of a thermal event cannot be excluded. This may happen while attempting to start the vehicle or while driving due to vibrations causing a short circuit due to moving deposits.
Remedy
On the affected vehicles the starter motor will be replaced with a variant by another supplier with a different design. Until the repair has been completed it is recommended to not leave the vehicle running unattended after starting the engine.
Vehicles affected
2 X5 vehicles
Built
7 May 2021 to 19 Jun 2021

All 68 BMW X5 recalls, with defects, remedies and build dates

A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every BMW X5. 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.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated

Compare the BMW X5 with other BMW models

BMW X5 compared with other BMW models
Model Licensed Change on a year SORN Rank Main fuel
BMW X5 100,858 +1.0% 14,064 94 Diesel
BMW 3 Series 448,681 −5.0% 114,735 10 Diesel
BMW 1 Series 392,139 −0.5% 23,619 15 Diesel
BMW 5 Series 187,690 −4.8% 39,140 43 Diesel
BMW 2 Series 143,101 +5.3% 1,616 62 Petrol

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed and SORN counts Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 114,922 X5 records (licensed and SORN) 15 September 2026
Registered for the first time Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport 2001 to 2025 15 September 2026
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 92,581 MOT tests 15 September 2026
  • 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.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.