BMW I8 MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 13,339 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 9.6%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
BMW I8 MOT Reliability Overview
The BMW I8 is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 13,339 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 7 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 90.4% and a failure rate of 9.6%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the BMW I8 earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average BMW I8 presents for MOT with approximately 30,569 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2019 models achieve the highest pass rate at 93.4%, while 2014 models have the lowest at 89.4%. This 4.0 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the BMW I8 is Tyres, affecting 12.7% of all tests. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. The second most common issue is Identification of the vehicle at 2.3%. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment rounds out the top three at 1.9%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
Based on MOT data, 2019 models have the highest pass rate at 95.7%.
Based on 2024 MOT test results only — the most recent data available. "Built" = year of manufacture. Cars need their first MOT at 3 years old, so the newest cars shown are from ~3 years ago.
Bar chart showing pass rate by manufacture year from 2015 to 2019
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 6 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different BMW I8 vintages degrade over time, from age 3 to 20 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the BMW I8. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 10 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The BMW I8 ages relatively gracefully. The failure rate increase of 3% after warranty is below average, suggesting good long-term reliability. Peak failure occurs at age 6 (11.6% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 12.7% | 1,690 |
| 2 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 2.3% | 309 |
| 3 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 2.0% | 263 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.8% | 241 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.7% | 228 |
| 6 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 1.2% | 163 |
| 7 | Road Wheels | 0.5% | 65 |
| 8 | Suspension | 0.4% | 59 |
| 9 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 0.4% | 50 |
| 10 | Non-component Advisories | 0.3% | 46 |
| 11 | Registration Plates And Vin | 0.2% | 25 |
| 12 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 0.2% | 21 |
| 13 | Steering | 0.1% | 7 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 30,569 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 4.14 | 12.7% | 1,690 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.76 | 2.3% | 309 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 0.64 | 2.0% | 263 |
| Brakes | 0.59 | 1.8% | 241 |
| Visibility | 0.57 | 1.7% | 234 |
| Body & Structure | 0.40 | 1.2% | 163 |
| Wheels | 0.16 | 0.5% | 65 |
| Suspension | 0.14 | 0.4% | 59 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.12 | 0.4% | 50 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.11 | 0.3% | 46 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.06 | 0.2% | 25 |
| Seat Belts | 0.05 | 0.2% | 21 |
| Steering | 0.02 | 0.1% | 7 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average BMW I8 has 30,569 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The BMW I8 has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 3.14% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About BMW I8 MOT Data
The BMW I8 is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 13,339 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 7 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 90.4% and a failure rate of 9.6%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For BMW I8 owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on tyres and identification of the vehicle for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific I8 is likely to perform.
Tyres — 12.7% of failures
Tyres issues account for 12.7% of MOT failures on the BMW I8. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Identification of the vehicle — 2.3% of failures
Identification of the vehicle issues account for 2.3% of MOT failures on the BMW I8. Identification failures relate to the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and registration plate. The VIN must be permanently displayed and legible, and the registration plate must meet British Standard formatting. Typical repair costs: £10–50. Pre-MOT check: Ensure the VIN plate is visible and legible (usually in the windscreen or under the bonnet). Check that number plates are clean, undamaged, and use the correct font and spacing.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 1.9% of failures
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 1.9% of MOT failures on the BMW I8. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW I8?
Based on 13,339 MOT tests in our database, the BMW I8 has an overall pass rate of 90.4% (9.6% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a BMW I8?
The top 3 reasons a BMW I8 fails its MOT are: 1. Tyres (12.7%), 2. Identification of the vehicle (2.3%), 3. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (1.9%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the BMW I8 reliable?
With a 9.6% MOT failure rate, the I8 is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my BMW I8?
Based on failure data, focus on: Tyres (12.7%); Identification of the vehicle (2.3%); Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (1.9%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.