Is the BMW X4 reliable?
The BMW X4 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 85%, from 51,361 tests on cars dating from 2014 to 2022. All cars together manage 71.7%. Raw pass rates flatter young models and punish old ones, so we also compare each X4 with cars of the same age: on that basis it does 4 points better than a typical car, which makes it above average. The cleanest measure of build quality is the first test at three years old, where the X4 scores 89% against 87.9% for all cars. When a X4 does fail, wipers not clearing the screen is the item recorded most often.
Why BMW X4s fail the MOT
The X4's failures cluster around visibility and tyres: wipers not clearing the screen on 13.6% of fails, tyre tread below the legal minimum on 13.1%. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
Wiper blades and washer fluid are two of the most common fails nationally, and the two cheapest to fix. Top up and replace before the test.
Warning signs on the certificate
These are the advisories most often recorded on a BMW X4: items that passed on the day but were wearing. Tyre tread below the legal minimum is noted on 15.1% of all tests. If one of these is on a car's last certificate, it is the next repair. The advisory conversion table shows which of these are worth acting on first.
Does fuel type matter on a X4?
The petrol X4 has the better record at 89.8%; the diesel manages 83.8%. 6 points is a real difference.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 83.8% | 40,467 |
| Hybrid | 89% | 5,700 |
| Petrol | 89.8% | 4,888 |
Every X4 year, 2014 to 2022
The oldest X4s on the road, from 2014, pass 80.8% of the time; the 2022 cars pass 90.6%. Read the table as an age curve first and a quality ranking second.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW X4 2022 | 90.6% | 1,664 | 9,905 | 90.4% |
| BMW X4 2021 | 89.3% | 3,292 | 9,586 | 89.7% |
| BMW X4 2020 | 88.1% | 5,659 | 9,012 | 87.2% |
| BMW X4 2019 | 88.3% | 11,924 | 8,722 | – |
| BMW X4 2018 | 86.6% | 6,041 | 9,110 | – |
| BMW X4 2017 | 82.8% | 6,346 | 8,945 | – |
| BMW X4 2016 | 81% | 8,052 | 9,089 | – |
| BMW X4 2015 | 79% | 6,171 | 9,092 | – |
| BMW X4 2014 | 80.8% | 2,212 | 8,597 | – |
Mileage matters more than the badge
Take the 2019 X4, the year with the most tests: cars with under 40,000 miles on the clock pass 89.3% of the time, and that falls to 82.8% over 100,000. A 7-point drop across the mileage range is a bigger effect than the difference between most makes.
| Mileage at test (2019 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.3% | 5,740 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.9% | 4,024 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 87.3% | 1,581 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85.7% | 407 |
| Over 100,000 | 82.8% | 134 |
How the X4 compares
The average BMW passes 78.8% of tests, so the X4 is one of the stronger cars in the range. Within the family, see how the 3 Series does (72.4%), BMW X1 reliability (82.6%), BMW X3 MOT pass rate (80.1%) and X5 common problems (79.2%), or every BMW model compared. For a cross-make comparison, the Skoda Rapid and Audi e-tron have similar test volumes and their own pages. The full reliability table puts them side by side, and the statistics for all 98 million tests give the baseline.
Each X4 year in detail
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
BMW X4 2022 90.6% pass 1,664 tests90.4% at first MOT
On a 2022 BMW X4, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 19.2% of failed tests, with wipers not clearing the screen next at 12.2%.
2022 cars pass 91.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 75% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.3% | 1,390 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 90.7% | 214 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 75.9% | 54 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 50% | 2 |
| Over 100,000 | 75% | 4 |
BMW X4 2021 89.3% pass 3,292 tests89.7% at first MOT
On a 2021 BMW X4, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 24.1% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 11.6%.
2021 cars pass 90.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 60% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.1% | 2,404 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 88% | 733 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 83.7% | 123 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.5% | 27 |
| Over 100,000 | 60% | 5 |
By fuel: hybrid 89.1% (2,695 tests), petrol 91% (544 tests).
BMW X4 2020 88.1% pass 5,659 tests87.2% at first MOT
On a 2020 BMW X4, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 17.9% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 15.8%.
2020 cars pass 88.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 75% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.9% | 3,773 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.7% | 1,364 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 86.7% | 399 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 87.3% | 102 |
| Over 100,000 | 75% | 20 |
By fuel: diesel 87.9% (2,422 tests), petrol 89.4% (1,745 tests), hybrid 86.9% (1,492 tests).
BMW X4 2019 88.3% pass 11,924 tests
On a 2019 BMW X4, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 18.7% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 18.4%.
2019 cars pass 89.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 82.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.3% | 5,740 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.9% | 4,024 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 87.3% | 1,581 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85.7% | 407 |
| Over 100,000 | 82.8% | 134 |
By fuel: diesel 87.9% (9,325 tests), petrol 89.8% (2,599 tests).
BMW X4 2018 86.6% pass 6,041 tests
On a 2018 BMW X4, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 14.5% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 14.4%.
2018 cars pass 88.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 86.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.4% | 1,584 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.2% | 2,272 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.9% | 1,480 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 83.1% | 508 |
| Over 100,000 | 86.6% | 186 |
BMW X4 2017 82.8% pass 6,346 tests
On a 2017 BMW X4, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 16.3% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 13.4%.
2017 cars pass 88.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 76% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.2% | 1,006 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 84.3% | 2,197 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 80.6% | 1,848 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.2% | 866 |
| Over 100,000 | 76% | 429 |
BMW X4 2016 81% pass 8,052 tests
On a 2016 BMW X4, a broken coil spring appears on 22.5% of failed tests, with wipers not clearing the screen next at 12.4%.
2016 cars pass 88% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 76.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88% | 634 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.6% | 2,017 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 80.8% | 2,641 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 78.3% | 1,699 |
| Over 100,000 | 76.8% | 1,061 |
BMW X4 2015 79% pass 6,171 tests
On a 2015 BMW X4, a broken coil spring appears on 25.4% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 11.8%.
2015 cars pass 84.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 74.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 84.3% | 267 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 81.3% | 1,047 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 79.8% | 1,846 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 79.3% | 1,669 |
| Over 100,000 | 74.7% | 1,342 |
BMW X4 2014 80.8% pass 2,212 tests
On a 2014 BMW X4, a broken coil spring appears on 23.8% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 11.1%.
2014 cars pass 85.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 85.3% | 75 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.2% | 305 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.1% | 582 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.1% | 646 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.3% | 604 |
Questions people ask
How reliable is the BMW X4?
On MOT evidence the BMW X4 is above average. It passes 85% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 4 points. 89% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 51,361 DVSA tests.
What fails a BMW X4 MOT most often?
Wipers not clearing the screen (13.6% of failed tests), tyre tread below the legal minimum (13.1%) and a tyre worn or cut to the cords (13.1%). Wiper blades and washer fluid are two of the most common fails nationally, and the two cheapest to fix. Top up and replace before the test.
What is the best year for a used BMW X4?
Among years with a large sample, 2019 cars have the highest pass rate at 88.3% and 2015 cars the lowest at 79%. Newer years pass more because they are younger, so compare a specific car's year against the table above rather than against the overall figure.
What advisories does a BMW X4 usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 15.1% of all X4 tests, then brake pads worn below 1.5mm (6.7%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a BMW X4 do?
About 9,017 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is above the UK average of roughly 7,400, which is typical of a car bought for commuting or work.
Does the BMW X4 pass rate apply to my car?
The figures describe the whole fleet. For one car, enter its registration in the free MOT check to see its own test history, advisories and mileage, set against these averages for its year.
Looking at a specific BMW X4?
Enter the registration to see its own MOT history, advisories and mileage set against these figures, including whether it has done more or fewer than the 9,017 miles a year typical of the model.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Class 4 cars, normal tests only; a pass after rectification counts as an initial failure. Age-adjusted figures compare the model's pass rate at each age with the national rate at the same age. Methodology.