BMW X5 reliability by year, 2001 to 2022
271,010 BMW X5s went through an MOT in the period we analysed, and 79.2% passed. Set against the 71.7% national pass rate, that is a good result on the raw numbers. Allowing for age, the X5 beats a typical car tested at the same age by 8.3 points. That is the fairer test, and it puts the model well above average. At its first MOT, at three years old, 85.3% of X5s pass; the national figure for three-year-old cars is 87.9%. A shaky first test, then better than average as the years go on. When a X5 does fail, a tyre worn or cut to the cords is the item recorded most often.
The X5's weak points
A tyre worn or cut to the cords is recorded on 14.5% of failed BMW X5 tests, followed by a tyre worn or cut to the cords at 13.8% and a worn ball joint at 6.3%. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
A tyre fail usually means a tyre that was already an advisory last year. Worth looking at the previous certificate before booking.
Advisories to expect on a X5
An advisory is the tester telling you what fails next year. On the X5 the usual suspects are tyre tread below the legal minimum (17.3% of tests) and an engine oil leak (5.6%). How often each category of advisory turns into a failure is measured across the whole dataset.
Does fuel type matter on a X5?
Among BMW X5 cars, hybrid versions pass 85.4% of the time and petrol versions 73.3%, a gap of 12.1 points. Hybrid versions are newer cars on average, so some of that gap is age rather than engineering.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 78.8% | 217,359 |
| Hybrid | 85.4% | 31,048 |
| Petrol | 73.3% | 19,696 |
Every X5 year, 2001 to 2022
Pass rates run from 60.7% for 2001 cars to 85.1% for 2022 cars. Most of that spread is age: a car tested at ten years old has had far more chances to wear something out than one tested at four.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW X5 2022 | 85.1% | 8,080 | 11,184 | 85% |
| BMW X5 2021 | 85.5% | 13,332 | 11,452 | 84.6% |
| BMW X5 2020 | 87.6% | 14,785 | 10,077 | 86.5% |
| BMW X5 2019 | 87.3% | 25,330 | 9,324 | – |
| BMW X5 2018 | 85.8% | 20,626 | 9,686 | – |
| BMW X5 2017 | 86.6% | 17,976 | 9,645 | – |
| BMW X5 2016 | 87.2% | 18,856 | 9,500 | – |
| BMW X5 2015 | 85.7% | 20,280 | 9,483 | – |
| BMW X5 2014 | 85.3% | 15,666 | 9,524 | – |
| BMW X5 2013 | 78.7% | 9,954 | 9,297 | – |
| BMW X5 2012 | 76.8% | 11,612 | 9,146 | – |
| BMW X5 2011 | 76.4% | 11,401 | 8,830 | – |
| BMW X5 2010 | 75.6% | 10,579 | 8,739 | – |
| BMW X5 2009 | 72.3% | 11,352 | 8,570 | – |
| BMW X5 2008 | 71.4% | 9,361 | 8,415 | – |
| BMW X5 2007 | 68.3% | 9,686 | 8,224 | – |
| BMW X5 2006 | 61% | 9,021 | 8,155 | – |
| BMW X5 2005 | 61.2% | 14,556 | 7,706 | – |
| BMW X5 2004 | 61.4% | 8,204 | 7,329 | – |
| BMW X5 2003 | 60.9% | 5,630 | 6,267 | – |
| BMW X5 2002 | 61.4% | 3,154 | 6,161 | – |
| BMW X5 2001 | 60.7% | 1,569 | 6,022 | – |
How mileage changes the X5's odds
On the 2019 cars, a X5 under 40,000 miles passes 89% of the time; one over 100,000 passes 82.7%. When comparing two used X5s, the odometer tells you more than the year.
| Mileage at test (2019 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89% | 10,796 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.6% | 9,145 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.4% | 3,788 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85.5% | 1,121 |
| Over 100,000 | 82.7% | 474 |
BMW stablemates and rivals
Set against the rest of the BMW range, which averages 78.8%, the X5 at 79.2% is about par. Within the family, see 3 Series common problems (72.4%), X1 common problems (82.6%), how the X3 does (80.1%) and how the 1 Series does (78.2%), or BMW reliability by model. Buyers weighing a X5 against other cars of similar popularity often compare it with the Renault Megane (54.7%) and Vauxhall Combo (60.1%). The ranking of every make puts them side by side, and the UK pass rates by age and fuel give the baseline.
Failure lists and mileage by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
BMW X5 2022 85.1% pass 8,080 tests85% at first MOT
On a 2022 BMW X5, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 43.6% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 23.1%.
2022 cars pass 86.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 65.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.2% | 5,937 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.6% | 1,660 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.2% | 354 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81% | 100 |
| Over 100,000 | 65.5% | 29 |
By fuel: hybrid 85.1% (7,495 tests), petrol 86.1% (541 tests).
BMW X5 2021 85.5% pass 13,332 tests84.6% at first MOT
On a 2021 BMW X5, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 37.9% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 27.1%.
2021 cars pass 87% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 82.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87% | 8,096 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 84% | 3,665 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.5% | 1,053 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 77.4% | 341 |
| Over 100,000 | 82.5% | 177 |
By fuel: hybrid 85.1% (11,702 tests), petrol 89.5% (953 tests), diesel 87.3% (677 tests).
BMW X5 2020 87.6% pass 14,785 tests86.5% at first MOT
On a 2020 BMW X5, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 37.1% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 21.1%.
2020 cars pass 88.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 85.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.2% | 8,626 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.5% | 4,168 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.1% | 1,385 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 86.9% | 390 |
| Over 100,000 | 85.1% | 215 |
By fuel: diesel 88.3% (6,426 tests), hybrid 86.6% (6,007 tests), petrol 88.1% (2,352 tests).
BMW X5 2019 87.3% pass 25,330 tests
On a 2019 BMW X5, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 32.6% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 16.8%.
2019 cars pass 89% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 82.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89% | 10,796 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.6% | 9,145 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.4% | 3,788 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85.5% | 1,121 |
| Over 100,000 | 82.7% | 474 |
By fuel: diesel 87.4% (21,928 tests), petrol 87.7% (2,542 tests), hybrid 83.5% (860 tests).
BMW X5 2018 85.8% pass 20,626 tests
On a 2018 BMW X5, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 20.3% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 19.7%.
2018 cars pass 88.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 83.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.1% | 4,666 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86% | 7,699 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.3% | 5,157 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 82.6% | 1,991 |
| Over 100,000 | 83.2% | 1,111 |
By fuel: diesel 85.8% (18,656 tests), hybrid 83.3% (1,123 tests), petrol 88.2% (847 tests).
BMW X5 2017 86.6% pass 17,976 tests
On a 2017 BMW X5, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 21.8% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 19.5%.
2017 cars pass 89.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 83.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.5% | 2,292 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 88.6% | 5,560 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.4% | 5,347 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 84.7% | 2,947 |
| Over 100,000 | 83.3% | 1,829 |
By fuel: diesel 86.6% (15,226 tests), hybrid 85.6% (1,902 tests), petrol 88.9% (848 tests).
BMW X5 2016 87.2% pass 18,856 tests
On a 2016 BMW X5, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 19.5% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 15.6%.
2016 cars pass 92.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 84.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 92.4% | 1,516 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 88.9% | 4,268 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 86.8% | 5,689 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 86.2% | 4,113 |
| Over 100,000 | 84.5% | 3,267 |
By fuel: diesel 87.2% (16,392 tests), hybrid 86.6% (1,959 tests), petrol 87.5% (505 tests).
BMW X5 2015 85.7% pass 20,280 tests
On a 2015 BMW X5, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 18.2% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 13.8%.
2015 cars pass 89.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 83.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.7% | 788 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 88.7% | 3,030 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 86% | 5,703 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85.3% | 5,423 |
| Over 100,000 | 83.6% | 5,336 |
BMW X5 2014 85.3% pass 15,666 tests
On a 2014 BMW X5, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 15.3% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 11.4%.
2014 cars pass 89.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 84.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.8% | 384 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.4% | 1,439 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 86% | 3,372 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 84.7% | 4,382 |
| Over 100,000 | 84.4% | 6,089 |
BMW X5 2013 78.7% pass 9,954 tests
On a 2013 BMW X5, side repeaters not working appears on 19.1% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 15.1%.
2013 cars pass 87.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.9% | 182 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.7% | 655 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.4% | 1,691 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 77.5% | 2,519 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.1% | 4,907 |
BMW X5 2012 76.8% pass 11,612 tests
On a 2012 BMW X5, side repeaters not working appears on 14.2% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 13%.
2012 cars pass 83.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 75.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 83.1% | 142 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 79.7% | 449 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 79.7% | 1,391 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 79% | 2,642 |
| Over 100,000 | 75.1% | 6,986 |
BMW X5 2011 76.4% pass 11,401 tests
On a 2011 BMW X5, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 12.4% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 12.1%.
2011 cars pass 89.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 75.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.7% | 126 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.4% | 344 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.2% | 1,096 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 76.7% | 2,204 |
| Over 100,000 | 75.2% | 7,630 |
BMW X5 2010 75.6% pass 10,579 tests
On a 2010 BMW X5, a broken coil spring appears on 12.9% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 11.3%.
2010 cars pass 80.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 74.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 80.2% | 86 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.3% | 231 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 79.2% | 687 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 76.2% | 1,667 |
| Over 100,000 | 74.8% | 7,906 |
BMW X5 2009 72.3% pass 11,352 tests
On a 2009 BMW X5, a broken coil spring appears on 13.2% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 11.1%.
2009 cars pass 82.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 71.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 82.3% | 62 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 75.6% | 217 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 72% | 521 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 74.2% | 1,429 |
| Over 100,000 | 71.8% | 9,120 |
BMW X5 2008 71.4% pass 9,361 tests
On a 2008 BMW X5, a sidelight not working appears on 11.6% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 11.1%.
2008 cars pass 70.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 71.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 70.5% | 44 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 79% | 119 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 75.1% | 342 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 71.3% | 888 |
| Over 100,000 | 71.2% | 7,967 |
BMW X5 2007 68.3% pass 9,686 tests
On a 2007 BMW X5, an empty washer bottle appears on 13% of failed tests, with a rear fog lamp not working next at 12.2%.
2007 cars pass 82.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 68.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 82.1% | 28 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 76.1% | 71 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 65.5% | 264 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 69.6% | 774 |
| Over 100,000 | 68.1% | 8,543 |
By fuel: diesel 68.3% (8,667 tests), petrol 68.1% (1,011 tests).
BMW X5 2006 61% pass 9,021 tests
On a 2006 BMW X5, a worn ball joint appears on 19.4% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 13.5%.
2006 cars pass 62.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 60.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 62.4% | 101 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 77.4% | 53 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 66.3% | 199 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 64.5% | 569 |
| Over 100,000 | 60.6% | 8,057 |
By fuel: diesel 60.8% (8,516 tests), petrol 65.3% (501 tests).
BMW X5 2005 61.2% pass 14,556 tests
On a 2005 BMW X5, a split CV boot appears on 19.1% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 18.1%.
2005 cars pass 53.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 60.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 53.2% | 186 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.8% | 128 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 69.7% | 390 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 65.4% | 890 |
| Over 100,000 | 60.7% | 12,876 |
By fuel: diesel 60.9% (12,498 tests), petrol 62.3% (2,027 tests).
BMW X5 2004 61.4% pass 8,204 tests
On a 2004 BMW X5, a split CV boot appears on 18.3% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 17.3%.
2004 cars pass 66.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 60.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 66.7% | 66 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 74.1% | 85 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 65.7% | 245 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 64.4% | 554 |
| Over 100,000 | 60.9% | 7,223 |
By fuel: diesel 61% (5,613 tests), petrol 62.1% (2,548 tests).
BMW X5 2003 60.9% pass 5,630 tests
On a 2003 BMW X5, a worn ball joint appears on 17.8% of failed tests, with a split CV boot next at 16%.
2003 cars pass 52% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 61.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 52% | 475 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 67.9% | 56 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 72.5% | 207 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 66.4% | 351 |
| Over 100,000 | 61.5% | 4,228 |
By fuel: diesel 61.1% (3,268 tests), petrol 60.2% (2,307 tests).
BMW X5 2002 61.4% pass 3,154 tests
On a 2002 BMW X5, a split CV boot appears on 15.9% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 15.8%.
2002 cars pass 45% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 62.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 45% | 218 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 65.6% | 32 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 71.6% | 116 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 66.4% | 226 |
| Over 100,000 | 62.6% | 2,404 |
By fuel: petrol 60.8% (1,649 tests), diesel 62.3% (1,462 tests).
BMW X5 2001 60.7% pass 1,569 tests
On a 2001 BMW X5, a split CV boot appears on 19.6% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 17.3%.
2001 cars pass 63.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 60.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 63.8% | 58 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 73.7% | 19 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 61.5% | 65 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 62.2% | 143 |
| Over 100,000 | 60.1% | 1,237 |
Questions people ask
Is the BMW X5 reliable?
On MOT evidence the BMW X5 is well above average. It passes 79.2% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 8.3 points. 85.3% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 271,010 DVSA tests.
What are the most common BMW X5 MOT failures?
A tyre worn or cut to the cords (14.5% of failed tests), a tyre worn or cut to the cords (13.8%) and a worn ball joint (6.3%). A tyre fail usually means a tyre that was already an advisory last year. Worth looking at the previous certificate before booking.
Which BMW X5 year is the most reliable?
Among years with a large sample, 2020 cars have the highest pass rate at 87.6% and 2003 cars the lowest at 60.9%. 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 X5 usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 17.3% of all X5 tests, then an engine oil leak (5.6%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a BMW X5 do?
About 9,150 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.
How do I check a particular BMW X5?
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.
Own a X5?
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 9,150 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.