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Bmw 3 series vs Bmw 520d xdrive m sport ed mhev a: reliability comparison

MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.

Bmw 3 series
75%
MOT pass rate · 996,044 vehicles
Bmw 520d xdrive m sport ed mhev a
89%
MOT pass rate · 5 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Bmw 3 series (75%) and Bmw 520d xdrive m sport ed mhev a (89%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Head to head

Measure Bmw 3 series Bmw 520d xdrive m sport ed mhev a
MOT pass rate 75% 89% ✓
MOT failure rate 25% 11% ✓
Faults & advisories per test 2.0 0.5 ✓
Dangerous-fault share 2% ✓ 22%
Average mileage 128,558 mi 54,434 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 996,044 5

Most common faults

Bmw 3 series

  1. Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  2. Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  3. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  4. Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  5. Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components
  6. Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Bmw 520d xdrive m sport ed mhev a

  1. Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
  2. Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
  3. Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
  4. Nearside Rear Inner Road wheel fractured (5.2.2 (a))
  5. Nearside Rear Road wheel has a welding defect Weld cracked. (5.2.2 (a))
  6. Offside Front Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate the Bmw 3 series (75%) and Bmw 520d xdrive m sport ed mhev a (89%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Full Bmw 3 series report Full Bmw 520d xdrive m sport ed mhev a report Most reliable cars

Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.