The picture
218i Luxury: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 808 MOT tests, the 218i Luxury returns 87.6% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. A tyre with the cords showing and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 28,798, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A tyre seriously damaged
23 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 02
A tyre cords visible or damaged
14 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 03
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
10 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 04
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
9 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 05
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
7 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 06
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
7 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 07
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
6 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 08
Wiper blade defective
5 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 09
Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator
5 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 10
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
3 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£120–£190
If every one of this 218i Luxury's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a 218i Luxury?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 218i Luxury and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.