The picture
218i Sport: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 1,455 MOT tests, the 218i Sport returns 86.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. Tyre tread under the limit and a tyre with the cords showing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 30,078, 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
40 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 02
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
22 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 03
A tyre cords visible or damaged
18 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 04
Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator
15 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 05
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
14 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 06
A tyre seriously damaged
12 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 07
Wiper blade defective
11 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 08
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
11 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 09
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
10 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 10
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
9 occurrences · 0.6% 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 3 failures
£200–£350
If every one of this 218i Sport'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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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
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.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a 218i Sport?
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 Sport 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.