BMW

BMW 3 Series build years & generations

Coverage 2005-present3 named generationsSaloonPETROL / DIESEL / UNKNOWN / HYBRID ELECTRIC

The BMW 3 Series spans several build years and named generations (2005-present). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Newest BMW 3 Series generation shown; older shapes are pictured on the cards below.

Which year is which

Build years & generations, side by side

Find the build years you're looking at and see which generation they are. You'll also see which group of build years the MOT figures come from.

Built 2005-2008
Generation
E90/E91/E92/E93
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2009-2011
Generation
E90/E91/E92/E93
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted together with E90/E91/E92/E93 and F30/F31/F34 cars built in the same years.
Built 2012
Generation
F30/F31/F34
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted together with E90/E91/E92/E93 and F30/F31/F34 cars built in the same years.
Built 2013-2016
Generation
F30/F31/F34
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2017-2018
Generation
F30/F31/F34
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with F30/F31/F34 and G20/G21 cars built in the same years.
Built 2019-2020
Generation
G20/G21
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with F30/F31/F34 and G20/G21 cars built in the same years.
Built 2021+
Generation
G20/G21
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted with every car built from 2021.

Build years	Generation	Figures from cars built	What to know
2005-2008	E90/E91/E92/E93	2005-2008	Counted with this generation only.
2009-2011	E90/E91/E92/E93	2009-2012	Counted together with E90/E91/E92/E93 and F30/F31/F34 cars built in the same years.
2012	F30/F31/F34	2009-2012	Counted together with E90/E91/E92/E93 and F30/F31/F34 cars built in the same years.
2013-2016	F30/F31/F34	2013-2016	Counted with this generation only.
2017-2018	F30/F31/F34	2017-2020	Counted together with F30/F31/F34 and G20/G21 cars built in the same years.
2019-2020	G20/G21	2017-2020	Counted together with F30/F31/F34 and G20/G21 cars built in the same years.
2021+	G20/G21	2021 onwards	Counted with every car built from 2021.

“Figures from cars built” is the group of build years behind each row's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

“Figures from” is the group of build years behind each card's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

By build-year group

How each group of build years performs

Each card shows MOT results for one group of BMW 3 Series build years. “Age” means the car's age on the day of its MOT, not its build year. “25+” groups every test on cars aged 25 or older.

Built

2021 onwards

G20/G21 only

All G20/G21 cars built from 2021. Newer cars join this group until there is enough MOT history to split it.

Fail rate at 4 years old (latest age)

11.8%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 8 (12.5%)

Ages with data

3 to 4 years old

MOT tests counted

33,492

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

3 years

17,60412.1%

4 years

15,88811.8%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 3 years old.

Built

2017-2020

A mix of F30/F31/F34 and G20/G21

These build years include both F30/F31/F34 and G20/G21 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 7 years old

13.1%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 6 (17.1%)

Ages with data

4 to 8 years old

MOT tests counted

113,289

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

4 years

9,07311.1%

5 years

24,74011.5%

6 years

27,40111.8%

7 years

31,26813.1%

8 years

20,80714.0%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 8 years old.

Built

2013-2016

F30/F31/F34 only

These build years are all F30/F31/F34, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 12 years old (latest age)

21.9%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (25.9%)

Ages with data

8 to 12 years old

MOT tests counted

156,912

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

8 years

15,35314.2%

9 years

38,07115.7%

10 years

38,21218.2%

11 years

41,95420.5%

12 years

23,32221.9%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 12 years old.

Built

2009-2012

A mix of E90/E91/E92/E93 and F30/F31/F34

These build years include both E90/E91/E92/E93 and F30/F31/F34 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

25.5%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30%)

Ages with data

12 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

131,000

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

12 years

18,83724.9%

13 years

37,51624.4%

14 years

31,88824.3%

15 years

29,20425.4%

16 years

13,55525.5%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 16 years old.

Built

2005-2008

E90/E91/E92/E93 only

These build years are all E90/E91/E92/E93, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

26.2%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30.3%)

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

86,053

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

16 years

10,81525.7%

17 years

27,28925.1%

18 years

25,00125.3%

19 years

16,81726.1%

20 years

6,13126.2%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 20 years old.

Built

Before 2005

No generation name yet

We have MOT figures for these build years, but no generation name for them yet.

Fail rate at 25+ years old

22.8%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (23%)

Ages with data

20 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

56,389

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

20 years

4,68526.7%

21 years

11,08425.9%

22 years

10,86126.3%

23 years

7,40125.8%

24 years

4,46626.9%

25+ years

17,89222.8%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 24 years old.