BMW

BMW 5 Series build years & generations

Coverage 2003-present4 named generationsSaloonPETROL / DIESEL / HYBRID ELECTRIC / UNKNOWN

The BMW 5 Series spans several build years and named generations (2003-present). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Newest BMW 5 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 2003-2004
Generation
E60/E61
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
Built 2005-2008
Generation
E60/E61
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2009
Generation
E60/E61
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted together with E60/E61 and F10/F11/F07 cars built in the same years.
Built 2010-2012
Generation
F10/F11/F07
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted together with E60/E61 and F10/F11/F07 cars built in the same years.
Built 2013-2016
Generation
F10/F11/F07
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2017-2020
Generation
G30/G31
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2021-2022
Generation
G30/G31
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted together with G30/G31 and G60/G61 cars built in the same years.
Built 2023+
Generation
G60/G61
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted together with G30/G31 and G60/G61 cars built in the same years.

Build years	Generation	Figures from cars built	What to know
2003-2004	E60/E61	Before 2005	Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
2005-2008	E60/E61	2005-2008	Counted with this generation only.
2009	E60/E61	2009-2012	Counted together with E60/E61 and F10/F11/F07 cars built in the same years.
2010-2012	F10/F11/F07	2009-2012	Counted together with E60/E61 and F10/F11/F07 cars built in the same years.
2013-2016	F10/F11/F07	2013-2016	Counted with this generation only.
2017-2020	G30/G31	2017-2020	Counted with this generation only.
2021-2022	G30/G31	2021 onwards	Counted together with G30/G31 and G60/G61 cars built in the same years.
2023+	G60/G61	2021 onwards	Counted together with G30/G31 and G60/G61 cars built in the same years.

“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 5 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

A mix of G30/G31 and G60/G61

These build years include both G30/G31 and G60/G61 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 4 years old (latest age)

11.1%

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

Ages with data

3 to 4 years old

MOT tests counted

11,631

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

7,36711.5%

4 years

4,26411.1%

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

G30/G31 only

These build years are all G30/G31, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 7 years old

12.7%

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

Ages with data

4 to 8 years old

MOT tests counted

66,100

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

3,64511.1%

5 years

13,03710.8%

6 years

20,44911.6%

7 years

19,43612.7%

8 years

9,53313.7%

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

F10/F11/F07 only

These build years are all F10/F11/F07, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 12 years old (latest age)

20.4%

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

Ages with data

8 to 12 years old

MOT tests counted

72,960

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

7,88412.9%

9 years

18,27513.9%

10 years

19,24914.9%

11 years

18,20017.7%

12 years

9,35220.4%

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 E60/E61 and F10/F11/F07

These build years include both E60/E61 and F10/F11/F07 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

23.1%

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

Ages with data

12 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

48,071

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

7,64722.1%

13 years

15,04521.0%

14 years

12,63721.4%

15 years

8,38122.0%

16 years

4,36123.1%

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

E60/E61 only

These build years are all E60/E61, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

25.3%

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

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

28,181

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

3,50423.0%

17 years

8,18523.3%

18 years

8,26524.6%

19 years

5,92324.7%

20 years

2,30425.3%

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

E60/E61 only

Counts every car built before 2005, so older cars with the same model name can be included as well as the E60/E61.

Fail rate at 25+ years old

25.8%

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

Ages with data

20 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

15,538

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

1,53726.3%

21 years

2,75425.9%

22 years

2,57026.9%

23 years

2,18526.4%

24 years

1,55326.9%

25+ years

4,93925.8%

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 22 years old.