BMW 520 pass rate by year
Year is the year the car was first registered. Years with fewer than 100 tests are left out.
| Year | Tests | Passed | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 541 | 115 | 21.3% | |
| 2007 | 1,066 | 277 | 26% | |
| 2008 | 2,636 | 729 | 27.7% | |
| 2009 | 1,634 | 545 | 33.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,724 | 733 | 42.5% | |
| 2011 | 3,741 | 1,596 | 42.7% | |
| 2012 | 3,133 | 1,417 | 45.2% | |
| 2013 | 2,781 | 1,405 | 50.5% | |
| 2014 | 2,403 | 1,428 | 59.4% | |
| 2015 | 2,198 | 1,388 | 63.1% | |
| 2016 | 801 | 519 | 64.8% | |
| 2017 | 2,966 | 1,836 | 61.9% | |
| 2018 | 562 | 385 | 68.5% | |
| 2019 | 1,826 | 1,309 | 71.7% | |
| 2020 | 269 | 215 | 79.9% | |
| 2021 | 1,122 | 894 | 79.7% |
What the BMW 520 fails on
Share of BMW 520 tests with at least one defect in each category, compared with all cars. One car can fail on several categories.
| Category | 520 | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| Steering and suspension | 19.9% | 18.5% |
| Wheels and tyres | 15.3% | 12.8% |
| Lighting and electrical | 14.5% | 17.6% |
| Side slip (wheel alignment) test | 14.1% | 15.2% |
| Vehicle and safety equipment | 11.4% | 8% |
| Headlight aim test | 8.7% | 9.3% |
Most of these are cheap to check before the test: bulbs and headlight aim, tyre tread and pressures, wiper blades, and warning lights. See the pre-NCT checklist and what each category means.
Other BMW models
| Model | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| BMW 320 | 12,335 | 42.6% |
| BMW 318 | 6,684 | 42.3% |
| BMW 116 | 4,873 | 57.4% |
| BMW X5 | 4,284 | 64.7% |
| BMW 330 | 3,977 | 66.1% |
| BMW 316 | 3,533 | 43.8% |
| BMW 530 | 3,518 | 65.8% |
| BMW 420 | 3,170 | 62.4% |
| BMW X3 | 3,150 | 62.5% |
| BMW X1 | 2,815 | 67.5% |
| BMW 118 | 2,103 | 62.3% |
Cars with a similar pass rate
Models from other makes that scored closest to the BMW 520 (50.2%) in 2025:
Top of the table: Toyota C-HR (80%). Bottom: Peugeot 207 (32.5%). See the best and worst cars and pass rate by car age.
Book the NCT for your 520
The fee is €60 at every centre and the make of car does not change where you can test. The busiest centres, and every county:
Other makes
NCT cost
€60 full test, €40 retest, free visual retest.
How to book
ncts.ie, phone and the priority list.
Retest rules
Book within 21 days, finish within 30.
How often
At 4 years, every 2 years, then yearly from 10.
What to bring
Documents and quick checks before the test.
NCT waiting times
Days to the next free test, by centre.
BMW 520 NCT questions
What is the NCT pass rate for the BMW 520?
In 2025, 50.2% of BMW 520 cars passed the NCT at the first attempt (14,903 of 29,713 initial tests), 0.9 points better than the average for all cars of 49.3%.
Which year of BMW 520 does best at the NCT?
Among years with at least 300 tests, 2021 cars did best (79.7%) and 2006 cars did worst (21.3%). Newer cars almost always pass more often, so compare against cars of the same age.
What does the BMW 520 fail the NCT on most?
The fail categories recorded most often for the BMW 520 were steering and suspension (19.9% of tests), wheels and tyres (15.3% of tests), lighting and electrical (14.5% of tests). One car can fail on several items.
Do these figures include retests?
No. The RSA make and model data covers initial tests only; retests are not included.
Source: RSA 2025 Make and Model Data, initial NCT tests only. The RSA notes the figures do not account for mileage, maintenance or service history, and small groups are excluded for data protection. Reviewed 2 October 2026.