Last updated: 2026-10-10
Most Reliable BMW Models — Ranked in 2026
We ranked every BMW model and year in our database by reliability score. The average BMW scores 66/100 across all models and years. The 2024 BMW i4 is the most reliable BMW with a score of 78/100.
BMW Reliability Rankings
| # | Vehicle | Best Year | Score | Rating | Recalls | Complaints / 10k | Maint. Rating | Est. Repair Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2024 BMW i4 | 2024 | 78/100 | Good | 3 | — | 4 | |
| 2 | 2026 BMW 3 Series | 2026 | 76/100 | Good | 0 | — | 3 | $773/yr |
| 3 | 2021 BMW X1 | 2021 | 75/100 | Good | 1 | 3.3 | 3.5 | $915/yr |
| 4 | 2022 BMW 2 Series | 2022 | 74/100 | Good | 18 | 1.1 | 3.5 | $968/yr |
| 5 | 2026 BMW X1 | 2026 | 74/100 | Good | 2 | — | 3.5 | $915/yr |
| 6 | 2020 BMW X1 | 2020 | 74/100 | Good | 1 | 8.3 | 3.5 | $915/yr |
| 7 | 2023 BMW i4 | 2023 | 73/100 | Good | 7 | 8.0 | 4 | |
| 8 | 2019 BMW 2 Series | 2019 | 73/100 | Good | 18 | 2.1 | 3.5 | $968/yr |
| 9 | 2023 BMW 2 Series | 2023 | 73/100 | Good | 26 | 1.2 | 3.5 | $968/yr |
| 10 | 2025 BMW X1 | 2025 | 73/100 | Good | 3 | 4.4 | 3.5 | $915/yr |
| 11 | 2024 BMW 2 Series | 2024 | 72/100 | Good | 13 | 0.5 | 3.5 | $968/yr |
| 12 | 2019 BMW X1 | 2019 | 72/100 | Good | 3 | 5.6 | 3.5 | $915/yr |
| 13 | 2022 BMW X7 | 2022 | 72/100 | Good | 2 | 0.5 | 2.5 | $1127/yr |
| 14 | 2021 BMW 2 Series | 2021 | 72/100 | Good | 43 | 2.1 | 3.5 | $968/yr |
| 15 | 2022 BMW X1 | 2022 | 72/100 | Good | 2 | 1.2 | 3.5 | $915/yr |
| 16 | 2022 BMW i4 | 2022 | 72/100 | Good | 8 | 2.0 | 4 | |
| 17 | 2025 BMW 5 Series | 2025 | 71/100 | Good | 5 | 0.0 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 18 | 2024 BMW 3 Series | 2024 | 71/100 | Good | 2 | 2.6 | 3 | $773/yr |
| 19 | 2025 BMW 3 Series | 2025 | 71/100 | Good | 1 | 0.3 | 3 | $773/yr |
| 20 | 2020 BMW 2 Series | 2020 | 71/100 | Good | 23 | 2.2 | 3.5 | $968/yr |
| 21 | 2026 BMW 5 Series | 2026 | 71/100 | Good | 1 | — | 3 | $968/yr |
| 22 | 2025 BMW X7 | 2025 | 71/100 | Good | 4 | 0.7 | 2.5 | $1127/yr |
| 23 | 2023 BMW 3 Series | 2023 | 70/100 | Good | 4 | 2.7 | 3 | $773/yr |
| 24 | 2025 BMW 2 Series | 2025 | 70/100 | Good | 9 | 0.1 | 3.5 | $968/yr |
| 25 | 2026 BMW 2 Series | 2026 | 70/100 | Good | 4 | — | 3.5 | $968/yr |
| 26 | 2022 BMW 3 Series | 2022 | 70/100 | Good | 3 | 2.0 | 3 | $773/yr |
| 27 | 2023 BMW 5 Series | 2023 | 70/100 | Good | 2 | 3.1 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 28 | 2024 BMW X7 | 2024 | 70/100 | Good | 7 | 1.7 | 2.5 | $1127/yr |
| 29 | 2018 BMW 2 Series | 2018 | 70/100 | Good | 23 | 8.5 | 3.5 | $968/yr |
| 30 | 2021 BMW X7 | 2021 | 69/100 | Good | 9 | 1.1 | 2.5 | $1127/yr |
| 31 | 2023 BMW X7 | 2023 | 69/100 | Good | 8 | 1.1 | 2.5 | $1127/yr |
| 32 | 2018 BMW X1 | 2018 | 69/100 | Good | 4 | 19.3 | 3.5 | $915/yr |
| 33 | 2024 BMW X1 | 2024 | 68/100 | Good | 2 | 46.5 | 3.5 | $915/yr |
| 34 | 2019 BMW X7 | 2019 | 68/100 | Good | 11 | 1.4 | 2.5 | $1127/yr |
| 35 | 2022 BMW 5 Series | 2022 | 68/100 | Good | 3 | 6.2 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 36 | 2021 BMW 3 Series | 2021 | 67/100 | Good | 9 | 4.4 | 3 | $773/yr |
| 37 | 2020 BMW 5 Series | 2020 | 67/100 | Good | 7 | 3.9 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 38 | 2025 BMW 4 Series | 2025 | 67/100 | Good | 9 | 0.6 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 39 | 2022 BMW X5 | 2022 | 67/100 | Good | 1 | 6.2 | 2 | $1166/yr |
| 40 | 2020 BMW X7 | 2020 | 67/100 | Good | 12 | 1.9 | 2.5 | $1127/yr |
| 41 | 2023 BMW X3 | 2023 | 67/100 | Good | 4 | 1.9 | 2.5 | $1034/yr |
| 42 | 2019 BMW 3 Series | 2019 | 66/100 | Good | 9 | 7.1 | 3 | $773/yr |
| 43 | 2024 BMW X3 | 2024 | 66/100 | Good | 2 | 18.3 | 2.5 | $1034/yr |
| 44 | 2022 BMW 4 Series | 2022 | 66/100 | Good | 18 | 8.7 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 45 | 2024 BMW 4 Series | 2024 | 66/100 | Good | 13 | 7.5 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 46 | 2021 BMW 5 Series | 2021 | 66/100 | Good | 8 | 8.6 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 47 | 2022 BMW X6 | 2022 | 66/100 | Good | 1 | 2.2 | 2 | $1206/yr |
| 48 | 2018 BMW 3 Series | 2018 | 65/100 | Good | 5 | 13.0 | 3 | $773/yr |
| 49 | 2023 BMW X6 | 2023 | 65/100 | Good | 1 | 1.0 | 2 | $1206/yr |
| 50 | 2026 BMW X3 | 2026 | 65/100 | Good | 1 | — | 2.5 | $1034/yr |
| 51 | 2023 BMW X5 | 2023 | 65/100 | Good | 4 | 3.3 | 2 | $1166/yr |
| 52 | 2023 BMW X1 | 2023 | 64/100 | Good | 5 | 44.3 | 3.5 | $915/yr |
| 53 | 2026 BMW 4 Series | 2026 | 64/100 | Good | 4 | — | 3 | $968/yr |
| 54 | 2025 BMW X5 | 2025 | 64/100 | Good | 4 | 6.4 | 2 | $1166/yr |
| 55 | 2020 BMW 3 Series | 2020 | 64/100 | Good | 12 | 11.5 | 3 | $773/yr |
| 56 | 2022 BMW X3 | 2022 | 64/100 | Good | 7 | 8.4 | 2.5 | $1034/yr |
| 57 | 2023 BMW 4 Series | 2023 | 63/100 | Good | 26 | 11.6 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 58 | 2024 BMW X6 | 2024 | 62/100 | Good | 4 | 9.5 | 2 | $1206/yr |
| 59 | 2026 BMW X7 | 2026 | 62/100 | Good | 2 | — | 2.5 | $1127/yr |
| 60 | 2019 BMW 5 Series | 2019 | 62/100 | Good | 11 | 17.3 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 61 | 2021 BMW X3 | 2021 | 61/100 | Good | 10 | 10.4 | 2.5 | $1034/yr |
| 62 | 2021 BMW X6 | 2021 | 60/100 | Good | 7 | 7.3 | 2 | $1206/yr |
| 63 | 2024 BMW iX | 2024 | 60/100 | Good | 4 | 19.5 | 2 | |
| 64 | 2018 BMW X5 | 2018 | 59/100 | Mixed | 6 | 14.0 | 2 | $1166/yr |
| 65 | 2018 BMW 5 Series | 2018 | 59/100 | Mixed | 17 | 48.3 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 66 | 2020 BMW X3 | 2020 | 59/100 | Mixed | 16 | 13.5 | 2.5 | $1034/yr |
| 67 | 2019 BMW X3 | 2019 | 58/100 | Mixed | 10 | 21.1 | 2.5 | $1034/yr |
| 68 | 2021 BMW X5 | 2021 | 57/100 | Mixed | 13 | 14.0 | 2 | $1166/yr |
| 69 | 2024 BMW X5 | 2024 | 57/100 | Mixed | 7 | 18.5 | 2 | $1166/yr |
| 70 | 2021 BMW 4 Series | 2021 | 57/100 | Mixed | 40 | 27.9 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 71 | 2026 BMW X5 | 2026 | 56/100 | Mixed | 4 | — | 2 | $1166/yr |
| 72 | 2026 BMW X6 | 2026 | 56/100 | Mixed | 2 | — | 2 | $1206/yr |
| 73 | 2023 BMW iX | 2023 | 56/100 | Mixed | 12 | 20.2 | 2 | |
| 74 | 2020 BMW X5 | 2020 | 56/100 | Mixed | 11 | 16.0 | 2 | $1166/yr |
| 75 | 2019 BMW 4 Series | 2019 | 55/100 | Mixed | 17 | 48.3 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 76 | 2025 BMW X3 | 2025 | 54/100 | Mixed | 8 | — | 2.5 | $1034/yr |
| 77 | 2018 BMW 4 Series | 2018 | 54/100 | Mixed | 21 | 83.2 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 78 | 2019 BMW X5 | 2019 | 52/100 | Mixed | 13 | 28.8 | 2 | $1166/yr |
| 79 | 2020 BMW 4 Series | 2020 | 52/100 | Mixed | 34 | 69.5 | 3 | $968/yr |
| 80 | 2022 BMW iX | 2022 | 52/100 | Mixed | 11 | 60.1 | 2 |
Model Summaries
BMW 2 Series
Reliability for this coupe is good and close to average among coupes. Shoppers should favor the 2022, the pick among years with a real track record, and no year is clearly weak. Two problems matter most: a passenger airbag warning tied to a failed seat sensor mat, and coolant loss that can lead to overheating or limp mode.
Average score: 72/100. Best year: 2022 (74/100). 9 years tracked.
BMW 3 Series
Used 3-Series sedans rate good for reliability and sit close to the average for sedans. Electrical faults lead the complaints, including rear defroster wiring that owners link to fires, and engine coolant leaks from cracked housings and hoses come next. The 2018 and 2020 model years draw the most complaints, while 2024 is the safer year to buy.
Average score: 69/100. Best year: 2024 (71/100). 9 years tracked.
BMW 4 Series
Sudden coolant loss from a cracked oil filter housing and a passenger airbag warning from a failed seat sensor mat are the costly problems to watch on this coupe. Its standing is good, yet it sits well below average among coupes, so a clean service history matters. Favor the 2024 or 2022, and skip the 2020, one of the two lowest-rated years.
Average score: 60/100. Best year: 2024 (66/100). 9 years tracked.
BMW 5 Series
Reliability standing is good, though the 5-Series ranks below average among sedans on the site. The 2018 model year is the one to skip, with passenger airbag warnings from a failing seat sensor and coolant loss from a cracked plastic oil filter housing. The 2023 is the better buy, with few complaints and a few years of history behind it.
Average score: 67/100. Best year: 2023 (70/100). 8 years tracked.
BMW X1
Reliability is good and close to average among SUVs on the site. Among years with time on the road, 2021 is the one to buy. Skip 2023, where owners report brake pedals that turn stiff or sink to the floor, and many wait on parts for a recall repair. Yearly repair costs run a little above the luxury compact SUV average.
Average score: 71/100. Best year: 2021 (75/100). 9 years tracked.
BMW X3
Used X3 shoppers should pick the year with care. The 2023 model is the best-supported buy, while 2025 draws complaints of stalling, fire risk, and braking that triggers with nothing ahead. Across all years, water leaking past the roof antenna seal and slow coolant loss are the costly problems, with owner quotes reaching several thousand dollars.
Average score: 62/100. Best year: 2023 (67/100). 8 years tracked.
BMW X5
Reliability is mixed and well below average among SUVs, with 2022 the pick and 2019 the year to skip. Sudden loss of power with a drivetrain warning shows up across many years. Electrical faults are the most reported, from no-start failures to a total loss of electrical power on the plug-in hybrid. Brake complaints stand out on 2024 and 2025.
Average score: 59/100. Best year: 2022 (67/100). 9 years tracked.
BMW X6
Used buyers get a model with good reliability, though it ranks well below average among SUVs on the site. The 2022 is the year to favor, and 2026 is the one to avoid. The problems that matter most are brake trouble, such as warning lamps and automatic emergency braking shutting off, and driver door and mirror issues.
Average score: 62/100. Best year: 2022 (66/100). 5 years tracked.
BMW X7
Good overall and close to average among SUVs, the X7 is best bought as a 2022, which has the lowest complaint rate of any established year. Brakes are the top complaint area, led by a pedal that sticks hard after shifting into Drive. Starter failures and a leaking roof antenna that floods the telematics unit come next. The 2026 is the year to skip.
Average score: 69/100. Best year: 2022 (72/100). 8 years tracked.
BMW i4
Owner complaints and federal recall records put this electric sedan in good standing, above most sedans on the site. No year is weak enough to rule out, and 2024 is the pick. The problems to watch are serious ones: propulsion that cuts out with a drivetrain malfunction message, and sudden acceleration at low speed while parking. Check recall history on any car you consider.
Average score: 74/100. Best year: 2024 (78/100). 3 years tracked.
BMW iX
Used buyers get a mixed picture here, and the electric SUV sits well below average against other SUVs on the site. The 2024 is the year to favor, with fewer recalls than 2022 or 2023. The most serious complaints describe the dash going black and drive power cutting out while moving, and a driver airbag repair stalled for months by parts shortages.
Average score: 56/100. Best year: 2024 (60/100). 3 years tracked.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the most reliable BMW?
- Based on our data, the 2024 BMW i4 is the most reliable BMW with a score of 78/100 ("Good"). It has 3 recalls and 22 owner complaints.
- Are BMW vehicles reliable?
- BMW vehicles have an average reliability score of 66/100 across all models and years in our database. Individual models vary, so checking the specific model year you're considering is important.
- Which BMW models should I avoid?
- Based on our data, these BMW model-years are statistical outliers within their lines: 2023 X1 (64/100), 2026 X7 (62/100), 2018 5 Series (59/100), 2026 X6 (56/100), 2025 X3 (54/100), 2019 X5 (52/100), 2020 4 Series (52/100). These have higher recall counts and complaint volumes relative to their siblings.
- How do BMW repair costs compare?
- Repair costs vary by model. Check the detailed rankings table above for estimated annual repair costs for each BMW model year.
How we score BMW model years
Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
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