Comparison · family SUVs

Land Rover Discovery Sport vs BMW X1: which is more reliable?

The BMW X1 does better at the MOT, with a score of 108 against 101 for the Land Rover Discovery Sport, comparing each with cars of the same age. Based on 202,349 real MOT tests in 2024.

By age

MOT Rank score for each age group (100 = an average car that age).

Age at test	Land Rover Discovery Sport	BMW X1
3–5 years	96Below average	104Above average
6–9 years	104Above average	108Well above average
10–14 years	–	111Well above average
15+ years	–	–

Year by year

Share that passed first time, same registration year.

Year	Land Rover Discovery Sport	BMW X1
2021	82.9%	89.1%
2020	82.0%	90.7%
2019	82.5%	89.7%
2018	82.7%	87.0%
2017	81.8%	86.0%
2016	80.2%	85.7%
2015	80.1%	79.8%

Problem areas

Failure items per 100 tests.

Area	Land Rover Discovery Sport	BMW X1
Tyres	6.7	7.0
Lights & electrics	5.6	5.1
Brakes	4.1	3.8
Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)	3.8	2.8
Suspension	1.9	4.0
Emissions & leaks	2.8	1.0
Body & chassis	0.5	0.9
Wheels	0.3	0.4

Land Rover Discovery Sport: top failures

Tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords2.5%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.3%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.9%
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.8%
Tyres - condition: has ply or cords exposed1.3%
Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.2%

BMW X1: top failures

Tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords2.2%
Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn1.9%
Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.7%
Tyres - condition: has ply or cords exposed1.4%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.1%
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid0.8%

Questions

Which is more reliable, the Land Rover Discovery Sport or the BMW X1?

The BMW X1 does better at the MOT, with a score of 108 against 101 for the Land Rover Discovery Sport, comparing each with cars of the same age.

Which years of the Land Rover Discovery Sport and BMW X1 can be compared?

Both were tested for 7 registration years (2015–2021). The Land Rover Discovery Sport had the higher pass rate in 1 of them and the BMW X1 in 6.

What fails most on each?

Land Rover Discovery Sport: tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords; wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively. BMW X1: tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords; suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn.