In short
At 5–6 years (mostly built 2019–2021) 1.2% of 2,724 inspected BMW 3-serie G21s had at least one A-problem at the APK, against 1.9% for all cars of the same age. Over all ages together an A-problem occurs 29% less often on this model than on average (rank 119 of 328 in the ranking). Most often it concerns control arms / ball joints, seat belts and seats and airbags — control arms / ball joints occurs 2.6× as often as on comparable cars.
Cite these figures
CarXray.nl (2026). BMW 3-serie G21 — APK defects by age. Based on RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. https://carxray.nl/en/modellen/bmw/3-serie-g21/
A-problems
1.2%
n = 2,724 · 95% CI 0.9 – 1.7%
National, same age
1.9%
n = 531,655 · 95% CI 1.9 – 1.9%
Defects at the APK by age
- BMW 3-serie G21
- National, same age
- 95% confidence interval
| Age | Built (approx.) | n | A-problems | 95% CI | All defects | National A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 – 4 years | 2021–2023 | 1,419 | 1.2% | 0.7 – 1.9% | 17.9% | 1.3% |
| 5 – 6 years | 2019–2021 | 2,724 | 1.2% | 0.9 – 1.7% | 18.0% | 1.9% |
| 7 – 8 years | 2017–2019 | 156 | insufficient | 3.1% | ||
| 9 – 10 years | 2015–2017 | — | insufficient | 4.7% | ||
| 11 – 12 years | 2013–2015 | — | insufficient | 7.2% | ||
| 13 – 15 years | 2010–2013 | — | insufficient | 10.6% | ||
| 16+ years | 2010 or older | — | insufficient | 15.3% |
Weak spots
What to check extra on this generation.
| Point to check | Share · sample · 95% CI | Vs. same class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control arms / ball joints | 0.8% · n = 2,724 · 0.6 – 1.3% | 2.6× | |
| Seat belts, seats and airbags | 0.3% · n = 2,724 · 0.1 – 0.5% | 0.6× |
Open recalls
Check the status of this specific car.
About this generation
- Production years
- 2019 – 2026
- RDW type code(s)
- G3L
- Trade name(s)
- 3-SERIE
- Registered (type group)
- 6,729
- Generation boundary
- Draft, being checked
See other 3-Serie generations Similar models
Same type of car and era, at 5–6 years. 3-serie G21: 1.2% A-problems.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BMW 3-Serie reliable?
The APK tells you about defects, not breakdowns. At 5–6 years 1.2% of inspected BMW 3-serie G21s had at least one A-problem (structure, safety or costly mechanics), against 1.9% nationally at the same age. The maintenance of the specific car matters more than the model.
How does the BMW 3-serie G21 compare with other cars?
Over all ages together an A-problem occurs 29% less often on the BMW 3-serie G21 than on cars of the same age. That puts it at rank 119 of 328 models in the CarXray ranking.
Which model years do these figures cover?
The inspections run from 2025-10 to 2026-09. Cars aged 5–6 years were then mostly built in 2019–2021. The data table shows the build years per age class.
What are the most common problems?
The most common A-problems at the APK are control arms / ball joints, seat belts, seats and airbags. See the weak spots above and take them into your checklist.
Take these insights to the viewing
Use our checklist and focus on the key points for this BMW 3-serie G21.