MOT pass rates / MINI
MINI MOT pass rates and common failures
MINI cars passed 76.3% of their MOTs first time in 2024, across 681,046 class-4 initial tests and 19 model groups. That is above the 71.2% UK average, and ranks MINI 20th of 59 makes in the dataset.
Pass rates track age more strongly than badge: an older MINI is compared here against older cars of every other make, so read the age table below before drawing conclusions about the brand.
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What MINI cars fail on
The items most often behind a first-test failure across MINI model groups, as a share of MINI tests. DVSA publishes each model group's six most common categories, so this ranks the biggest published causes rather than every possible one.
- Condition — 4.4% of MINI tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Headlamp Aim — 3.5% of MINI tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Exhaust Emissions — 3.3% of MINI tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
- Position Lamps — 3.2% of MINI tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Brake Performance — 1.8% of MINI tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Wipers — 1.5% of MINI tests. Worn wiper blades. Minutes to fix, and a fair hint that servicing was skipped.
- Suspension Arms — 1.1% of MINI tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Mechanical Brake Components — 1% of MINI tests. Worn discs, pads or callipers. Routine wear, but it should be priced into the deal.
MINI MOT pass rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 135,204 | 88.7% |
| 6–9 years | 218,306 | 84.5% |
| 10–14 years | 180,791 | 72.9% |
| 15–30 years | 146,492 | 56.7% |
MINI models by MOT pass rate
| Model | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| Mini | 224,222 | 61.6% |
| Cooper | 179,702 | 84.3% |
| Countryman | 75,702 | 86.1% |
| Cooper S | 74,219 | 85.4% |
| ONE | 43,076 | 79.7% |
| Clubman | 22,603 | 81.5% |
| John Cooper Works | 17,648 | 85.6% |
| Mini (r60) | 11,509 | 72.4% |
| Paceman | 7,477 | 82% |
| Cooper D | 5,780 | 67.8% |
| Cooper S Electric Level 3 | 3,508 | 86.9% |
| Cooper S Electric Level 2 | 3,308 | 87.9% |
| Mini (r57) | 2,474 | 69.9% |
| Roadster | 2,375 | 80.8% |
| Cooper SD | 2,031 | 72.7% |
| Mini (r58) | 1,461 | 69.7% |
| First | 1,403 | 70.2% |
| Cooper Auto | 1,396 | 75.2% |
| Cooper S Electric Level 1 | 1,152 | 87.6% |
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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