Which MINI models fail their MOT most
17.5% of MINI cars fail first time, against 24.5% across every make. That is 7 points better than average, measured over 576,725 DVSA tests on 13 models.
Every MINI in the data
Sorted by how many tests each one contributes, so the models most people actually buy come first. A linked row has a page of its own.
| Model | Years | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini | 2010–2013 | 101,997 | 27.8% |
| Cooper | 2014–2017 | 100,494 | 15.9% |
| Cooper | 2018–2021 | 82,267 | 11% |
| Countryman | 2014–2017 | 42,555 | 15% |
| Cooper S | 2018–2021 | 38,510 | 11.1% |
| Countryman | 2018–2021 | 36,956 | 10.8% |
| Cooper S | 2014–2017 | 32,364 | 16.1% |
| One | 2014–2017 | 30,674 | 16.7% |
| Clubman | 2014–2017 | 18,691 | 17.1% |
| Mini (R60) | 2010–2013 | 12,889 | 24.4% |
| Cooper | 2010–2013 | 12,425 | 25% |
| One | 2010–2013 | 11,492 | 26.5% |
| John Cooper Works | 2018–2021 | 8,771 | 12% |
| Paceman | 2014–2017 | 7,355 | 15.1% |
| John Cooper Works | 2014–2017 | 7,235 | 16.5% |
| Clubman | 2018–2021 | 6,678 | 13.6% |
| Cooper D | 2010–2013 | 6,219 | 30.5% |
| One | 2018–2021 | 4,403 | 11.5% |
| Cooper S | 2010–2013 | 4,212 | 22.4% |
| Countryman | 2010–2013 | 3,932 | 21.9% |
| Roadster | 2014–2017 | 2,299 | 20.1% |
| Cooper Sd | 2010–2013 | 2,179 | 27.4% |
| Mini (R57) | 2010–2013 | 2,128 | 30.2% |
How a MINI ages
The same manufacturer at three ages. Every make gets worse with age; what differs is how steeply, and that is the part worth knowing before you choose between a cheaper older one and a dearer newer one.
2018–2021
11.1%
177,585 tests
2014–2017
16%
241,667 tests
2010–2013
27%
157,473 tests
Best and worst in the range
Least likely to fail
- 10.8% Countryman 2018–2021
- 11% Cooper 2018–2021
- 11.1% Cooper S 2018–2021
Most likely to fail
- 30.5% Cooper D 2010–2013
- 27.8% Mini 2010–2013
- 26.5% One 2010–2013
Cohorts with at least 5,000 tests only, so a rare model cannot top either list on thin evidence.
What actually fails on a MINI
Pooled across the whole range and weighted by test count. One model's worst fault is a fact about that model; the same fault across the range is a fact about the make.
- 1.4% Tyres tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm
- 1.4% Visibility does not clear the windscreen effectively
- 1.4% Tyres has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords
- 1.1% Position lamp not working
- 1% Brake linings and pads less than 1.5 mm thick
- 0.7% Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
Free · no account, no card
Check the actual MINI you're looking at
This page is the make. Type the registration and you get that car's own MOT history, its mileage record, its tax status and the questions to ask the seller before you travel.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023. Class 4 standard tests only. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MINI and its marks are the property of their owner and are used here to identify the manufacturer this page is about.