Make overview
Mini MOT pass rates by model
Data updated
Quick answer
Mini cars pass 77.4% of MOT tests across 818,025 recorded tests, against a national average of 72.3%. Of the 10 Mini models with MOT data, the John Cooper Works has the highest age-adjusted pass rate at 83.8% and the Mini the lowest at 69.4%. The item recorded most often on a failed Mini is lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning.
- Tests analysed
- 818,025
- Adjusted pass rate
- 74.5%
- Models with data
- 10
Adjusted for age and mileage
Mini models ranked by pass rate
| Model | Adjusted pass rate | National rank | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini John Cooper Works | 83.8% | 27 of 262 | 22,101 |
| Mini Countryman | 79.9% | 56 of 262 | 102,058 |
| Mini Clubman | 76.8% | 87 of 262 | 27,749 |
| Mini Cooper | 75.9% | 97 of 262 | 355,413 |
| Mini One | 73.9% | 122 of 262 | 51,292 |
| Mini Mini | 69.4% | 176 of 262 | 246,751 |
Unadjusted, not ranked
Other Mini models with MOT data
These models have at least 500 recorded tests, but their tested examples do not span enough ages and mileages to rank fairly. Their failure and advisory patterns are still drawn from real tests.
| Model | Unadjusted pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Mini Paceman | 81.6% | 7,838 |
| Mini Roadster | 78.8% | 2,689 |
| Mini First | 70.0% | 1,503 |
| Mini GT | 87.3% | 631 |
Across the range
What Mini cars fail on most
Share of failed Mini tests recording each item, summed across every model above.
- 1.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning15.1%
- 2.A tyre seriously damaged11.6%
- 3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements11.4%
- 4.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen11.0%
- 5.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements7.3%
- 6.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm7.3%
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate for Mini?
- Across 818,025 recorded MOT tests, 77.4% of Mini tests ended in a pass, against a national average of 72.3%. Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the figure is 74.5%. A make-level figure blends very different cars, so the individual model pages are the more useful comparison.
- Which Mini is the most reliable on MOT evidence?
- Of the Mini models with enough data to compare fairly, the John Cooper Works has the highest age-and-mileage-adjusted pass rate at 83.8%, ranking 27 of 262 models nationally. This reflects how often cars meet the MOT standard, not how often they break down.
- What do Mini cars most often fail their MOT on?
- The most commonly recorded failure item across Mini tests is "A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning", appearing in 15.1% of failed tests. One failed test can list several items, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
- Why do some Mini models not have a pass rate ranking?
- A model is only ranked when its tested examples cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages for a fair comparison. 6 of the 10 Mini models here qualify. For the rest we publish the unadjusted rate and the failure patterns, but not a rank, because comparing unadjusted rates mostly sorts cars by how new they are.
How to read these figures
Why the adjusted rate is the fair one
An unadjusted pass rate is strongly driven by the age and mileage of the cars being tested, not by how well they were built. A model bought mainly as a lightly used second car will look better than an identical car sold to high-mileage drivers. Adjusting for age and mileage compares each model against cars that have lived a similar life.
For a specific car, its own record beats any model average — check that vehicle’s MOT history and read what testers actually recorded against it.
Check any vehicle's MOT history
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