Model reliability file
Mini First MOT pass rate & common failures
From 1,503 recorded MOT tests of the Mini First, published by DVSA.
Data updated
Quick answer
Across 1,503 MOT tests, 70.0% of Mini First tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Mini First fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, which appears in 19.4% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 76,211 miles on the odometer when tested.
At a glance
Recorded pass rate
We are not publishing a ranking for the First. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 1,503 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.
DVSA recorded wording
Most common failure items
Share of failed Mini First tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.
- 1.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning19.4%
63 occurrencesLamp not working explained
- 2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements11.4%
37 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
- 3.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements10.8%
35 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
- 4.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning8.6%
28 occurrencesStop lamp not working explained
- 5.An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning8.3%
27 occurrencesLamp not working explained
- 6.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.3%
27 occurrencesBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
- 7.Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction7.7%
25 occurrencesEngine management light on, or not working explained
- 8.Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer6.8%
22 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained
- 9.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.5%
21 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
- 10.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage6.5%
21 occurrencesShock absorber defective explained
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
Share of all Mini First tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.
- 1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements22.8%
- 2.A tyre seriously damaged19.2%
- 3.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured16.8%
- 4.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded11.6%
- 5.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.1%
- 6.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users6.7%
101 tests
- 7.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn5.8%
- 8.Exhaust system leaking or insecure5.0%
What gets tested
The First fleet
- Average mileage recorded at test
- 76,211
- Fuel mix of tested cars
- Petrol99.9%
Across examples of every age, so this is a description of the fleet rather than an annual figure.
Check a specific Mini First
A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.
Compare within the range
Other Mini models
- Mini Cooper — 75.9% adjusted
- Mini Mini — 69.4% adjusted
- Mini Countryman — 79.9% adjusted
- Mini One — 73.9% adjusted
- Mini Clubman — 76.8% adjusted
- Mini John Cooper Works — 83.8% adjusted
- All Mini models
Common questions
- How reliable is the Mini First compared with other cars?
- We do not publish a comparison for the Mini First, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 70.0% across 1,503 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
- What is the most common MOT failure on a Mini First?
- The item recorded most often is "A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning", which appears in 19.4% of failed Mini First tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
- What do testers most often warn about on a Mini First?
- The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 22.8% of all Mini First tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
- What mileage does a Mini First usually have at its MOT?
- The average odometer reading recorded at test is 76,211 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
How this was worked out
Method and limits
Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.
An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.
Further reading