MINI Cooper: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The MINI Cooper passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 11.2 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 216,882 individual MINI Cooper tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate87.9%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+11.2 points
Tests analysed216,882
Average mileage at test44,413 miles
Average year of manufacture2017
Reliability rank996 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 87.9% first-time pass rate means roughly 12 in every 100 MINI Coopers presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average MINI Cooper tested had covered 44,413 miles and was built around 2017.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a MINI Cooper bought as a repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. See how it stacks up against the Ford Fiesta.

Looking at a specific MINI Cooper rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see what damaged MINI Coopers actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a MINI Cooper

  1. A tyre has a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber, 0.2% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this defect)
  2. Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 0.2% of tests (1.58x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.5% of tests (1.26x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 1.5% of tests
  5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.2% of tests
  6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.8% of tests
  7. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 0.7% of tests
  8. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.6% of tests
  9. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.5% of tests
  10. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 0.5% of tests

From 347,306 DVSA-tracked MINI Cooper tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.92% of these flagged MINI Cooper defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

MINI Cooper pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each MINI Cooper year:

MINI Cooper by fuel type

Diesel and petrol versions of the same car fail on different things, so the fuel type moves the number:

Other MINI models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate