Diesel MINI Cooper: MOT pass rate
84% of diesel MINI Coopers pass the MOT first time, measured across 29,462 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 70,771.
Diesel against the other MINI Cooper versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 89% | 186,568 |
| Diesel | 84% | 29,462 |
| All MINI Cooper | 88.3% | 216,033 |
Why the fuel type changes the number
Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.
On the MINI Cooper specifically, petrol is the strongest at 89%, and this diesel version sits 4.3 points below the 88.3% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
The diesel MINI Cooper fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average diesel MINI Cooper had covered 70,771 miles at test, against 41,279 for the petrol. That is a shade above the middle of the range, still ordinary wear rather than a red flag, but worth checking against the service book for the car's age.
Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the MINI Cooper page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Other MINI Cooper fuel types
- Petrol MINI Cooper - 89%