Mini
First
2,875 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Firsts pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 3.5 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
74.0%
Pass-after-fix
7.8%
Fail
17.5%
Avg miles
73,782
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
First: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 1,887 MOT tests, the First returns 77.2% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a number-plate lamp out. Windscreen damage and a lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 68,448, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 12–20
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
12–20
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
176 occurrences · 6.1% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
78 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 03
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
61 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
- 04
Stop lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
51 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 05
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
47 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 06
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 functioning
35 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 07
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
35 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 08
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
30 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 09
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
30 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 10
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
30 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£36–£115
If every one of this First's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Draper
Draper Air Mini Oiler
£16.49
View at My Motor World →
My Motor World
My Mini Mike Air Freshener
£5.49
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote MINI Chilli Red Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote MINI Cosmic Blue Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Buying or keeping a First?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a First and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.