Mini
5,815 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Mini (r57)s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's in line with the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models.
Pass
77.6%
Pass-after-fix
5.7%
Fail
16.1%
Avg miles
74,921
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 .
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 5,815 tests
Pass rate climbs 8.3 points across the cohorts — newer Mini (r57) examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
76.8%
Fail
16.6%
PRS
6.0%
Avg mileage at test
79,732 mi
Pass
85.1%
Fail
11.6%
PRS
2.8%
Avg mileage at test
27,504 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 3,434 MOT tests, the Mini (R57) returns 74.9% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a lamp out. Windscreen damage and a number-plate lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 74,403, 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
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. 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 →
16–28
out of 50
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A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
217 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
199 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
192 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
Stop lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
114 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
72 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
69 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
63 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
58 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
58 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
51 occurrences · 0.9% 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
£76–£165
If every one of this Mini (r57)'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.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 8.3-point gap between bands means the year you buy Mini Mini (r57) has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
85.1%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 85.1% — a 8.3-point improvement. Tests in this band average 27,504 miles — roughly 52K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a bulge, caused by separation or…, has a cut in excess of the… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
76.8%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 76.8% pass rate against a fleet average of 85.1% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and not working. Average mileage on test for this band is 79,732 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (85.1% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (76.8% pass). That's a 8.3-point spread across 5,279 older tests and 536 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Draper
Draper Air Mini Oiler
£16.49
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My Motor World
My Mini Mike Air Freshener
£5.49
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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
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Owner reports · Honest John
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
17-inch wheels with Sport suspension destroy both ride and road feel, air conditioning wasn't standard on models before January 2009.
Porous cylinder head reported on 2008 MINI Cooper at 57,000 miles. Car has cost £3,000 in repairs over past 3 years. MINI specialist said never saw the condition before and that car needs a new engine. BMW MINI dealer to conduct diagnostic tests for a manufacturing fault.
Yellow engine EML light came on in 59k mile R56 MINI Cooper S. Garage advised that it needs a new timing chain (which has "jumped a tooth") and a few other parts. Estimated cost £1,900, of which parts are about £1,500, but apparently the replacement parts would not develop the same problem later (ie, the parts have been modified to eliminate (or reduce) this problem).
Report of 17,400 mile 2012 MINI Cooper auto with Pepper pack perpetually stalling and losing power to steering and brakes. Taken to MINI dealer which has had the car for 12 days and cannot find the problem. (Begs the question why not. See above.)
65,000 mile 2009 R57 MINI convertible automatic reported to be using a litre of oil every 1,500 miles.
As directly above (9-5-2016), engine warning light recently came on in 25k mile 2011 MINI Cooper. Fault was traced to a failed solenoid in the sump, resulting in oil tracking back up the wiring to the engine management system, all of which had to be replaced. MINI and the local MINI dealership dealt with the situation very well. MINI stood the cost of the new EMU, and the dealer significantly reduced his hourly rate. Instead of a bill of £1,800, the reader paid £526. The dealer told him that it was a rare, but not unknown problem. Somewhat friendlier dealer than 9-5-2016.
Starting problem on December 2010 MINI Cooper S Cabriolet traced to failed oil seal on a solenoid that allowed oil to track along the wiring harness and into the engine management system, both of which had to be replaced, along with re-programming. BMW dealer response was no chance of a contribution to repair costs on a car of that age. Owner opted to have it repaired at local independent MINI specialist. This cost £2,525.
Timing chain failed on used 2009 MINI Cooper S bought 3 months previously.
Rear brake discs of 3 year old 30,000 mile MINI Cooper corroded and MINI lease demanded they were replaced by lessee before returning the car.
Strange case of 3 year old MINI Cooper S failing to start after a recent franchised service. Local mechanic found that CV joint had detached from driveshaft.
Number of problems reported with Cooper S. First, a timing chain failure (often the result of too infrequent oil changes). MINI provided goodwill. Then a coolant leak from a failed header tank (£600), and now another coolant leak at the seal with the oil filter for which the dealer is asking another £600. This could be connected with the electric pump that circulates coolant through the turbo and which was the subject of an NHTSA recall in the USA.
Report of peeling and blistering of clearcoat lacquer on Chilli Red MINI Cooper S.
Another yellow engine light showing on a 2007 MINI Cooper S. Suspect oil/timing chain problems.
Source: honestjohn.co.uk · 30 reports indexed, top 12 shown
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 Mini (r57) 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.
