Austin Mini Thirty MOT pass rate & common failures
The Austin Mini Thirty appears in 1,584 MOT tests spanning model years 1989–1998, and 77.3% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (21.3% fail rate), the Mini Thirty comes out 1.4pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (12.9%) and emissions & environmental (10.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are non catalyst emissions, service brake imbalance and headlamp — non catalyst emissions alone was recorded 164 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Mini Thirty fails 19.8% of the time in the 0-30k band and 21.4% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.6 points.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 25.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 24.3% in 2021 to 22.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Mini Thirty model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 1,445 | 77.3% | 22.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 134 | 76.1% | 23.9% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.9% | 204 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 10.0% | 158 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.6% | 137 |
| 4 | Brakes | 7.6% | 120 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.2% | 98 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.1% | 96 |
| 7 | Steering | 3.8% | 60 |
| 8 | Tyres | 1.6% | 26 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non catalyst emissions | 164 |
| 2 | Service brake imbalance | 78 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 73 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 68 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 68 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 63 |
| 7 | Steering rack | 58 |
| 8 | Washers | 58 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 25.1% | 398 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 18.6% | 294 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.8% | 219 |
| 4 | Tyres | 10.9% | 172 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.7% | 169 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.2% | 82 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 348 | 19.8% |
| 30-60k | 470 | 24.3% |
| 60-90k | 625 | 23.5% |
| 90-120k | 140 | 21.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 338 | 24.3% |
| 2022 | 318 | 21.4% |
| 2023 | 327 | 22.9% |
| 2024 | 308 | 22.7% |
| 2025 | 293 | 22.2% |
What to check before buying a Austin Mini Thirty
- Lighting & signalling (12.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (10.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Suspension (8.6% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Austin Mini Thirty?
77.3% of the 1,584 Austin Mini Thirty MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 22.7% fail rate, across model years 1989–1998.
What does the Austin Mini Thirty most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.9% of tests, then emissions & environmental (10.0%).
How much does mileage affect Mini Thirty MOT results?
Fail rates run at 19.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 21.4% for 90-120k, a 1.6-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,584 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.