2015 MINI Cooper — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 MINI Cooper passed 88.7% of its 190,859 recorded MOT tests. Superminis of a similar age fail 17.5% of the time, so this is 6.3pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.4%) and visibility (4.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 7,000 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.8% in the 0-30k band and 19.0% in the 150k+ band, a 11.2-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.3pp more often than petrol ones (12.8% vs 10.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.4% | 10,267 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.2% | 8,032 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 6,853 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.2% | 4,244 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 2,761 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.0% | 1,906 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 7,000 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 3,961 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 3,441 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 3,043 |
| 5 | Washers | 2,550 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 2,356 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 25.2% | 48,158 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.2% | 23,361 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.5% | 10,567 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.7% | 8,971 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.5% | 8,601 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 1.6% | 3,105 |
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 | 29,960 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 92,763 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 52,299 | 13.2% |
| 90-120k | 12,886 | 16.3% |
| 120-150k | 2,429 | 19.1% |
| 150k+ | 510 | 19.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 130,107 | 10.5% |
| Diesel | 60,752 | 12.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 38,240 | 10.4% |
| 2022 | 38,190 | 10.7% |
| 2023 | 37,945 | 10.9% |
| 2024 | 38,098 | 11.7% |
| 2025 | 38,386 | 12.6% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Cooper
On a 2015 Cooper, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.4% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (4.2% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (3.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2015 MINI Coopers pass their MOT?
88.7% of the 190,859 2015 MINI Cooper MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 MINI Cooper?
Tyres, recorded in 5.4% of tests, followed by visibility (4.2%).
Does the 2015 Cooper get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 19.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 190,859 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.