2016 MINI Cooper — MOT failures & pass rate
200,264 MOT tests on the 2016 MINI Cooper are in this dataset, and 89.8% of them passed. Against superminis of a similar age (15.5% fail rate), the 2016 Cooper comes out 5.3pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.4%) and visibility (4.1%) 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 7,761 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 16.8% versus 7.7%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 9.7% fail against 11.7% for diesel, a 1.9-point gap across 200,264 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.4% | 10,794 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.1% | 8,173 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 5,898 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.8% | 3,699 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 2,089 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 983 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 7,761 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 3,547 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 3,443 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 2,845 |
| 5 | Washers | 2,010 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,793 |
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 | 25.3% | 50,733 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.4% | 20,935 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.1% | 10,135 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.8% | 9,539 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.2% | 4,344 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 1.7% | 3,473 |
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 | 50,492 | 7.7% |
| 30-60k | 102,716 | 10.1% |
| 60-90k | 38,363 | 12.9% |
| 90-120k | 7,268 | 15.6% |
| 120-150k | 1,179 | 17.1% |
| 150k+ | 238 | 16.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 147,217 | 9.7% |
| Diesel | 53,047 | 11.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 40,029 | 9.2% |
| 2022 | 40,120 | 9.9% |
| 2023 | 39,998 | 10.1% |
| 2024 | 39,983 | 10.7% |
| 2025 | 40,134 | 11.4% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Cooper
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.4% of tests. Start there.
- 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 (4.1% 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 (2.9% 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 2016 MINI Coopers pass their MOT?
89.8% of the 200,264 2016 MINI Cooper MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 MINI Cooper?
Tyres, recorded in 5.4% of tests, followed by visibility (4.1%).
Does the 2016 Cooper get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.7% in the 0-30k band to 16.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 200,264 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.