2019 MINI Cooper — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 203,026 MOT tests, the 2019 MINI Cooper recorded a 92.4% pass rate. Superminis of a similar age fail 10.0% of the time, so this is 2.4pp 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 (4.7%) and visibility (3.1%) 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 6,421 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 11.1% once past 120-150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.9pp more often than petrol ones (11.3% vs 7.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 3.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 8.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.7% | 9,569 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.1% | 6,297 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 2,820 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.2% | 2,459 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.2% | 390 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 350 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 6,421 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,679 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,339 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 2,301 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,187 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 483 |
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 | 21.6% | 43,926 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.1% | 14,371 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.3% | 8,723 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.1% | 8,248 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 1.1% | 2,291 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 986 |
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 | 128,589 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 66,653 | 9.6% |
| 60-90k | 6,952 | 11.6% |
| 90-120k | 702 | 12.8% |
| 120-150k | 99 | 11.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 189,386 | 7.4% |
| Hybrid | 12,368 | 9.5% |
| Diesel | 1,226 | 11.3% |
| Electric | 46 | 8.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,570 | 3.1% |
| 2022 | 51,084 | 6.4% |
| 2023 | 50,334 | 7.1% |
| 2024 | 49,294 | 8.5% |
| 2025 | 49,744 | 8.6% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Cooper
On a 2019 Cooper, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.7% 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 (3.1% 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 (1.4% 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 2019 MINI Coopers pass their MOT?
92.4% of the 203,026 2019 MINI Cooper MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 MINI Cooper?
Tyres, recorded in 4.7% of tests, followed by visibility (3.1%).
Does the 2019 Cooper get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 11.1% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 203,026 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.