2021 MINI Cooper — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 MINI Cooper passed 92.1% of its 75,657 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as superminis of a similar age (7.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.6%) 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 2,330 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2021 Cooper fails 7.1% of the time in the 0-30k band and 8.8% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.7 points.
The petrol cars hold up better: 7.4% fail against 9.6% for hybrid, a 2.2-point gap across 61,702 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 11.6% in 2021 to 8.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.6% | 4,269 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.1% | 2,340 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.2% | 895 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.6% | 458 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.2% | 144 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.2% | 134 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 2,330 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,132 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 540 |
| 4 | Washers | 462 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 422 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 207 |
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 | 20.5% | 15,499 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.0% | 3,025 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.8% | 2,884 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.7% | 2,813 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 1.2% | 921 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 284 |
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 | 57,008 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 17,570 | 9.9% |
| 60-90k | 978 | 13.5% |
| 90-120k | 91 | 8.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 56,172 | 7.4% |
| Electric | 13,945 | 9.0% |
| Hybrid | 5,530 | 9.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 43 | 11.6% |
| 2023 | 2,220 | 3.6% |
| 2024 | 36,637 | 7.9% |
| 2025 | 36,745 | 8.1% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Cooper
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.6% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.6% 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 (1.2% 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 2021 MINI Coopers pass their MOT?
92.1% of the 75,657 2021 MINI Cooper MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 MINI Cooper?
Tyres, recorded in 5.6% of tests, followed by visibility (3.1%).
Does the 2021 Cooper get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.1% in the 0-30k band to 8.8% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 75,657 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.