2010 MINI Countryman — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,084 MOT tests, the 2010 MINI Countryman recorded an 82.9% pass rate. Against small SUVs of a similar age (24.8% fail rate), the 2010 Countryman comes out 7.6pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.7% of tests against 5.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and tread depth — position lamp alone was recorded 105 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 11.8% in the 0-30k band and 25.4% in the 150k+ band, a 13.7-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 16.6% of the time against 17.9% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.7% | 223 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.5% | 115 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 79 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.6% | 76 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.3% | 69 |
| 6 | Suspension | 3.2% | 67 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 105 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 104 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 52 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 45 |
| 5 | Washers | 45 |
| 6 | Wipers | 41 |
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 | 25.5% | 531 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.1% | 357 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.1% | 336 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 14.2% | 297 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.7% | 182 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 8.1% | 169 |
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 | 34 | 11.8% |
| 30-60k | 256 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 858 | 15.6% |
| 90-120k | 648 | 18.5% |
| 120-150k | 229 | 25.8% |
| 150k+ | 59 | 25.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,246 | 16.6% |
| Diesel | 838 | 17.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 417 | 13.7% |
| 2022 | 419 | 15.8% |
| 2023 | 430 | 17.4% |
| 2024 | 423 | 18.7% |
| 2025 | 395 | 20.3% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Countryman
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.5% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (3.8% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 2010 MINI Countrymans pass their MOT?
82.9% of the 2,084 2010 MINI Countryman MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 MINI Countryman?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.7% of tests, followed by tyres (5.5%).
Does the 2010 Countryman get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.8% in the 0-30k band to 25.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,084 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.