2015 MINI Countryman — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 51,000 MOT tests, the 2015 MINI Countryman recorded an 89.6% pass rate. That is 6.0 percentage points better than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 16.4%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.5%) and lighting & signalling (4.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 1,623 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 19.2% versus 6.0%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 9.6% of the time against 11.1% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.5% | 2,805 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.4% | 2,263 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.3% | 1,178 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.7% | 843 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 644 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 454 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 1,623 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 951 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 769 |
| 4 | Washers | 595 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 424 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 392 |
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 | 24.7% | 12,614 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.5% | 7,393 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.3% | 3,719 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.1% | 2,101 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 2,095 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.5% | 1,810 |
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 | 6,800 | 6.0% |
| 30-60k | 24,685 | 9.0% |
| 60-90k | 15,447 | 12.9% |
| 90-120k | 3,522 | 15.8% |
| 120-150k | 469 | 18.6% |
| 150k+ | 73 | 19.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 26,520 | 11.1% |
| Petrol | 24,480 | 9.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,173 | 8.8% |
| 2022 | 10,156 | 9.4% |
| 2023 | 10,242 | 10.4% |
| 2024 | 10,195 | 11.2% |
| 2025 | 10,234 | 12.1% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Countryman
On a 2015 Countryman, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.3% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 Countrymans pass their MOT?
89.6% of the 51,000 2015 MINI Countryman MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 MINI Countryman?
Tyres, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.4%).
Does the 2015 Countryman get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.0% in the 0-30k band to 19.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 51,000 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.