2016 MINI Countryman — MOT failures & pass rate
50,520 MOT tests on the 2016 MINI Countryman are in this dataset, and 90.7% of them passed. Against small SUVs of a similar age (14.1% fail rate), the 2016 Countryman comes out 4.8pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.2%) and lighting & signalling (3.7%) 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 1,488 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.8% in the 0-30k band and 19.6% in the 150k+ band, a 13.8-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 8.4% fail against 10.3% for diesel, a 1.9-point gap across 50,520 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.2% | 2,640 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 1,867 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.1% | 1,074 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.4% | 710 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 432 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 370 |
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 | 1,488 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 888 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 828 |
| 4 | Washers | 521 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 355 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 246 |
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 | 24.1% | 12,179 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.4% | 6,756 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.5% | 3,815 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.2% | 1,635 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 1,537 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.9% | 1,454 |
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 | 11,489 | 5.8% |
| 30-60k | 26,592 | 9.0% |
| 60-90k | 10,294 | 12.4% |
| 90-120k | 1,864 | 15.8% |
| 120-150k | 234 | 18.4% |
| 150k+ | 46 | 19.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 27,806 | 8.4% |
| Diesel | 22,714 | 10.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,932 | 7.2% |
| 2022 | 10,086 | 8.7% |
| 2023 | 10,170 | 9.3% |
| 2024 | 10,118 | 9.9% |
| 2025 | 10,214 | 11.2% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Countryman
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.2% 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 (3.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.1% 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 2016 MINI Countrymans pass their MOT?
90.7% of the 50,520 2016 MINI Countryman MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 MINI Countryman?
Tyres, recorded in 5.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.7%).
Does the 2016 Countryman get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.8% in the 0-30k band to 19.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 50,520 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.