MINI First MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 28 model years and 9,384 tests, the MINI First passes its MOT 84.1% of the time. That is 5.4 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 21.3%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 12.0% of all tests — 7.2 points clear of visibility, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and catalyst emissions — headlamp aim alone was recorded 468 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.5% versus 8.8%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every First model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 261 | 74.0% | 26.1% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2010 | 762 | 81.0% | 19.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 945 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 2,502 | 85.0% | 15.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 4,830 | 85.0% | 15.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 72 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.0% | 1,122 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.7% | 445 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.3% | 408 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.8% | 359 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 318 |
| 6 | Suspension | 3.1% | 288 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.4% | 130 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 30 |
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 | 468 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 414 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 359 |
| 4 | Wipers | 343 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 237 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 185 |
| 7 | Washers | 183 |
| 8 | Rear fog lamp | 156 |
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 | 27.0% | 2,529 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.7% | 1,945 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.2% | 1,146 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.6% | 896 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.4% | 694 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.0% | 565 |
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 | 568 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 3,327 | 12.0% |
| 60-90k | 3,677 | 17.6% |
| 90-120k | 1,456 | 21.4% |
| 120-150k | 287 | 23.3% |
| 150k+ | 69 | 27.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,920 | 14.7% |
| 2022 | 1,901 | 14.2% |
| 2023 | 1,874 | 14.8% |
| 2024 | 1,897 | 17.8% |
| 2025 | 1,792 | 18.2% |
What to check before buying a MINI First
- Lighting & signalling (12.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.7% 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.
- Tyres (4.3% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the MINI First?
84.1% of the 9,384 MINI First MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 15.9% fail rate, across model years 1988–2015.
What does the MINI First most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.0% of tests, then visibility (4.7%).
How much does mileage affect First MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 27.5% for 150k+, a 18.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,384 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.