2019 MINI John Cooper Works — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 11,811 MOT tests, the 2019 MINI John Cooper Works recorded a 92.0% pass rate. That is 2.0 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 10.0%. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 5.8% of tests against 1.8% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 206 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 11.1% once past 60-90k.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 16.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 2.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 8.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.8% | 685 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.8% | 212 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.2% | 140 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 134 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.3% | 40 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.3% | 32 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 206 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 162 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 115 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 77 |
| 5 | Registration plates | 66 |
| 6 | Washers | 43 |
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 | 16.7% | 1,975 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.8% | 1,036 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.1% | 488 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.3% | 384 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.7% | 81 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 79 |
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 | 7,819 | 7.0% |
| 30-60k | 3,655 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 316 | 11.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 123 | 2.4% |
| 2022 | 2,917 | 7.4% |
| 2023 | 2,922 | 7.1% |
| 2024 | 2,906 | 8.8% |
| 2025 | 2,943 | 8.8% |
What to check before buying a 2019 John Cooper Works
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.8% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.8% 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 (1.8% 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.
- Brakes (1.2% 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 2019 MINI John Cooper Workss pass their MOT?
92.0% of the 11,811 2019 MINI John Cooper Works MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 MINI John Cooper Works?
Tyres, recorded in 5.8% of tests, followed by visibility (1.8%).
Does the 2019 John Cooper Works get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.0% in the 0-30k band to 11.1% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,811 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.