2012 MINI One — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 MINI One passed 83.9% of its 27,328 recorded MOT tests. That is 6.5 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 22.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.8% of tests against 5.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and wipers — position lamp alone was recorded 1,250 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.1% once past 150k — 3.4× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 15.8% fail against 18.5% for diesel, a 2.7-point gap across 27,328 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 2,947 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.1% | 1,385 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.9% | 1,337 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.8% | 1,031 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.1% | 851 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.8% | 764 |
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 | 1,250 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,230 |
| 3 | Wipers | 876 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 669 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 656 |
| 6 | Washers | 596 |
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 | 25.9% | 7,088 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.9% | 5,726 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.0% | 3,547 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.3% | 2,812 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.5% | 2,309 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.8% | 1,573 |
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 | 1,260 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 9,127 | 12.5% |
| 60-90k | 11,344 | 17.6% |
| 90-120k | 4,382 | 20.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,024 | 23.2% |
| 150k+ | 191 | 24.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 24,138 | 15.8% |
| Diesel | 3,190 | 18.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,457 | 14.7% |
| 2022 | 5,450 | 14.5% |
| 2023 | 5,472 | 15.8% |
| 2024 | 5,534 | 17.1% |
| 2025 | 5,415 | 18.4% |
What to check before buying a 2012 One
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.1% 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 (4.9% 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.
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 2012 MINI Ones pass their MOT?
83.9% of the 27,328 2012 MINI One MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 MINI One?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.8% of tests, followed by tyres (5.1%).
Does the 2012 One get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.1% in the 0-30k band to 24.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 27,328 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.