2015 MINI One — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 MINI One passed 88.9% of its 58,520 recorded MOT tests. Against superminis of a similar age (17.5% fail rate), the 2015 One comes out 6.4pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.3%) and visibility (5.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 2,575 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 17.2% once past 150k — 2.2× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.2pp more often than petrol ones (13.0% vs 10.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.0% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.3% | 3,128 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.0% | 2,915 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 1,960 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.5% | 1,484 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 543 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.9% | 529 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 2,575 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,213 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,168 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,106 |
| 5 | Washers | 908 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 532 |
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% | 15,826 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.9% | 7,565 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.6% | 3,253 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.0% | 2,914 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.4% | 1,979 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 697 |
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 | 10,220 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 29,486 | 10.6% |
| 60-90k | 14,779 | 13.1% |
| 90-120k | 3,316 | 16.2% |
| 120-150k | 571 | 16.6% |
| 150k+ | 145 | 17.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 52,195 | 10.9% |
| Diesel | 6,325 | 13.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,779 | 10.7% |
| 2022 | 11,628 | 10.3% |
| 2023 | 11,728 | 11.0% |
| 2024 | 11,708 | 11.6% |
| 2025 | 11,677 | 12.1% |
What to check before buying a 2015 One
On a 2015 One, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.3% 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.
- Visibility (5.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2015 MINI Ones pass their MOT?
88.9% of the 58,520 2015 MINI One MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 MINI One?
Tyres, recorded in 5.3% of tests, followed by visibility (5.0%).
Does the 2015 One get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 17.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 58,520 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.