2018 MINI One — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 8,473 MOT tests, the 2018 MINI One recorded a 92.5% pass rate. That is 3.6 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 11.1%. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.1%) and tyres (4.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 364 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 10.9% once past 90-120k.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 9.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.1% | 351 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.1% | 348 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 137 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.5% | 128 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 45 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.3% | 24 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 364 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 129 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 112 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 94 |
| 5 | Washers | 56 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 40 |
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 | 21.3% | 1,802 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.7% | 565 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.1% | 433 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.9% | 417 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.7% | 59 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.6% | 49 |
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 | 5,008 | 6.2% |
| 30-60k | 2,922 | 8.9% |
| 60-90k | 471 | 13.2% |
| 90-120k | 64 | 10.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 8,366 | 7.5% |
| Diesel | 107 | 10.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,706 | 5.5% |
| 2022 | 1,715 | 7.1% |
| 2023 | 1,707 | 8.3% |
| 2024 | 1,650 | 7.8% |
| 2025 | 1,695 | 9.0% |
What to check before buying a 2018 One
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 4.1% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (4.1% 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 (4.1% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.6% 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 2018 MINI Ones pass their MOT?
92.5% of the 8,473 2018 MINI One MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 MINI One?
Visibility, recorded in 4.1% of tests, followed by tyres (4.1%).
Does the 2018 One get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.2% in the 0-30k band to 10.9% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,473 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.