2021 MINI One — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 MINI One passed 92.4% of its 2,932 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as superminis of a similar age (7.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.3%) and visibility (4.2%) 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 113 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 12.0% versus 7.0%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 1.4% of tests failed in 2023 against 8.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.3% | 126 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.2% | 124 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 46 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.9% | 28 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.1% | 4 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.1% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 113 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 58 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 33 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 28 |
| 5 | Washers | 21 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 4 |
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 | 23.4% | 687 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.1% | 150 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.5% | 133 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.7% | 109 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.9% | 25 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.3% | 8 |
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 | 2,176 | 7.0% |
| 30-60k | 699 | 9.0% |
| 60-90k | 50 | 12.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 71 | 1.4% |
| 2024 | 1,437 | 7.2% |
| 2025 | 1,421 | 8.2% |
What to check before buying a 2021 One
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.3% of tests. Start there.
- 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.
- Visibility (4.2% 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 (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 2021 MINI Ones pass their MOT?
92.4% of the 2,932 2021 MINI One MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 MINI One?
Tyres, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by visibility (4.2%).
Does the 2021 One get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.0% in the 0-30k band to 12.0% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,932 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.