2014 MINI Roadster — MOT failures & pass rate
6,790 MOT tests on the 2014 MINI Roadster are in this dataset, and 87.9% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (18.3% fail rate), the 2014 Roadster comes out 6.2pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.3%) and tyres (4.5%) 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 washers — wipers alone was recorded 179 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.3% versus 7.1%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 11.8% fail against 13.8% for diesel, a 2.0-point gap across 6,790 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 429 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.5% | 307 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.0% | 271 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.3% | 158 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.2% | 150 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 41 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 179 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 154 |
| 3 | Washers | 133 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 118 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 116 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 109 |
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 | 22.0% | 1,496 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.7% | 1,203 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.8% | 530 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 6.4% | 434 |
| 5 | Other defects | 3.7% | 251 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 3.6% | 244 |
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 | 1,252 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 3,627 | 11.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,565 | 16.7% |
| 90-120k | 290 | 20.7% |
| 120-150k | 43 | 23.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 5,684 | 11.8% |
| Diesel | 1,106 | 13.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,353 | 9.8% |
| 2022 | 1,357 | 11.1% |
| 2023 | 1,370 | 12.6% |
| 2024 | 1,342 | 12.9% |
| 2025 | 1,368 | 14.2% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Roadster
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.5% 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 (4.0% 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.
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 2014 MINI Roadsters pass their MOT?
87.9% of the 6,790 2014 MINI Roadster MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 MINI Roadster?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by tyres (4.5%).
Does the 2014 Roadster get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.1% in the 0-30k band to 23.3% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,790 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.