MINI Cooper Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the MINI Cooper fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 385,407 MOT tests across 23 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
90%
MINI Cooper pass rate
84%
MINI average
82%
All-model average
The MINI Cooper has an average MOT pass rate of 90%, which is 6 points above the MINI average and 8 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer MINI Coopers pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 16 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the MINI Cooper Fails Its MOT On
Of the 35,883 MOT tests on the MINI Cooper that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Tyres
37%Cars and vans the same age: 28% (the Cooper fails on this more often) · Typical repair £50-£300
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
25%Cars and vans the same age: 16% (the Cooper fails on this more often) · Typical repair £10-£350
Lights and electrics
24%Cars and vans the same age: 30% · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
15%Cars and vans the same age: 20% (the Cooper fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Suspension
8.7%Cars and vans the same age: 25% (the Cooper fails on this less often) · Typical repair £150-£600
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (18% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)
- Tyre has a cut deep enough to reach the ply or cords (12% of failed tests, tyres)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (8.2% of failed tests, tyres)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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MINI Cooper Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Cooper year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points less often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
MINI Cooper Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Petrol | 1.5L | 96% | 3% | - |
| 2021 | Petrol | 1.5L | 94% | 6% | 93% (+1) |
| 2020 | Petrol | 1.5L | 93% | 6% | 92% (+1) |
| 2019 | Petrol | 1.5L | 92% | 7% | 91% (+1) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 1.5L | 92% | 8% | 89% (+3) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 1.5L | 90% | 9% | 87% (+3) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 1.5L | 90% | 9% | 86% (+4) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 1.5L | 89% | 10% | 84% (+5) |
| 2014 | Petrol | 1.5L | 88% | 12% | 82% (+6) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 1.6L | 85% | 14% | 80% (+5) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 2.0L | 85% | 15% | 79% (+6) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 1.6L | 82% | 17% | 77% (+5) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 1.6L | 82% | 18% | 75% (+7) |
| 2009 | Petrol | 1.6L | 74% | 25% | 75% (-1) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 1.6L | 74% | 26% | 74% (0) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 1.6L | 71% | 28% | 73% (-2) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 1.6L | 73% | 26% | - |
| 2005 | Petrol | 1.6L | 69% | 30% | - |
| 2004 | Petrol | 1.6L | 69% | 29% | - |
| 2003 | Petrol | 1.6L | 73% | 26% | - |
| 2002 | Petrol | 1.6L | 65% | 34% | - |
| 2001 | Petrol | 1.6L | 69% | 31% | - |
| 1999 | Petrol | 1.3L | 84% | 16% | - |
MINI Cooper Running Costs
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MINI Cooper FAQ
What are the most common MINI Cooper problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the MINI Cooper that failed at the first attempt most often failed on tyres (37% of the 35,883 failed tests), windscreen, wipers and mirrors (25%) and lights and electrics (24%). The single most common fault was "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively" (18%). Across 385,407 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 90% ended in a pass.
Is the MINI Cooper reliable?
The MINI Cooper has an average MOT pass rate of 90%, from 385,407 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 3 points more often on average, a better than average result for its age.
Which MINI Cooper years should I avoid?
No MINI Cooper year with 1,000+ tests passed 3 or more points less often than all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). The years that passed most often for their age were the 2010 (82% of 1,766 tests passed, against 75% for all 2010 cars), the 2014 (88% of 34,375 tests passed, against 82% for all 2014 cars) and the 2012 (85% of 6,525 tests passed, against 79% for all 2012 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common MINI Cooper faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a MINI Cooper typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other MINI Models
Common problems pages for other MINI models