Rover Mini Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Rover Mini 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 27,628 MOT tests across 12 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol
77%
Rover Mini pass rate
74%
Rover average
82%
All-model average
The Rover Mini has an average MOT pass rate of 77%, which is 3 points above the Rover average and 5 points below the average across all models in our data. The Rover Mini has maintained consistent MOT pass rates across model years, varying by only 2 percentage points.
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What the Rover Mini Fails Its MOT On
Of the 3,033 MOT tests on the Rover Mini 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.
Lights and electrics
46%Cars and vans the same age: 49% · Typical repair £15-£200
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
37%Cars and vans the same age: 19% (the Mini fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£800
Suspension
29%Cars and vans the same age: 31% · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
26%Cars and vans the same age: 33% (the Mini fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Body, chassis and structure
22%Cars and vans the same age: 27% · Typical repair £200-£1200
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (11% of failed tests, steering)
- Petrol engine emissions: carbon monoxide too high (non-catalyst) (11% of failed tests, exhaust, emissions and leaks)
- Service brake imbalance across an axle (9.1% of failed tests, brakes)
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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Rover Mini 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 Mini 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
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.
Rover Mini 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Petrol | 1.4L | 80% | 19% | - |
| 2000 | Petrol | 1.3L | 79% | 20% | 74% (+5) |
| 1999 | Petrol | 1.3L | 80% | 19% | 75% (+5) |
| 1998 | Petrol | 1.3L | 79% | 20% | 76% (+3) |
| 1997 | Petrol | 1.3L | 78% | 20% | 76% (+2) |
| 1996 | Petrol | 1.3L | 74% | 24% | 77% (-3) |
| 1995 | Petrol | 1.3L | 76% | 23% | 77% (-1) |
| 1994 | Petrol | 1.3L | 75% | 22% | 78% (-3) |
| 1993 | Petrol | 1.3L | 74% | 24% | 77% (-3) |
| 1992 | Petrol | 1.3L | 76% | 22% | 78% (-2) |
| 1991 | Petrol | 1.3L | 80% | 19% | 79% (+1) |
| 1990 | Petrol | 1.0L | 80% | 19% | 80% (0) |
Rover Mini Running Costs
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Rover Mini FAQ
What are the most common Rover Mini problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Rover Mini that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (46% of the 3,033 failed tests), exhaust, emissions and leaks (37%) and suspension (29%). The single most common fault was "Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (11%). Across 27,628 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 77% ended in a pass.
Is the Rover Mini reliable?
The Rover Mini has an average MOT pass rate of 77%, from 27,628 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 about as often as other cars of the same age.
Which Rover Mini years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 1993 (74% of 2,855 tests passed, against 77% for all 1993 cars), the 1994 (75% of 2,681 tests passed, against 78% for all 1994 cars) and the 1996 (74% of 2,384 tests passed, against 77% for all 1996 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. The years that passed most often for their age were the 1999 (80% of 2,240 tests passed, against 75% for all 1999 cars), the 2000 (79% of 1,873 tests passed, against 74% for all 2000 cars) and the 1998 (79% of 2,664 tests passed, against 76% for all 1998 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 Rover Mini faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Rover Mini 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 Rover Models
Common problems pages for other Rover models