Mini Challenge
From 479 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a tyre seriously damaged, brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn and a tyre cords visible or damaged. The top issue, a tyre seriously damaged, caused 31 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a tyre seriously damaged | 31 |
| brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn | 6 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 5 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 5 |
| lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer | 3 |
| windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view | 3 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 3 |
| a reversing lamp inoperative | 2 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 2 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 2 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 71% of Challenge failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 4.8% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £95.
Mini Challenge on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 7 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 1 newly registered, a net loss of 6.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 181 | 7 | +1 | -3 | -2 |
| 2025 Q2 | 184 | 6 | +0 | -4 | -4 |
| 2025 Q1 | 182 | 12 | +0 | -0 | +3 |
| 2024 Q4 | 181 | 10 | +0 | -0 | +2 |
| 2024 Q3 | 182 | 7 | +0 | -3 | -3 |
| 2024 Q2 | 185 | 7 | +0 | -0 | +8 |
| 2024 Q1 | 179 | 5 | +0 | -6 | -6 |
| 2023 Q4 | 186 | 4 | +0 | -4 | -4 |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 87.1% | a tyre seriously damaged, brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn |
Typical mileage
Half of all Challenges tested had between 45,360 and 73,700 miles on the clock.
At 57,738 median miles, the Challenge has 0.022 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Mini models
| Mini Mini | 71.5% |
| Mini Cooper | 87% |
| Mini Cooper S | 88.5% |
| Mini Countryman | 88.5% |
| Mini One | 83.1% |
Common questions
What is the Mini Challenge MOT pass rate?
The Mini Challenge has a 87.3% MOT pass rate based on 479 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mini Challenge?
The most common MOT failure on the Mini Challenge is a tyre seriously damaged, which caused 31 failures. Other common issues include brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn.
How many Mini Challenges are on UK roads?
There are 181 Mini Challenges currently licensed on UK roads, with 7 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mini Challenge at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mini Challenge is 57,738 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 45,360 and 73,700 miles.
Buying a used Challenge?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.