Mini Paceman
From 15,145 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Pacemans fare better: 2017 models pass at 86% vs 84% for 2013.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and a tyre cords visible or damaged. The top issue, a tyre seriously damaged, caused 254 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 | 254 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 232 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 173 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 129 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 113 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 76 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 75 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 62 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 59 |
| a tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative | 51 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 50.5% of failures are serious: 45.4% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 5.1% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £72.
Mini Paceman on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 104 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 2 newly registered, a net loss of 102. At this rate, roughly 88 years until none remain.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 8,924 | 230 | +0 | -27 | -27 |
| 2025 Q2 | 8,959 | 222 | +1 | -29 | -28 |
| 2025 Q1 | 8,981 | 228 | +0 | -37 | -37 |
| 2024 Q4 | 9,020 | 226 | +1 | -11 | -10 |
| 2024 Q3 | 9,055 | 201 | +1 | -0 | +2 |
| 2024 Q2 | 9,064 | 190 | +0 | -49 | -49 |
| 2024 Q1 | 9,141 | 162 | +1 | -45 | -44 |
| 2023 Q4 | 9,205 | 142 | +0 | -0 | +9 |
16 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paceman Cooper | Petrol | 1,973 | 22% |
| Paceman Cooper D | Diesel | 1,636 | 18% |
| Paceman Cooper S | Petrol | 831 | 9% |
| Paceman Cooper D All4 | Diesel | 787 | 9% |
| Paceman Cooper Sd All4 | Diesel | 645 | 7% |
| Paceman Cooper S All4 | Petrol | 584 | 7% |
| Paceman Cooper Sd | Diesel | 480 | 5% |
| Paceman Cooper Auto | Petrol | 311 | 3% |
| Paceman Cooper Sd All4 Auto | Diesel | 269 | 3% |
| Paceman Cooper D Auto | Diesel | 257 | 3% |
| Paceman Cooper All4 | Petrol | 253 | 3% |
| Paceman Cooper S All4 Auto | Petrol | 251 | 3% |
| Paceman Cooper S Auto | Petrol | 215 | 2% |
| Paceman Cooper D All4 Auto | Diesel | 208 | 2% |
| Paceman Cooper All4 Turbo Auto | Petrol | 122 | 1% |
| Paceman Cooper Sd Auto | Diesel | 102 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 86% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen |
| 2016 | 87.9% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2015 | 87.3% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2014 | 84.6% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
1 earlier years
| 2013 | 84% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
Typical mileage
Half of all Pacemans tested had between 53,193 and 87,326 miles on the clock.
At 69,875 median miles, the Paceman has 0.02 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 Paceman MOT pass rate?
The Mini Paceman has a 85.8% MOT pass rate based on 15,145 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mini Paceman?
The most common MOT failure on the Mini Paceman is a tyre seriously damaged, which caused 254 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Mini Pacemans are on UK roads?
There are 8,924 Mini Pacemans currently licensed on UK roads, with 230 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mini Paceman at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mini Paceman is 69,875 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 53,193 and 87,326 miles.
Buying a used Paceman?
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.
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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.