Rover Mini
From 28,601 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are emissions levels exceed default limits, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired and the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements. The top issue, emissions levels exceed default limits, caused 1,588 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| emissions levels exceed default limits | 1,588 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 1,026 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 975 |
| steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 910 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 827 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 746 |
| brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 656 |
| a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led | 572 |
| a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 561 |
| emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits | 545 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. Only 29.8% of Mini failures are serious (safety or roadside), below the 44.4% average. When this car fails its MOT, it's more likely to be lights, wipers, or emissions than something dangerous. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £125.
Rover Mini on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 308 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 12 newly registered, a net loss of 296. Now at 67.1% of its peak (42,559 in 2000 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 8,201 | 20,348 | +4 | -0 | +36 |
| 2025 Q2 | 8,194 | 20,319 | +2 | -0 | +78 |
| 2025 Q1 | 6,799 | 21,636 | +2 | -2 | +0 |
| 2024 Q4 | 6,814 | 21,621 | +4 | -306 | -302 |
| 2024 Q3 | 8,293 | 20,444 | +2 | -0 | +111 |
| 2024 Q2 | 8,320 | 20,306 | +3 | -0 | +441 |
| 2024 Q1 | 7,176 | 21,009 | +3 | -615 | -612 |
| 2023 Q4 | 7,122 | 21,675 | +4 | -107 | -103 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Cooper | Petrol | 2,367 | 31% |
| Mini Cooper 1.3I | Battery Electric | 875 | 12% |
| Mini Mayfair | Petrol | 677 | 9% |
| Mini Cooper Sport | Petrol | 617 | 8% |
| Mini Sprite | Petrol | 553 | 7% |
| Mini | Petrol | 418 | 6% |
| Mini 1000 City E | Petrol | 414 | 5% |
| Mini Mayfair Auto | Petrol | 189 | 2% |
| Mini Racg Flame Checkmate | Petrol | 183 | 2% |
| Mini Sidewalk | Petrol | 164 | 2% |
| Mini 35 | Petrol | 157 | 2% |
| Mini British Open Classic | Petrol | 127 | 2% |
| Mini Italian Job | Petrol | 124 | 2% |
| Mini Equinox | Petrol | 123 | 2% |
| Mini Studio 2 | Petrol | 122 | 2% |
| Mini Neon | Petrol | 120 | 2% |
| Mini Sprite A | Petrol | 96 | 1% |
| Mini Paul Smith | Petrol | 95 | 1% |
| Mini Rio | Petrol | 90 | 1% |
| Mini Seven | Petrol | 87 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 80.1% | steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 2000 | 77.2% | steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1999 | 74.4% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1998 | 77.5% | steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, emissions levels exceed default limits |
15 earlier years
| 1997 | 76.8% | steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1996 | 72.9% | emissions levels exceed default limits, emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits |
| 1995 | 74.6% | emissions levels exceed default limits, emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits |
| 1994 | 72.8% | emissions levels exceed default limits, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1993 | 73.5% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1992 | 73.8% | emissions levels exceed default limits, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1991 | 77.2% | emissions levels exceed default limits, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1990 | 77% | emissions levels exceed default limits, a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led |
| 1989 | 79.1% | emissions levels exceed default limits, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1988 | 74.2% | emissions levels exceed default limits, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1987 | 80.8% | emissions levels exceed default limits, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1986 | 80.7% | windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1985 | 77% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1984 | 89% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1983 | 71.1% | emissions levels exceed default limits, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
Typical mileage
Half of all Minis tested had between 39,258 and 77,397 miles on the clock.
At 59,402 median miles, the Mini has 0.041 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Rover models
| Rover 75 | 67.7% |
| Rover 25 | 68.2% |
| Rover 45 | 65.3% |
| Rover 216 | 72% |
| Rover Metro | 72.6% |
Common questions
What is the Rover Mini MOT pass rate?
The Rover Mini has a 75.8% MOT pass rate based on 28,601 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Rover Mini?
The most common MOT failure on the Rover Mini is emissions levels exceed default limits, which caused 1,588 failures. Other common issues include the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired.
How many Rover Minis are on UK roads?
There are 8,201 Rover Minis currently licensed on UK roads, with 20,348 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Rover Mini at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Rover Mini is 59,402 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 39,258 and 77,397 miles.
Buying a used Mini?
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.
With a 75.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £125 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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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.