MINI Hatch MOT pass rate and common problems
MINI Hatch models fail their MOT less often than other cars of the same age.
- Failed at the first attempt
- 25.5%failed at the first attempt in 2024
Average for cars of the same age: 29.6%
Data: DVSA MOT results · 2024 · 614,057 tests
Check a MINI Hatch by registration
MINI Hatch common problems: what should I check before buying?
The faults recorded most often at MINI Hatch MOTs in 2019–2024, per 100 tests.
- Windscreen or window damaged3.62Minor
What to check: Look for chips and cracks across the windscreen: chips spread, and larger damage in front of the driver fails.
- One number plate light out3.24Minor
What to check: Check every number plate light works with the sidelights on; a single dead bulb or LED is a cheap fix.
- Headlight aimed wrongly3.10Major
What to check: Shine the dipped beams at a wall after dark: both should sit at the same height.
- Worn suspension bush or joint2.95Major
What to check: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, feel for the car wandering under braking, and ask which part was replaced.
- Tyre badly cut or damaged2.94Major
What to check: Check both sidewalls of every tyre, including the inner side, for cuts, bulges and tears.
One test can record several defects, so this is not the share of MINI Hatch models.
Each tip applies only if the car you are looking at has that fault in its own MOT history.
Check a MINI Hatch by registration
Which MINI Hatch years should I avoid?
2001 is the MINI Hatch year that fails its MOT most for its age; 2019 fails least.
Fails more for its age: 2001, 2002.
Fails less for its age: 2015, 2018, 2019.
Years without published figures
- 2024, 2025, 2026
These registration years do not need an MOT yet. Ask the seller for the service history.
- 2021, 2022, 2023
Our figures end in 2024, before these cars had enough MOTs to compare.
Year means the year the car was first registered, as DVSA records it. It may differ from the year it was built.
How does the MINI Hatch compare with similar cars?
2 of 8 similar models fail less often for their age than the MINI Hatch.
This is a different comparison from the one at the top. There, the MINI Hatch is measured against all cars of the same age. Here, it sits among similar models. Both can be true.
| Model | MOT Risk Index |
|---|---|
| MINI Hatch | 86 |
| Ford Fiesta | 113 |
| Vauxhall Corsa | 118.7 |
| Volkswagen Polo | 111.6 |
| Toyota Yaris | 89.8 |
| Honda Jazz | 80.8 |
| Volkswagen Golf | 85.8 |
| Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 94.2 |
| Audi A1 | 93.1 |
How do MINI Hatch models hold up as they get older?
First-time MOT failures on MINI Hatch models go from 10.6% at age 3 to 44.7% at age 19.
| Age at MOT (years) | MINI Hatch failed (%) | All cars failed (%) | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10.6 | 12.4 | 29,905 |
| 16 | 41.2 | 43.1 | 26,527 |
| 17 | 43.4 | 43.1 | 26,090 |
| 18 | 44.8 | 43.9 | 21,071 |
| 19 | 44.7 | 43.5 | 22,193 |
Do advisories on MINI Hatch models turn into fails at the next MOT?
27.6% of lights and electrical advisories on MINI Hatch models turned into lights and electrical fails at the next MOT.
The next MOT came about 12 months later.
Based on 52,448 advisories, each followed to the car's next MOT, 2019–2024. This counts advisories, not cars.
The most common advisories on MINI Hatch models are for tyres: 38.82 per 100 tests.
| Advisory | Failed next time (%) | Advisories followed |
|---|---|---|
| lamps, reflectors and electrics | 27.6 | 52,448 |
| suspension | 15.3 | 283,692 |
| body, chassis and structure | 15.3 | 83,329 |
| brakes | 13.8 | 540,804 |
| visibility | 13.1 | 3,738 |
What else should I know about a used MINI Hatch?
- MOT pass rate, 2024
- 25.5% failed at the first attempt; after repairs at the test centre, 80.0% passed in the end.
- MOT tests counted
- 614,057 first tests in 2024; retests are left out
- Years first registered
- 2001 to 2020
- Fuel
- Petrol 83.8%, diesel 15.0%
- ULEZ
- 78.9% likely to meet it, judged from fuel and registration date
- Typical mileage at 8 years old
- 49,206 miles
- Recalls
- 27 campaigns listed by DVSA
MINI Hatch common problems: what actually fails the MOT?
MINI Hatch MOTs fail most often on ‘lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment’: 18.1 per 100 tests, against 19.4 for UK cars of the same age (2019–2024, n = 3,506,675).
| Measure | Value (per 100) | Comparison (per 100) | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 18.1 | 19.4 | 634,738 |
| Brakes | 11.2 | 12.6 | 394,336 |
| Visibility | 9.6 | 8.3 | 336,863 |
| Tyres | 8 | 9.1 | 282,147 |
| Suspension | 7.7 | 16.9 | 268,940 |
What is likely to fail next on a used MINI Hatch?
For MINI Hatch models aged 3 to 5 whose last MOT was a pass, the item most likely to fail at the next MOT is visibility: 6.5% failed on it (2019–2024, n = 395,173).
| Measure | Value (% next fail) |
|---|---|
| Visibility, 3 to 5 years old, after a pass | 6.5 |
| Tyres, 3 to 5 years old, after a pass | 4.4 |
| Brakes, 3 to 5 years old, after a pass | 1.5 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, 3 to 5 years old, after a pass | 1.4 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks, 3 to 5 years old, after a pass | 0.4 |
How often do MINI Hatch models get a dangerous MOT defect?
The MINI Hatch gets a dangerous defect less often than the UK average: 9.0 per 100 first tests against 11.2 across the UK. In the same tests, 47.1 major and 14.4 minor defects were recorded per 100 tests (one test can record several).
Severity was not recorded for some 2018–2021 tests.
| Measure | Value (per 100) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous defects | 9.0 | 3,506,675 |
Comparison: 11.2 per 100.
How much do MINI Hatch MOT repairs cost?
Expected repair cost per MINI Hatch MOT: about £78 (up to about £147 if more expensive parts are needed), from the chance of failing each item and its most common UK repair price (catalogue estimate, n = 614,057).
Computed, not measured.
| Measure | Value | Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Expected repair bill | 77.6 GBP estimate | modal price catalogue |
| Estimated range lower | 77.6 GBP estimate | modal price catalogue |
| Estimated range upper | 147.4 GBP estimate | modal price catalogue |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: Battery replacement (standard 12V lead-acid) | 25.3 GBP expected contribution | 140 |
| Brakes: Front brake pads (parts + labour, typical hatchback) | 16.8 GBP expected contribution | 150 |
What mileage is normal for a used MINI Hatch?
At age 8, the median MINI Hatch had covered 49,206 miles by its MOT; the middle half ranged from 35,804 to 64,593 miles (2024, n = 44,416).
| Measure | Value (miles) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Age 3 median | 19123 | 29,905 |
| Age 3 P25 | 12954 | 29,905 |
| Age 3 P75 | 26558 | 29,905 |
| Age 4 median | 23126 | 31,228 |
| Age 4 P25 | 16015 | 31,228 |
Do high-mileage MINI Hatch models fail their MOT more often?
At ages 6–9, 12.0% of MINI Hatch models with under 40,000 miles failed first time, against 30.7% of those with over 140,000 miles (2024, n = 70,960). Inside this age group, higher mileage goes with more failures.
| Measure | Value (% failed first time) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Age 3–5, <40k miles | 10.8 | 92,945 |
| Age 3–5, 40-70k miles | 14.9 | 14,774 |
| Age 3–5, 70-100k miles | 17 | 1,035 |
| Age 3–5, 100-140k miles (rough estimate: 118 tests, 95% interval 11.9–25.7%) | 17.8 | 118 |
| Age 6–9, <40k miles | 12 | 70,498 |
How many miles do MINI Hatch models last?
16.9% of MINI Hatch models tested had reached 100,000 miles, and 1.6% had reached 150,000 (2024, n = 590,237).
| Measure | Value (% of tested cars) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000 miles | 16.9 | 590,237 |
| 150,000 miles | 1.6 | 54,143 |
| 200,000 miles | 0.1 | 3,453 |
Does mileage, as well as age, change the MINI Hatch failure index?
Matched on annual mileage as well as age, the MINI Hatch index is 91.5, against 87.5 on age alone (2019–2024, n = 614,057).
| Measure | Value (index) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Age and mileage adjusted index | 91.5 | 614,057 |
Comparison: 87.5 index.
Which MINI Hatch fuel type fails its MOT less?
There is no real difference between petrol and diesel MINI Hatch models before allowing for age: 25.3% against 27.4% fail first time.
| Measure | Value (% fail first time) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 25.3 | 514,413 |
| Hybrid | 13.3 | 7,416 |
| Diesel | 27.4 | 92,214 |
Comparison: other fuels.
Which MINI Hatch engine fails its MOT least?
Among engines with enough tests, the best MINI Hatch engine is the petrol 1.8–2.0 litre at index 91.4, and the worst the diesel 1.2–1.5 litre at 109.5, where 100 = the model's own average (2024, n = 614,057).
| Measure | Value (index vs model norm) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol under 1.0 litre (rough estimate: 114 tests, 95% interval 32.0–64.5) | 46.2 | 114 |
| Petrol 1.8–2.0 litre | 91.4 | 232,447 |
| Petrol 1.0–1.2 litre | 91.7 | 140,564 |
| Petrol 1.2–1.5 litre | 97.8 | 838,474 |
| Diesel 1.8–2.0 litre | 98.9 | 89,407 |
Comparison: 100 = model average.
Where in Britain does the MINI Hatch fail its MOT most?
MINI Hatch fails first-time MOTs most in Llandrindod Wells (LD): 37.1% against 27.2% across Britain for this model, both 2019–2024 (2019–2024, n = 1,785).
| Measure | Value (% fail first time) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Llandrindod Wells (LD) | 37.1 | 1,785 |
| Plymouth (PL) | 36.4 | 31,778 |
| Kirkcaldy (KY) | 34.4 | 16,103 |
| Enfield (EN) | 20.5 | 22,160 |
| Slough (SL) | 22.0 | 34,445 |
Across Britain for this model: 27.2% failed first time, also in 2019–2024.
Does the MINI Hatch have rust problems?
Allowing for age, MINI Hatch MOTs record corrosion failures at 1.2 times the national rate: 0.9% of tests against 0.77% (2024 + geographic layers, n = 613,159).
Computed, not measured.
| Measure | Value (ratio estimate) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Salt belt susceptibility | 1.2 | 613,159 |
Comparison: 1 ratio estimate.
What do six years of MOTs show about owning a used MINI Hatch?
Of failed MINI Hatch MOTs, 41.2% were retested the same day and a further 55.3% within 10 days; the median failed car passed its retest after 1 day (2019–2024, n = 652,471).
| Measure | Value | Comparison | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same-day retest | 41.2 % | failed initial tests | 652,471 |
| Retest within 10 days | 55.3 % | failed initial tests | 652,471 |
| Clean MOT streak | 39.7 % | observed chains | 627,730 |
| Repeat advisory | 30.9 % | observed chains | 627,730 |
| Decreasing odometer | 0.8 % mileage anomaly | observed chains | 678,953 |
Is low mileage good for a used MINI Hatch?
MINI Hatch models aged 5 to 14 doing under 5,000 miles a year failed first time in 17.4% of tests, against 29.0% for those doing 8,000 to 12,000 miles (2019–2024, n = 626,931).
| Measure | Value | Comparison | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-use first-time failure | 17.4 % | 29.0 | 626,931 |
| Low-use gap | -11.7 percentage points | 8–12k miles | 626,931 |
How many years do MINI Hatch models last?
MINI Hatch models tend to last: at ten years old the typical one has about 7.9 more years of MOTs ahead, more than the median model. This is a forecast from the survival curve and may not come true.
Computed, not measured.
Forecast, not a prediction for a particular car.
| Measure | Value (years forecast) |
|---|---|
| Age 5 | 11 |
| Age 8 | 9.1 |
| Age 10 | 7.9 |
| Age 12 | 5.9 |
| Age 15 (at least; observed only until age 19) | 3.3 |
How many MINI Hatch models are still on the road as they age?
In 2024, for every 100 MINI Hatch models tested at ages 4 to 6, about 33 were tested at age 19 (2024, n = 82,695).
| Measure | Value (% of age 4–6 baseline) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Age 3 (at least as many as at ages 4–6) | 100 | 256,474 |
| Age 4 (at least as many as at ages 4–6) | 100 | 255,318 |
| Age 5 (at least as many as at ages 4–6) | 100 | 253,455 |
| Age 6 | 97.8 | 246,001 |
| Age 7 | 94.3 | 237,137 |
If a used MINI Hatch fails its MOT, will it fail the next one?
MINI Hatch models that fail once are much more likely to fail again: 34.3% failed the next MOT after a fail, against 22.8% after a pass (test chains 2019–2024). The failure most likely to come back is ‘lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment’: 37.4% of those fails recurred at the next MOT.
| Measure | Value (%) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat after fail | 34.3 | 223,675 |
Comparison: 22.8 %.
Which MINI Hatch faults tend to come together?
On MINI Hatch models, ‘body, chassis, structure’ and steering failures turn up together 6.5 times as often as chance would predict (2024, n = 15,424).
| Measure | Value (lift) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Body, chassis, structure + Steering | 6.5 | 15,424 |
| Steering + Suspension | 6.2 | 19,204 |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems + Steering | 6.1 | 2,885 |
| Body, chassis, structure + Noise, emissions and leaks | 6 | 36,043 |
| Brakes + Speedometer and speed limiter (rough estimate: 56 tests, 95% interval 4.5–7.7) | 5.9 | 56 |
Comparison: expected joint rate.
MINI Hatch safety recalls: how do I check this car?
DVSA lists 27 safety recall campaigns matched to the MINI Hatch; check whether yours has been fixed, using its registration number.
Computed, not measured.
Recall effects are computed comparisons, not causal findings; campaigns are not linked to individual VINs.
| Measure | Value | Comparison | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| DVSA recall campaigns matched | 27 campaigns | DVSA register | 614,057 |
| Recall effect: R/2022/090 | -0.2 percentage points computed | comparison fleet | 614,057 |
How many MINI Hatch models fail the MOT at each age?
Of every 100 MINI Hatch models tested at age 5, about 12 failed the MOT first time; at age 10, about 20. These are one-year rates for different cars tested in the same year, not a fleet followed over time; the steepest one-year step in this cross-section is between cars aged 10 and 11, 5.89 percentage points (2024).
| Measure | Value (% fail first time) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Age 3 | 10.6 | 29,905 |
| Age 4 | 11.0 | 31,228 |
| Age 5 | 12.2 | 47,759 |
| Age 6 | 13.4 | 42,142 |
| Age 7 | 14.9 | 42,974 |
Do MINI Hatch models fail their MOT more in some months?
MINI Hatch models fail first time most in January (29.2%, against 31.1% for all cars that month) and least in June (25.7%) (2024, n = 614,057).
| Measure | Value (% fail first time) | Comparison (% fail first time) | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29.2 | 31.1 | 294,284 |
| February | 27.9 | 30.0 | 283,549 |
| March | 26.4 | 28.3 | 336,906 |
| April | 28.7 | 29.8 | 198,666 |
| May | 27 | 28.8 | 228,822 |
What DVSA defect categories mean
- Dangerous: the car should not be driven until it is repaired.
- Major: the car fails the MOT.
- Minor: recorded, but the car still passes.
- Advisory: noted by the tester to keep an eye on; the car still passes.
How are these figures calculated?
We count first MOT tests only; retests after repairs are left out. Each model is compared with cars of the same age.
Which MINI Hatch figures are missing, and why?
We have not worked this out for the MINI Hatch yet.
- What have dealers been told about the MINI Hatch? (US market)
- What do owners complain about? (US market)
- Real-world MPG against the official figure (manufacturer level)
Cite this page or report an error
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). MINI Hatch MOT statistics 2024 (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 24 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/mini-hatch/
How the MOT Risk Index and every figure on this page are calculated: methodology.
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More on the MINI Hatch
- Overview:
- Model overview · All Mini models
- Build years:
- 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020
- What fails:
- body · brakes · plates · lights · emissions · wheels · seat belts · steering · suspension · tyres · visibility
- Abroad:
- Finland · the Netherlands · Norway
- By area:
- Postcode areas
- Compare:
- Ford Fiesta · Vauxhall Corsa · Volkswagen Polo · Toyota Yaris · Honda Jazz