1,401 tests in 2025
MINI First reliability and MOT pass rate
78.7% passed first time. The 21.3% fail rate is 1.3 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 12 years old with 74,102 miles.
Pass rate
78.7%
22.6% of all cars failed; 21.3% of these did.
Fixed on the day
8.4%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
74,102 mi
12 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 0 | — |
| 10-13 years | 1,121 | 19.5% |
| 14+ years | 280 | 28.2% |
What the First fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment1 dangerous45%
- Noise, emissions and leaks24.8%
- Tyres67 dangerous21.8%
- Brakes34 dangerous21.1%
- Suspension3 dangerous21.1%
- Visibility14.4%
- Body, chassis, structure1 dangerous9.1%
- Identification of the vehicle1%
Is the First getting worse?
The fail rate rose 4.9 points to 21.3% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (7.4 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,648 | 9 | 16.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 1,623 | 10 | 17% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,389 | 11 | 21.5% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,401 | 12 | 21.3% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical First at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a First in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Position lamp: not working54 tests
- 2Stop lamp: not working24 tests
- 3Rear fog lamp: not working24 tests
- 4Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction24 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick23 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm22 tests
- 7Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits20 tests
- 8Headlamp aim: too low18 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical First collects 2.48 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm237 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure182 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened171 tests
- 4Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened120 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick93 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine91 tests
- 7Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases70 tests
- 8Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn64 tests
Questions
What is the MINI First MOT pass rate?
78.7% of the 1,401 MINI First first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 21.3% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 8.4% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a MINI First usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Position lamp: not working", recorded on 54 failed tests, followed by "Stop lamp: not working" and "Rear fog lamp: not working". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 45% of failures, noise, emissions and leaks appears in 24.8% of failures, tyres appears in 21.8% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 28.2%. The median MINI First tested in 2025 was 12 years old with 74,102 miles.
Is the MINI First getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 4.9 points to 21.3% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (7.4 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every First trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other MINI models
- Hatch 12.8%
- Mini 30.1%
- John Cooper Works 11.4%
- Electric 9%
- Paceman 13.9%
- Roadster 15.8%
- Unclassified 18.2%
Checking a particular First?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.