2,482 tests in 2025
MINI Roadster reliability and MOT pass rate
84.2% passed first time. The 15.8% fail rate is 6.8 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 11 years old with 53,830 miles.
Pass rate
84.2%
22.6% of all cars failed; 15.8% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.6%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
53,830 mi
11 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 20 | — |
| 10-13 years | 2,454 | 15.9% |
| 14+ years | 8 | — |
What the Roadster 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.
- Tyres120 dangerous30.5%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment3 dangerous29.5%
- Suspension2 dangerous24.2%
- Brakes34 dangerous18.6%
- Visibility18.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks7.4%
- Road Wheels7 dangerous3.8%
- Body, chassis, structure3.3%
Is the Roadster getting worse?
The fail rate rose 3 points to 15.8% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,738 | 8 | 12.8% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 2,706 | 9 | 14.8% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 2,280 | 10 | 15% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 2,478 | 11 | 15.8% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Roadster 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 Roadster in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak52 tests
- 2Stop lamp: not working35 tests
- 3Position lamp: not working35 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm34 tests
- 5Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively28 tests
- 6Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid28 tests
- 7Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords26 tests
- 8Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick23 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Roadster collects 2.36 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 1.6mm325 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened293 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure242 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick147 tests
- 5Condition: badly distorted117 tests
- 6Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak88 tests
- 7Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine82 tests
- 8Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn80 tests
Questions
What is the MINI Roadster MOT pass rate?
84.2% of the 2,482 MINI Roadster first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 15.8% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.6% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a MINI Roadster usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak", recorded on 52 failed tests, followed by "Stop lamp: not working" and "Position lamp: not working". By section, tyres appears in 30.5% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 29.5% of failures, suspension appears in 24.2% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 10-13 years it was 15.9%. The median MINI Roadster tested in 2025 was 11 years old with 53,830 miles.
Is the MINI Roadster getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 3 points to 15.8% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
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 Roadster 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%
- Clubman 16.9%
- John Cooper Works 11.4%
- Electric 9%
- Paceman 13.9%
- First 21.3%
- Unclassified 18.2%
Checking a particular Roadster?
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.