In 2025, 93,584 MINI Cooper S cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 86% passed first time, compared with 80% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Cooper S better than average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 48 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 3 years old, 90% of Cooper Ss passed first time (all cars that age: 88%). By 19 years, that figure is 64% (all cars: 57%). It beats the average car at every age with enough data, from 6 to 19 years.
MINI Cooper S All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Cooper S passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 8,421 | 90% | 88% | 21,195 |
| 4 years | 10,339 | 89% | 87% | 28,199 |
| 5 years | 10,569 | 88% | 86% | 32,337 |
| 6 years | 16,351 | 88% | 84% | 37,652 |
| 7 years | 9,704 | 88% | 81% | 43,146 |
| 8 years | 9,576 | 86% | 78% | 50,779 |
| 9 years | 9,170 | 84% | 75% | 58,084 |
| 10 years | 7,720 | 81% | 72% | 65,876 |
| 11 years | 5,454 | 79% | 69% | 67,420 |
| 12 years | 2,389 | 74% | 66% | 70,018 |
| 13 years | 1,157 | 75% | 63% | 70,914 |
| 14 years | 392 | 72% | 61% | 77,943 |
| 15 years | 288 | 63% | 59% | 76,572 |
| 16 years | 247 | 58% | 58% | 75,050 |
| 17 years | 239 | 58% | 57% | 87,970 |
| 18 years | 317 | 65% | 57% | 87,025 |
| 19 years | 203 | 64% | 57% | 90,610 |
What fails most on a MINI Cooper S
The area that lets the Cooper S down most, relative to other cars, is road wheels: 0.4% of tests failed on it, 3.2 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on body and structure and suspension.
Share of Cooper S tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A tyre seriously damaged | Tyres | 4.5% |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | Visibility | 2.8% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 1.9% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 1.6% |
| A tyre cords visible or damaged | Tyres | 1.2% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 1.0% |
What to check when buying a used Cooper S
Based on where the Cooper S fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Road wheels: Look for damaged rims and missing wheel nuts. More
- Tyres: Check tread across the whole width (uneven wear hints at alignment or suspension faults), and look for cuts, bulges and mismatched brands. Repair guide
- Visibility: Check the windscreen for chips in the driver’s view, the wipers for smearing and the washers for working jets. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific Cooper S
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a Cooper SFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a MINI Cooper S?
In 2025, 86% of MINI Cooper S cars passed their MOT first time, across 93,584 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 80%.
What do MINI Cooper S cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a tyre seriously damaged (4.5% of tests); wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen (2.8% of tests); the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (1.9% of tests).
Other MINI models
MINI Cooper (85%), MINI MINI (62%), MINI Countryman (85%), MINI One (79%), MINI Clubman (79%), MINI John Cooper Works (87%). All MINI models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.