Mini Cooper
Registered from 1995 to 2025.
About this model
The Mini is a supermini car which has been made since April 2001. Colloquially known as the New Mini, all four generations have been produced as three-door hatchbacks and two-door convertibles, with a five-door hatchback body style added from the third generation. Introduced following the acquisition of the Mini marque by German carmaker BMW, it is a family of retro-styled cars with a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout. The range has been marketed under various names, such as the Mini Cooper, Mini Hatch, Mini Hardtop, Mini One, and Mini John Cooper Works.
From the Wikipedia article Mini Hatch, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2019 1.5 petrol. 2,281 of 33,020 tests failed, 7%.
Better than 74% of 2019 cars. The typical one fails 9%, across 908 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres and wheels | 57% | 1,300 |
| Visibility | 26% | 602 |
| Brakes | 18% | 414 |
| Lights and electrics | 6% | 135 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 2% | 35 |
| Suspension | 1% | 34 |
The defects inspectors cite
- A tyre seriously damaged
- Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- A tyre cords visible or damaged
- Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Tyres and wheels — 57% of its failures
- A tyre seriously damaged
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- A tyre cords visible or damaged
- Brakes — 18% of its failures
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator
- Lights and electrics — 6% of its failures
- Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator
- Visibility — 26% of its failures
- Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
When it starts failing
At 80–100k miles this one fails 12% of its inspections, against the 14% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–20k miles | 5% | 5% | 13,515 | |
| 20–40k miles | 8% | 9% | 16,373 | |
| 40–60k miles | 10% | 12% | 2,702 | |
| 60–80k miles | 12% | 14% | 352 | |
| 80–100k miles | 12% | 14% | 59 |
33,001 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 20k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 1.5 petrol · 134 hp · 1356 kg · 2495 mm wheelbase · 6.0 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2021 | 1.5 petrol · 134 hp · 1285 kg · 2523 mm wheelbase · 5.8 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2020 | 1.5 petrol · 134 hp · 1263 kg · 2525 mm wheelbase · 5.8 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2019 | 1.5 petrol · 134 hp · 1557 kg · 2670 mm wheelbase · 7.0 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2018 | 1.5 petrol · 1280 kg · 2540 mm wheelbase · 6.2 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2017 | 1.5 petrol · 138 hp · 1213 kg · 2511 mm wheelbase · 4.6 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2016 | 1.5 petrol · 134 hp · 1218 kg · 2522 mm wheelbase · 4.6 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2015 | 1.5 petrol · 134 hp · 1202 kg · 2528 mm wheelbase · 4.6 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2014 | 1.5 petrol · 134 hp · 1191 kg · 2515 mm wheelbase · 4.5 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2013 | 1.6 petrol · 179 hp · 1269 kg · 2467 mm wheelbase · 6.1 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2012 | 1.6 petrol · 180 hp · 1468 kg · 2595 mm wheelbase · 7.1 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2011 | 1.6 petrol · 180 hp · 1466 kg · 2578 mm wheelbase · 7.1 L/100km (NEDC) |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
A12/01914/24
The casing of the high-voltage (HV) battery may not be watertight, risking water entry. If water enters, a message alerts the driver about an insulation fault. Ignoring this warning can cause the HV battery to shut down mid-drive, leading the vehicle to decelerate to a stop, creating a risk of accidents and injuries. Additionally, there's a risk of fire, even when the vehicle is parked. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/02681/24
The high-voltage battery can short-circuit, causing the battery to overheat and the vehicle to catch fire, even when it is parked. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/03519/24
A quality check showed that cell modules of the high-voltage battery may not have been manufactured to specification and therefore malfunctions may occur in the high-voltage battery. In certain situations, it cannot be ruled out that these malfunctions will lead to a short circuit in the high-voltage battery. A vehicle fire, even when parked, is possible in extremely rare cases. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/1588/19
A spherical-collar disk is missing on the tie rod end of the steering gear. Consequently, the tie rod might wear off and break, leading to a loss of wheel control and increasing the risk of accident.
Recall of the product from end users
SR/00051/25
The hollow shaft of the servomotor has been welded incorrectly. The weld may not be able to withstand high braking pressure build-up and may break. In this case, the reduced braking performance requires greater force and the braking distance may increase. In addition, the ABS and DSC brake control systems are not assisted. This increases the risk of an accident. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of Motor Vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
SR/01730/25
A manufacturing defect in the high-voltage battery may cause a short circuit in the vehicles concerned. This may result in the vehicle catching fire, even when it is parked. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
SR/03495/25
The seat belts of the car were not manufactured correctly. In the event of a collision or accident, the restraint function of the seat belts may be reduced and may not provide the necessary protection. As a result, there may be an increased risk of injury. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users