Rover Mini MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Rover Mini MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Rover Mini passed on its first attempt in 75.7%, and its overall record sits −1.7 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Rover Mini in the 2023–2025 data: 5,211 tests across 2 model years (2000–2001). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Rover Mini MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Rover Mini, the Steering section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Rover Mini's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Rover Mini DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Rover Mini, each with how many of the model's 5,211 tests it was noted on.

• "Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 223 Rover Mini tests, 4.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Service brake imbalance across an axle" (Major) — noted on about 161 Rover Mini tests, 3.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Catalyst emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits" (Major) — noted on about 157 Rover Mini tests, 3.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt" (Minor) — noted on about 145 Rover Mini tests, 2.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (Major) — noted on about 99 Rover Mini tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Horn not working" (Major) — noted on about 79 Rover Mini tests, 1.5% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Rover Mini Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Rover Mini model year on record is 2000 (79.4% across 3,929 tests), and the weakest is 2001 (79.0%). The gap between them is 0.4 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Rover Mini Owners

These checks follow this Rover Mini's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Rover Mini.

• the steering — “steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt”

  With the wheels straight, rock the steering wheel gently with the engine off — more than about an inch of free play before the wheels move is worth investigating. Split rack gaiters are cheap to replace and commonly recorded.

• the exhaust and emissions — “catalyst emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits”

  Listen for a blow at idle and have someone rev it gently. Then look at the tailpipe smoke: blue is oil, white when warm is coolant, black is over-fuelling. Any of those and the emissions test is the least of it.

• the horn — “horn not working”

  Press it. That is the whole check, and a surprising number of cars fail on it.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Rover Mini. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Rover Mini MOT & Reliability