MINI

Which year MINI Cooper S is most reliable?

Based on 95,523 vehicles (2003–2023) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"
These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 Cooper S at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 Cooper S at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."
Years to look for
2017–2022
Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other Cooper Ses
Below model average
2003–2011
Lower pass rate than other Cooper Ses — worth checking the MOT history before buying
See common failures for 2007 →
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Dataset
95,523
vehicles · 2003–2023 · millions of MOT records
CarHunch sweet spot — 2012–2019
These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 83.3–91.5% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year Pass rate Vehicles
2022
94.6%
7,850 Recommended
2021
92.5%
10,069 Recommended
2020
91.8%
10,413 Recommended
2019
91.5%
16,083 Recommended
2018
90.4%
9,746 Recommended
2017
89.7%
9,770 Recommended
2016
88.3%
9,436
2015
87.0%
8,049
2014
86.1%
5,754
2013
83.7%
2,591
2012
83.3%
1,309
2011
78.1%
499 Below avg
2010
73.6%
445 Below avg
2009
70.0%
469 Below avg
2008
68.1%
494 Below avg
2007
63.6%
776 Below avg
2006
69.5%
337 Below avg
2005
74.1%
295 Below avg
2004
75.8%
235 Below avg
2003
71.9%
246 Below avg

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

What next?
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