1981 Rover Mini — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age

45 years

Current Age

87.2%

Latest Pass Rate

740

Total Tests (All Years)

51,768 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1981 Rover Mini as it ages.

28 yrs39.1%

→ ↑4.1%

29 yrs43.2%

→ ↓3.6%

30 yrs39.6%

→ ↓2.5%

31 yrs37.1%

→ ↑10.7%

32 yrs47.8%

→ ↓11.0%

33 yrs36.8%

→ ↑12.0%

34 yrs48.8%

→ ↑17.4%

35 yrs66.2%

→ ↓7.1%

36 yrs59.1%

→ ↑4.9%

37 yrs64.0%

→ ↑1.7%

38 yrs65.7%

→ ↑11.5%

39 yrs77.2%

→ ↓4.1%

40 yrs73.1%

→ ↓2.1%

42 yrs71.0%

→ ↑16.2%

43 yrs87.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
28 yrs	39.1%	46
29 yrs	43.2%	44
30 yrs	39.6%	48
31 yrs	37.1%	35
32 yrs	47.8%	46
33 yrs	36.8%	38
34 yrs	48.8%	41
35 yrs	66.2%	65
36 yrs	59.1%	66
37 yrs	64.0%	50
38 yrs	65.7%	67
39 yrs	77.2%	57
40 yrs	73.1%	67
42 yrs	71.0%	31
43 yrs	87.2%	39

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1981 Rover Mini pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (43 yrs)	87.2%	39
2023 (42 yrs)	71%	31
2021 (40 yrs)	73.1%	67
2020 (39 yrs)	77.2%	57
2019 (38 yrs)	65.7%	67
2018 (37 yrs)	64%	50
2017 (36 yrs)	59.1%	66
2016 (35 yrs)	66.2%	65
2015 (34 yrs)	48.8%	41
2014 (33 yrs)	36.8%	38
2013 (32 yrs)	47.8%	46
2012 (31 yrs)	37.1%	35
2011 (30 yrs)	39.6%	48
2010 (29 yrs)	43.2%	44
2009 (28 yrs)	39.1%	46

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

39.1%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 46Avg Mileage 48,427Top Failure Suspension — 43.5%

2010High Fail Rate

43.2%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 44Avg Mileage 59,575Top Failure Suspension — 40.9%

2011High Fail Rate

39.6%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 48Avg Mileage 52,002Top Failure Suspension — 41.7%

2012High Fail Rate

37.1%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 35Avg Mileage 66,521Top Failure Suspension — 45.7%

2013High Fail Rate

47.8%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 46Avg Mileage 53,785Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 126.1%

2014High Fail Rate

36.8%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 38Avg Mileage 56,276Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 131.6%

2015High Fail Rate

48.8%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 41Avg Mileage 56,056Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 104.9%

2016

66.2%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 65Avg Mileage 51,922Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.6%

2017High Fail Rate

59.1%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 66Avg Mileage 46,228Top Failure Suspension — 53.0%

2018High Fail Rate

64.0%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 50Avg Mileage 50,719Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 40.0%

2019

65.7%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 67Avg Mileage 50,161Top Failure Suspension — 55.2%

2020

77.2%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 57Avg Mileage 67,143Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.1%

2021

73.1%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 67Avg Mileage 49,488Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.4%

2023

71.0%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 31Avg Mileage 57,962Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 29.0%

2024

87.2%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 39Avg Mileage 51,768Top Failure Suspension — 33.3%

MOT results for 1981 Rover Mini by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	28	39.1%	46	48,427	Suspension — 43.5%
2010	29	43.2%	44	59,575	Suspension — 40.9%
2011	30	39.6%	48	52,002	Suspension — 41.7%
2012	31	37.1%	35	66,521	Suspension — 45.7%
2013	32	47.8%	46	53,785	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 126.1%
2014	33	36.8%	38	56,276	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 131.6%
2015	34	48.8%	41	56,056	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 104.9%
2016	35	66.2%	65	51,922	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.6%
2017	36	59.1%	66	46,228	Suspension — 53.0%
2018	37	64.0%	50	50,719	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 40.0%
2019	38	65.7%	67	50,161	Suspension — 55.2%
2020	39	77.2%	57	67,143	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.1%
2021	40	73.1%	67	49,488	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.4%
2023	42	71.0%	31	57,962	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 29.0%
2024	43	87.2%	39	51,768	Suspension — 33.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1981 Rover Mini, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

66.3%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

50.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

40.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

32.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Seat Belts and Supplementary Restraint Systems

29.3%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	37.0% (28 yrs)	23.1% (43 yrs)	-13.9%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	43.5% (28 yrs)	33.3% (43 yrs)	-10.2%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Rover Mini page →

About This Data

This page shows how Rover Mini cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 740 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.