Car statistics

MINI First statistics

How many MINI Firsts are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, how new registrations have changed and which fuels they use. Built from DVLA licensing records and 1,504 DVSA MOT tests.

Last updated
Records analysed
5,361 First records (licensed and SORN)
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed in Great Britain 4,905 −9.9% on a year earlier
  • Declared SORN 456 Off the road, not taxed
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 70.0% Cars of the same ages 64.9%
  • Rank by number licensed No. 439 of 1,159 models we cover
  • Peak year 2013 7,140 licensed
  • Average annual mileage 4,981 miles a year

How many MINI Firsts are left in Great Britain?

There were 4,905 MINI Firsts licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 456 declared off the road (SORN). That is 31.3% fewer than the peak of 7,140 in 2013.

MINI Firsts licensed in Great Britain

Numbers peaked in 2013 and have fallen every year since, as older cars are scrapped faster than new ones are registered.

MINI Firsts licensed in Great Britain at the end of each year
Year Licensed
2009 2,030
2010 4,210
2011 5,431
2012 6,269
2013 7,140
2014 6,991
2015 6,966
2016 6,907
2017 6,869
2018 6,771
2019 6,674
2020 6,567
2021 6,451
2022 6,272
2023 6,021
2024 5,563
2025 5,040
2026 4,905

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Fuel type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

MINI First MOT reliability

In 2025, 70.0% of MINI First MOT tests were passed first time, against 72.8% for all cars. Cars of the same ages as the MINI Firsts tested pass 64.9% of the time, so the MINI First does better than average for its age, by 5.1 points. In 2024 its pass rate was 69.9%.

MOT first-time pass rate by age: MINI First vs all cars

Comparing like with like: each bar pair covers cars of the same age, so an older average age does not count against a model.

MOT first-time pass rate by vehicle age, MINI First compared with all cars
Vehicle age MINI FirstAll cars
11–14 years 71.0%65.5%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

MINI First MOT failures

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the most common reason a MINI First fails its MOT, appearing on 58.8% of failed tests. A failed test can have defects in more than one category, so shares add up to more than 100%. 6.3% of MINI First tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.3% for all cars.

Most common MOT failure categories

Share of failed MINI First MOT tests with at least one defect in each category
Defect category Share of failed tests
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 58.8%
Noise, emissions and leaks 18.6%
Tyres 18.0%
Brakes 16.0%
Suspension 15.1%
Visibility 13.5%
Body, chassis, structure 6.9%
Identification of the vehicle 1.3%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MINI First MOT defects and advisories

The single most common reason a MINI First failed its MOT in 2025 was “Position lamp: not working”, on 22.2% of 451 failed tests. 58.2% of tests ended with at least one advisory, a problem to watch that did not fail the test; the most common was “Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge”. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.

Most common reasons for failure

Share of failed tests with each defect. A test can fail for more than one.

Most common specific MOT defects on failed MINI First tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 22.2%
Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 10.9%
Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 10.2%
Rear fog lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 8.6%
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks 7.1%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 6.9%
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility 5.8%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes 5.5%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility 5.3%
Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 5.1%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common advisories

Share of all tests with each advisory: worth checking on a car you are buying.

Most common MOT advisories on MINI First tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 18.0%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 12.7%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 12.0%
Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension 8.6%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 6.8%
Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks 6.7%
Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure 4.9%
Service brake performance: binding but not excessively Brakes 4.0%
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle 3.9%
Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension 3.7%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

MINI First by year

The 2013 MINI First has its own page, with its MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left.

MINI Firsts by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
2013 828 69.7% 66.0%

Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.

MINI First annual mileage

The average MINI First covers 4,981 miles a year, worked out from odometer readings at consecutive MOT tests.

Average annual mileage by age

Average annual mileage of a MINI First by vehicle age
Vehicle age Miles a year
11–14 years 5,088

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

MINI First registrations over time

Registrations of MINI Firsts for the first time in Great Britain peaked at 2,211 in 2010. In 2025, 0 were registered. With almost none registered new, the number on the road is likely to keep falling.

Registered for the first time, by year

MINI Firsts registered for the first time in Great Britain, by year
Year First registrations
’01 0
’02 0
’03 0
’04 0
’05 0
’06 0
’07 0
’08 0
’09 2,062
’10 2,211
’11 1,262
’12 874
’13 888
’14 12
’15 1
’16 1
’17 0
’18 0
’19 0
’20 0
’21 0
’22 1
’23 0
’24 0
’25 0

Source:DfT / DVLA 2001 to 2025 Updated

MINI First engine sizes and fuel types

Of the 5,239 MINI Firsts licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 61.6% have an engine of 1,501cc to 1,600cc, and 30.8% have an engine of 1,301cc to 1,400cc. The share with an engine of 1,301cc to 1,400cc has fallen from 39.1% in 2014 to 30.8%.

Engine sizes, end of 2025

DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.

MINI Firsts licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, by engine size
Engine size Share of those licensed
1,501cc to 1,600cc 3,228 licensed 61.6%
1,301cc to 1,400cc 1,614 licensed 30.8%
1,601cc to 1,700cc 397 licensed 7.6%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated

Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size Fuel Licensed Share
1,501–1,600cc Petrol 3,228 61.6%
1,301–1,400cc Petrol 1,614 30.8%
1,601–1,700cc Petrol 397 7.6%

Engine sizes, 2014 to 2025

Share of those licensed at the end of each year, for the most common sizes.

MINI Firsts licensed in the UK by engine size, share of each year’s total
Year 1,501–1,600cc1,301–1,400cc1,601–1,700cc
2014 54.4%39.1%6.5%
2015 54.6%38.8%6.6%
2016 54.7%38.8%6.5%
2017 54.9%38.5%6.6%
2018 55.0%38.3%6.7%
2019 55.4%37.8%6.8%
2020 55.7%37.5%6.8%
2021 56.3%36.7%7.0%
2022 56.7%36.3%7.1%
2023 57.7%35.1%7.1%
2024 59.3%33.3%7.4%
2025 61.6%30.8%7.6%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated

United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page. How we use engine sizes.

MINI First fuel economy and CO2

The Vehicle Certification Agency’s new car data lists the MINI First from 2010 to 2013. On the NEDC test (listings 2010 to 2013), official combined fuel economy for its petrol versions ranges from 52.3 to 53.3 mpg, with CO2 of 127 to 128 g/km.

Official NEDC figures by engine and fuel, listed 2010 to 2013
Engine and fuel Combined mpg CO2 g/km Listed Euro standard Versions
1.4 petrol 53.3 128 2010 Euro 4 1
1.6 petrol 52.3 127 2010–2013 Euro 5 to Euro 6 3

Source:VCA July 2000 to 15 September 2026 Updated

  • Official figures from laboratory type-approval tests. VCA says they may not be achieved in real-world driving, and should not be used to rank cars with similar figures.
  • Engine sizes are rounded to the nearest 0.1 litre. A version is one line in VCA’s data (description, gearbox, engine and fuel), counted once however many years it was listed. Matched from VCA’s model name “MINI Hatchback R56”. How we use VCA’s figures.

MINI First safety recalls

We found no recalls for the MINI First in DVSA’s records since 1992. That does not mean none apply: DVSA sometimes records a recall under a range or chassis name we cannot match to a model. Check a specific car on GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check.

A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every MINI First. The details come from manufacturers through DVSA, which says they may be delayed or incomplete. To check a specific car, use GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check or ask the manufacturer or a dealer. How we match recalls to models.

Compare the MINI First with other MINI models

MINI First compared with other MINI models
Model Licensed Change on a year SORN Rank Main fuel
MINI First 4,905 −9.9% 456 439 Petrol
MINI Cooper 509,006 +1.1% 39,172 9 Petrol
MINI Countryman 156,328 +7.9% 2,781 52 Petrol
MINI One 110,104 −8.2% 13,229 88 Petrol
MINI Clubman 55,029 −2.7% 2,058 136 Petrol

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed and SORN counts Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 5,361 First records (licensed and SORN) 15 September 2026
Registered for the first time Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport 2001 to 2025 15 September 2026
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 1,504 MOT tests 15 September 2026
  • Figures cover Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Northern Ireland is not included.
  • Licensed counts are vehicles with a current tax or exemption at the end of each year (or the latest quarter). SORN counts are shown separately.
  • First registrations count vehicles registered in Great Britain for the first time, including used imports.
  • Models are grouped by DVLA’s generic model name, so every generation and trim counts together.
  • MOT figures cover normal tests of cars aged three and over in 2025; retests are excluded. Age is rounded to the nearest year.
  • DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.