2003 MINI MINI MOT pass rate: 62.0% (37,410 tests)

2003-registered MINI MINIs passed 62.0% of 37,410 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — 3.0 points worse than same-age cars (65.0%). This is one of the lower-scoring MINI years after correcting for vehicle age — inspect the individual car carefully.

62.0%Pass rate, 2003 cars

97.0Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

37,410Tests analysed

105,766 miMedian mileage at test

62.1% / 57.7%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2003 MINI getting worse?

Pass rate of 2003-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	61.6% -2.9 vs same-age
2024	61.5% -3.2 vs same-age
2025	63.3% -2.9 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2003 MINI

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	14,918	28.2%
2	Brakes	11,821	22.3%
3	Suspension	7,597	14.4%
4	Body, chassis, structure	5,681	10.7%
5	Noise, emissions and leaks	3,409	6.4%
6	Tyres	3,069	5.8%

All MINI years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2001	5,845	58.3%	-8.3 pts	96,630
2002	24,218	60.5%	-5.2 pts	104,450
2003 (this page)	37,410	62.0%	-3.0 pts	105,766
2004	52,216	61.4%	-3.0 pts	102,381
2005	64,087	61.9%	-2.6 pts	98,050
2006	60,717	63.1%	-1.4 pts	94,371
2007	73,830	64.6%	-0.5 pts	90,855
2008	75,417	66.4%	+1.2 pts	91,489
2009	83,132	69.1%	+2.7 pts	85,719
2010	89,901	75.2%	+7.8 pts	82,460
2011	76,626	76.9%	+7.7 pts	79,151
2012	65,733	80.2%	+9.0 pts	74,618
2013	56,733	82.5%	+9.1 pts	72,863
2014	1,565	84.8%	+9.0 pts	67,328

Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: MINI MINI years to avoid.

Buying a 2003 MINI? Two checks first

Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

FAQs

Is a 2003 MINI MINI reliable?

2003-registered examples passed 62.0% of their MOT tests (37,410 tests, 2023–2025), -3.0 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 23 years old with a median 105,766 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2003 MINI?

The median tested example shows 105,766 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Should I buy the petrol or diesel 2003 MINI?

In this cohort petrols pass 62.1% of tests against 57.7% for diesels. Mileage and use can explain part of that gap, so treat it as a reason to inspect DPF and emissions history, not a fuel-type verdict.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.