1961 Austin Healey Sprite — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1961 perform at MOT as they age

65 years

Current Age

84.7%

Latest Pass Rate

643

Total Tests (All Years)

32,684 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 1961 Austin Healey Sprite as it ages.

48 yrs80.6%

→ ↓0.0%

49 yrs80.6%

→ ↑7.4%

50 yrs88.0%

→ ↑5.2%

51 yrs93.2%

→ ↓9.0%

52 yrs84.2%

→ ↓0.6%

53 yrs83.6%

→ ↓2.3%

54 yrs81.3%

→ ↑7.3%

55 yrs88.6%

→ ↓3.9%

56 yrs84.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
48 yrs	80.6%	67
49 yrs	80.6%	72
50 yrs	88.0%	75
51 yrs	93.2%	74
52 yrs	84.2%	76
53 yrs	83.6%	73
54 yrs	81.3%	64
55 yrs	88.6%	70
56 yrs	84.7%	72

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1961 Austin Healey Sprite pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2017 (56 yrs)	84.7%	72
2016 (55 yrs)	88.6%	70
2015 (54 yrs)	81.3%	64
2014 (53 yrs)	83.6%	73
2013 (52 yrs)	84.2%	76
2012 (51 yrs)	93.2%	74
2011 (50 yrs)	88%	75
2010 (49 yrs)	80.6%	72
2009 (48 yrs)	80.6%	67

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

80.6%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 67Avg Mileage 34,852Top Failure Suspension — 10.4%

2010

80.6%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 72Avg Mileage 34,312Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.7%

2011

88.0%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 75Avg Mileage 33,198Top Failure Brakes — 6.7%

2012

93.2%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 74Avg Mileage 34,773Top Failure Driver's View of the Road — 4.1%

2013

84.2%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 76Avg Mileage 31,502Top Failure Brakes — 23.7%

2014

83.6%

Age (yrs) 53Tests 73Avg Mileage 31,935Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.9%

2015

81.3%

Age (yrs) 54Tests 64Avg Mileage 31,349Top Failure Brakes — 25.0%

2016

88.6%

Age (yrs) 55Tests 70Avg Mileage 33,586Top Failure Suspension — 14.3%

2017

84.7%

Age (yrs) 56Tests 72Avg Mileage 32,684Top Failure Brakes — 33.3%

MOT results for 1961 Austin Healey Sprite by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	48	80.6%	67	34,852	Suspension — 10.4%
2010	49	80.6%	72	34,312	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.7%
2011	50	88.0%	75	33,198	Brakes — 6.7%
2012	51	93.2%	74	34,773	Driver's View of the Road — 4.1%
2013	52	84.2%	76	31,502	Brakes — 23.7%
2014	53	83.6%	73	31,935	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.9%
2015	54	81.3%	64	31,349	Brakes — 25.0%
2016	55	88.6%	70	33,586	Suspension — 14.3%
2017	56	84.7%	72	32,684	Brakes — 33.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1961 Austin Healey Sprite, with age trends.

Brakes

15.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

11.3%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

8.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Driver's View of the Road

5.6%

— Consistent

Steering

5.5%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	9.0% (48 yrs)	33.3% (56 yrs)	+24.3%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	10.4% (48 yrs)	2.8% (56 yrs)	-7.6%	🟢 ↓
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment	4.5% (48 yrs)	9.7% (56 yrs)	+5.2%	🔴 ↑
Driver's View of the Road	6.0% (48 yrs)	5.6% (56 yrs)	-0.4%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

1960 1961 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969

← Back to Austin Healey Sprite overview

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About This Data

This page shows how Austin Healey Sprite cars manufactured in 1961 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2017, covering 643 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.