1971 MG B — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1971 perform at MOT as they age

55 years

Current Age

83.6%

Latest Pass Rate

23,499

Total Tests (All Years)

41,334 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 1971 MG B as it ages.

38 yrs70.0%

→ ↑1.8%

39 yrs71.8%

→ ↑0.8%

40 yrs72.6%

→ ↓0.5%

41 yrs72.1%

→ ↑1.8%

42 yrs73.9%

→ ↓0.0%

43 yrs73.9%

→ ↑0.3%

44 yrs74.2%

→ ↑0.3%

45 yrs74.5%

→ ↑2.9%

46 yrs77.4%

→ ↓0.5%

47 yrs76.9%

→ ↓0.3%

48 yrs76.6%

→ ↑4.2%

49 yrs80.8%

→ ↓0.4%

50 yrs80.4%

→ ↑3.0%

51 yrs83.4%

→ ↓5.6%

52 yrs77.8%

→ ↑5.8%

53 yrs83.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
38 yrs	70.0%	2,316
39 yrs	71.8%	2,260
40 yrs	72.6%	2,350
41 yrs	72.1%	2,201
42 yrs	73.9%	2,249
43 yrs	73.9%	2,252
44 yrs	74.2%	2,249
45 yrs	74.5%	2,271
46 yrs	77.4%	2,195
47 yrs	76.9%	971
48 yrs	76.6%	761
49 yrs	80.8%	495
50 yrs	80.4%	280
51 yrs	83.4%	205
52 yrs	77.8%	230
53 yrs	83.6%	214

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1971 MG B pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (53 yrs)	83.6%	214
2023 (52 yrs)	77.8%	230
2022 (51 yrs)	83.4%	205
2021 (50 yrs)	80.4%	280
2020 (49 yrs)	80.8%	495
2019 (48 yrs)	76.6%	761
2018 (47 yrs)	76.9%	971
2017 (46 yrs)	77.4%	2,195
2016 (45 yrs)	74.5%	2,271
2015 (44 yrs)	74.2%	2,249
2014 (43 yrs)	73.9%	2,252
2013 (42 yrs)	73.9%	2,249
2012 (41 yrs)	72.1%	2,201
2011 (40 yrs)	72.6%	2,350
2010 (39 yrs)	71.8%	2,260
2009 (38 yrs)	70%	2,316

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

70.0%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 2,316Avg Mileage 42,664Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.8%

2010

71.8%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 2,260Avg Mileage 42,158Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.9%

2011

72.6%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 2,350Avg Mileage 42,016Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.1%

2012

72.1%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 2,201Avg Mileage 42,568Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.1%

2013

73.9%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 2,249Avg Mileage 42,027Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.8%

2014

73.9%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 2,252Avg Mileage 41,651Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.3%

2015

74.2%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 2,249Avg Mileage 42,047Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.5%

2016

74.5%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 2,271Avg Mileage 41,516Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.8%

2017

77.4%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 2,195Avg Mileage 41,768Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.1%

2018

76.9%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 971Avg Mileage 41,418Top Failure Suspension — 20.8%

2019

76.6%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 761Avg Mileage 42,482Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 24.8%

2020

80.8%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 495Avg Mileage 43,619Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 19.8%

2021

80.4%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 280Avg Mileage 41,670Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 26.8%

2022

83.4%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 205Avg Mileage 41,574Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 16.6%

2023

77.8%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 230Avg Mileage 43,552Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 25.7%

2024

83.6%

Age (yrs) 53Tests 214Avg Mileage 41,334Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 18.7%

MOT results for 1971 MG B by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	38	70.0%	2,316	42,664	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.8%
2010	39	71.8%	2,260	42,158	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.9%
2011	40	72.6%	2,350	42,016	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.1%
2012	41	72.1%	2,201	42,568	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.1%
2013	42	73.9%	2,249	42,027	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.8%
2014	43	73.9%	2,252	41,651	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.3%
2015	44	74.2%	2,249	42,047	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.5%
2016	45	74.5%	2,271	41,516	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.8%
2017	46	77.4%	2,195	41,768	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.1%
2018	47	76.9%	971	41,418	Suspension — 20.8%
2019	48	76.6%	761	42,482	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 24.8%
2020	49	80.8%	495	43,619	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 19.8%
2021	50	80.4%	280	41,670	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 26.8%
2022	51	83.4%	205	41,574	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 16.6%
2023	52	77.8%	230	43,552	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 25.7%
2024	53	83.6%	214	41,334	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 18.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1971 MG B, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

20.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

20.6%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

17.3%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

17.2%

— Consistent

Body, chassis, structure

8.5%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	13.0% (38 yrs)	17.8% (53 yrs)	+4.8%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	13.1% (38 yrs)	13.1% (53 yrs)	0.0%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982

← Back to MG B overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the MG B page →

About This Data

This page shows how MG B cars manufactured in 1971 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 23,499 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.